The Eagles’ Offense is Finding Their Identity
One of the many reasons the NFL is so entertaining is the limitless ways teams can approach the game strategically.
Throughout the first half of the season, the Philadelphia Eagles’ offense threw several strategies against the wall and hoped something would stick.
To start the season, First Year Head Coach Nick Sirianni implemented a pass-heavy offense. For a team whose weakest links on that side of the ball are the quarterback and receiver positions, this tactic was a bit of a head scratcher.
Much to the chagrin of Eagles fans, it appeared as if Sirianni had an aversion to running the football. The most egregious example of this came in week three against the Cowboys when Eagles running backs had just three (!) carries throughout the entire game.
At times it appeared Sirianni was in over his head, but if recent weeks are any indication, the rookie head coach is starting to learn from his mistakes.
One of the major pillars Sirianni’s coaching philosophy is built on is the ability to adapt to the strength of his personnel:
Good coaches don’t come in with a rigid scheme and show zero signs of adaptability *cough Chip Kelly cough*. Instead, they have a good understanding of the talent they have on their roster, and they design a scheme that maximizes the team’s strengths while minimizing its weaknesses.
It may have taken longer than Eagles’ fans would have liked, but it appears the coaching staff in Philadelphia is starting to understand how to utilize the guys they have on their roster. They’ve tweaked their game plans in recent weeks, and the results thus far have been promising.
The biggest strength of the Eagles offense is without question the offensive line.
The Eagles franchise LOVES to invest heavily in offensive lineman, and so far this season, their investment has yielded impressive play from that group. Despite suffering injuries to their two starting guards (Brandon Brooks and Isaac Seumalo), the Eagles’ offensive line has been one of the league’s better groups in 2021.
To extract the most value out of this group, the Eagles have run the ball at the highest rate in the league over these last three weeks.
Offensive linemen love running the football. It’s much more fun for a 300+ pound guy to put his weight forward, fire off the line of scrimmage, and try to move someone backwards rather than get stuck backpedaling in pass protection all day.
The game plans these past few weeks have allowed the offensive line to serve as the focal point of the offense, and the results have been fantastic. The Eagles ranked 2nd in the league in rushing yards from weeks 7–9, and the shift in philosophy has given a massive boost to the entire offense.
So what changed, and why have the Eagles all of a sudden started embracing this new identity?
There are numerous factors at play here, but one of the biggest changes has been addition by subtraction.
Eagles’ legend Zach Ertz was traded to the Arizona Cardinals after week six, and since his departure, the Eagles have looked like a completely different offense.
Despite getting rid of their three-time Pro Bowl tight end, in recent weeks the Eagles have utilized multiple tight end sets at a higher rate compared to when Ertz was on the roster. According to Sharp Football Stats, in weeks 1–6 the Eagles had multiple tight ends on the field for 27% of their snaps, but in weeks 7–9 that number has spiked up to 36%.
Ertz’s primary replacement thus far has been Jack Stoll — an undrafted rookie out of Nebraska.
Stoll claimed the #2 tight end role on this team upon Ertz’s departure and he’s been making the most of his opportunity. He’s not the same level of threat as Ertz in the passing game, but his proficiency as a blocker has forced the Eagles’ coaching staff to keep him on the field:
Plays like the one above are why Stoll’s seen a drastic uptick in snaps, and it looks as if his role in this new-look Eagles offense is here to stay.
Getting more big bodies like Stoll on the field has really helped boost the Eagles run game. They’ve averaged 181.3 rush yards over the last three weeks (without Ertz) compared to just 113.7 over the first six (with Ertz).
What makes this turnaround even more impressive is the fact that the Eagles are getting this production with their top running back — Miles Sanders — on injured reserve.
Jordan Howard has been the team’s best back in Sanders’ absence, and his powerful running style has meshed beautifully with the Eagles’ new offensive identity.
While Howard’s no-nonsense running style has been a welcome addition, he’s not nearly as explosive of a runner as Sanders. There have been multiple instances this year where a 5–10 yard run by Howard could have easily been a gain of 20+ if it were Sanders getting the football.
Luckily for the Eagles, Sanders should be getting healthy soon, and his return to the starting lineup could add an explosive element to the ground game that takes this entire offense up another level.
While the improved run game has been a welcome change in recent weeks, it’s meant the passing game has largely taken a backseat.
