Nick Sirianni announced his retirement
from the NFL during the Seahawks game. Given Patricia’s previous coaching setbacks with the Detroit Lions, this choice has some people scratching their heads. Concerns over Sean Desai’s confidence and player relations have led to his dismissal as the defensive coach for the Eagles, having taken Jonathan Gannon’s position.
NEW DELHI: Just prior to their “Monday Night Football” matchup against the Seahawks in Seattle, the Philadelphia Eagles made a late-season defensive coaching move, transferring Sean Desai’s play-calling responsibilities to coach Matt Patricia. With a 10-3 record in the NFC East, this team is well-positioned for the playoffs, thus this move is surprising.
Given his previous coaching setbacks, Patricia’s hiring—who is most recognized for having coached the Eagles to victory in the 2017 Super Bowl—raises questions.
From 2018 to 2020, Patricia led the Detroit Lions as head coach. She struggled to assemble a strong defense and had tense relationships with certain players, like cornerback Darius Slay, who is currently with the Eagles.
Tim McManus of ESPN stated that Patricia would assume the role of coach from the sidelines, with Desai watching from the commentary booth. Desai, who joined the Eagles in February to take Jonathan Gannon’s spot, might be demoted because of issues with his player relations and confidence.
According to Jeff McLane of The Philadelphia Inquirer, one factor in Desai’s removal was a perceived lack of confidence, with some players believing a change in leadership was necessary.
Patricia’s coaching history casts doubt on his capacity to improve the Eagles’ poor defense, particularly during his tenure with the Patriots and Lions. Fears over Patricia’s effect on defensive performance were raised when the Patriots, under Bill Belichick, swiftly restored their defensive excellence when Patricia left for Detroit.
The Eagles’ defensive inadequacies were highlighted by Yahoo Sports’ Nate Tice in his weekly piece. The Eagles rank 29th in defensive success rate and 22nd in weighted DVOA, which evaluates performances from the previous week. The coaching change attempts to solve the defense’s problems, which are a result of being in a transition year and facing difficulties in the playoffs.
Patricia might improve play-calling and add fresh perspectives, but given his recent coaching experience, doubts remain. Luckily, the Eagles’ remaining regular-season games are against weaker teams. However, Patricia’s efficacy will be put to the test in the postseason. The Eagles’ choice to make this bold coaching change will be highly scrutinized as head coach Nick Sirianni leads the team through the critical stretch that lies ahead.
