Eagles OC Pushes Back On Conservative Label

The idea that the Eagles are being too conservative offensively when building up a lead has gained steam after a 13-0 advantage in Western New York turned into a 13-12 white-knuckler win over the Buffalo Bills.

Philadelphia head coach Nick Sirianni first pushed back on that sentiment after the game, and offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo joined in during his weekly press conference on Tuesday.

“I don't think we're trying to be conservative at all,” Patullo said.

Labeling is often the disconnect in these instances.

The Eagles are certainly ball-security conscious, but if you push that description toward risk-averse, you’re likely going to get more blowback. 

“Conservative” is ironically even further to the right, and something that is always going to be disputed by an offense with the firepower the Eagles have available.

Despite all the talk of a struggling offense, quarterback Jalen Hurts has a career-high with 25 passing touchdowns, All-Pro running back Saquon Barkley is up over 1,100 yards, A.J. Brown just crossed over the 1,000-yard mark for receiving yards for the fourth consecutive season, which is a franchise record, and fellow wideout DeVonta Smith is close behind.

Meanwhile, tight end Dallas Goedert just broke a 60-year franchise record with his 11th touchdown catch against the Bills, the most ever for a TE in Eagles history.

However, the offense as a whole has been consistently inconsistent, brilliant in the red zone and tremendously efficient when a first down is generated. The three-and-out numbers have been a league bottom-feeder, though.

The biggest piece to the latter according to Patullo is the lack of success on early downs, something that is allowing the opposing defense to dictate terms far too often.

“If you're not successful on first down and/or second down, you're behind [the sticks], now the defense is dictating to you what's going on," Patullo said. "I think that's happened to us a few times, and unfortunately, it's been with leads like Tampa and this game, and so we've had those moments where that's happened and that's where we've got to get out of.”

The Eagles are no outlier in those circumstances. On third-and-long in the NFL, every offense becomes one-dimensional and therefore predictable. That doesn't equate to conservative, though.

“When you have those moments, you have limited plays,” Patullo explained. “I think that's where you get stuck in those ruts where you've got to get out of them.”