During those first 6 weeks with Ertz on the team, Jalen Hurts averaged 34.7 pass attempts a game. In the previous 3 weeks, that number’s dipped all the way down to 21.7. While Hurts’ yardage totals have understandably dropped given the low volume of throws, his efficiency numbers have skyrocketed.
The Eagles front office is one of the more analytically-inclined groups in the NFL, and playing efficient football is a top priority for this franchise.
It’s a common belief that analytics tend to favor the passing game, but at their core, analytics have no preference for the run or the pass. NFL teams use analytics to identify the most efficient way to play the game, and for the Eagles, the numbers are suggesting a heavier dose of run plays.
One of the more popular metrics in NFL analytics recently has been Expected Points Added (EPA). The primary purpose of EPA is to measure how efficient a team is on a per snap basis, and it’s starting to become a common barometer teams use to measure their overall success.
Since trading Ertz and shifting the offensive focus to the run game, the Eagles have seen a massive spike in their EPA/play on offense:
The Eagles have been above league average when it comes to EPA on rushing plays all season long, but the newfound dedication to the run has drastically boosted this team’s efficiency when throwing.
It’s weird to think having additional blockers on the field can drastically boost the efficiency of the passing game, but that’s exactly what’s happening in Philadelphia.
By making the run game the focal point of the offense, the passing game has turned into a well-timed counter punch that catches defenders off guard. Defenses have begun focusing on stopping the run, and the Eagles have responded by utilizing play-action fakes at a higher rate which has led to easier opportunities for Hurts in the passing game.
While the Eagles’ receiver room has largely been a disappointment this year, Devonta Smith — the 10th overall pick in this year’s draft — has shown flashes of brilliance. His best game of the season came in last week’s matchup with the Chargers, and it’s looking as if he‘ll be a problem for opposing secondaries moving forward:
Smith’s skillset translates particularly well to a team whose passing game is starting to become focused around the play-action game.
Because of the play fake, play-action passes take a longer time to develop compared to simple drop back passes. This requires the offensive line to hold up in protection for a hair longer than usual, but it also means defenders need to stay locked up in coverage for a longer time as well.
The strongest part of Smith’s game is his route running ability. Sticking with him in 1 on 1 coverage is a nightmare for opposing defenders, and forcing them to stick with him for a few extra seconds is a recipe for success for the Eagles passing game:
Hurts isn’t the most polished passer, and lifting some of the burden off his shoulders has led to improved play from the entire Eagles’ offense. They’re asking him to throw less often, and the throws he’s being asked to make have tended to be simpler.
Many have been quick to point the finger at Hurts and claim this offensive shift is a negative reflection on his play, but that’s not necessarily the case. It’s important to remember he only has 13 NFL starts under his belt, and the young quarterback still has plenty of time to grow.
The Eagles’ best approach moving forward is to likely treat Hurts the way the Seahawks treated Russell Wilson early in his career.
When Wilson first entered the league, the Seahawks’ offense was built around Marshawn Lynch and a tone-setting rushing attack. As Wilson developed as a passer, Seattle slowly began putting more and more on his plate and he consistently delivered.
Projecting Hurts to ever become as successful as Wilson is extremely optimistic and rather unlikely. However, from a play style perspective, the two quarterbacks are somewhat similar, and the model that worked in Seattle appears to be one that could work in Philadelphia as well.
The Eagles shouldn’t ask their young quarterback to do too much, but instead they should continue putting him in positions to succeed by leaning on the strengths of the other 10 guys on the offense.
Early in the season it looked as if Sirianni was in over his head.
It didn’t appear he and the rest of his coaching staff knew how to best utilize their personnel, the offense lacked a true identity, and his lack of experience was evident. Early in his tenure, it looked as if his hire might have been a massive flop.
Despite the lack of on field success early in his tenure, Sirianni didn’t fold. He’s shown a willingness to learn and adapt, and in recent weeks it appears as if he and his coaching staff have experienced a lightbulb moment.
It may have taken a little longer than fans would have liked, but this Eagles offense appears to have discovered a recipe for success. They’re utilizing their personnel well, and the coaching staff is putting each and every player on the offense in a position to succeed.
The Eagles’ offense has a foundation in place, and it appears the arrow is finally pointing up for this team.
