Nick Sirianni’s strong statement on QB room as he addresses offensive line woes

"Good and bad," McCord offered about his own outing, citing "missed opportunities" and throws he wanted back. The Eagles' offense mustered a measly 88 total yards. Sirianni's assessment was sweeping: "It wasn’t good enough out there on the field, in coaching, playing, anything."

Nick Sirianni's Calculated Gamble

Sirianni made a telling decision. For the first time in his head coaching tenure, his established No. 2 QB, Tanner McKee, didn't play in Preseason Game 2. This was a pure audition for QB3. The plan? Give both Thompson-Robinson and McCord reps with different personnel groups.

"We wanted to get both of them reps... get both of them reps with the twos and also with the threes," Sirianni explained. The logic was sound. However, the execution faltered badly.

Thompson-Robinson, perhaps seen as the front-runner, stumbled. McCord flashed briefly but inconsistently. The "case by case" approach Sirianni mentioned now leaves the QB3 spot wide open heading into the final preseason game. Meanwhile, offensive struggles weren't isolated to the deep reserves.

Echoes reverberated from joint practices where Cleveland's defense, even missing key corners, dominated. Myles Garrett terrorized the Eagles' line. Jalen Hurts faced constant pressure, throwing multiple interceptions against a depleted secondary. Star receivers A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith remained sidelined, disrupting vital chemistry. Sirianni acknowledged the practice struggles earlier.

"Too many negative plays... It’s hard to score when you’re going backwards," Sirianni had said. But the offensive issues are systemic, impacting every level of the offense. Protecting Hurts and establishing rhythm is paramount, and the current depth inspires little confidence. NSirianni now faces a dual challenge.

Sirianni needs to find a reliable emergency QB and fortify a shaky offensive trench. He sought clarity on his depth chart. He got a loud, messy answer. The QB3 battle is a coin flip after Saturday's struggles.

More alarmingly, the offensive line depth appears to be a critical weakness. This echoes concerns from joint practices where even the starters got bullied. Sirianni's core mission is clear… fix the offense. Protecting Hurts and finding offensive cohesion, even without Brown and Smith right now, is non-negotiable. The preseason exposed cracks. Sirianni's blunt assessment signals urgency. Hence, the construction project starts now… brick by painful brick.