PHILADELPHIA — The Eagles’ offense is stuck in neutral again, and Sunday’s fourth-quarter collapse against Denver turned frustration into full-blown concern heading into Thursday’s matchup against the Giants.
A 17-3 lead evaporated in a 21-17 loss that underscored everything wrong with the Birds’ attack — predictable play-calling, inconsistent execution, and a run game that’s become an afterthought for a team built to bully.
The Eagles entered the fourth quarter up two touchdowns before being outgained 156 yards to 15 the rest of the way, allowing 18 unanswered points in a stunning home loss. The defeat dropped Philadelphia to 4-1 and renewed questions about balance and identity.
Jalen Hurts threw for 280 yards and two touchdowns but was sacked six times, while DeVonta Smith posted a season-high 114 receiving yards. Saquon Barkley and Dallas Goedert also scored, but the offense stalled when it mattered most — managing just three yards on its final 14 plays before a desperation Hail Mary fell incomplete.
The Eagles rank 31st in the league in passing (161.8 yards per game) and 25th in rushing (99.8). They ran the ball just 11 times for 45 yards against the Broncos, compared with Denver’s 29 carries for 130 yards. Time of possession skewed heavily toward Denver, 34:17 to 25:43.
Play-calling under the microscope
Offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo acknowledged Tuesday that the game plan evolved away from its intended mix. “I think it’s a little bit of both,” he said. “We go into a game with a pretty good menu for what we want to do, and a lot of times it’s off what the defense is giving us.”
Patullo mentioned that Philadelphia leaned on run-pass options — a concept largely shelved this season — with six RPO calls that all became throws. “That adds to the pass stats,” he said, “but I think each game presents something different. This one turned into more of a passing identity.”
Denver’s front neutralized Hurts’ scrambling and Barkley’s runs, shrinking what Patullo called the “three-way monster” of options within the RPOs. “Sometimes he can run it, Saquon can run it, or we can throw it,” he said. “It just worked out differently this time.”
Patullo said defensive looks dictated the heavy passing volume. “Some teams are real man heavy, some teams aren’t,” he said. “We had a feel for what they like to do and tried to play into that.”
Execution and tempo problems
The Eagles’ struggles extended beyond play selection. Pre-snap timing and communication have been recurring issues, particularly with a banged-up offensive line. “Sometimes plays can have multiple things in them,” Patullo said. “There’s a little more going on at the line of scrimmage — motioning, assessing. We’ve got to maintain it and be on it.”
The unit also continues to falter on third down, where long-yardage situations have been frequent. “We’ve just got to stay ahead of the sticks,” Patullo said.
Penalties compounded the problem. An illegal shift wiped out a big gain in the second half. “The referee asked (receiver) Jahan (Dotson) to move up, and he moved up while we were shifting,” Patullo said. “It was tough. That stuff happens, but we’ve got to make sure it doesn’t.”
Meeting of the minds
Hurts confirmed that he, Barkley and receiver A.J. Brown met for two hours Monday — just the three of them — to try address what needs to be fixed offensively.
“It was just us talking about the collective,” Hurts said Tuesday. “Talking about taking ownership for what we can and talking about how we move forward as a team so we can continue to find ways to win games. … It’s really just teammates being teammates.”
Barkley on the meeting: “The focus was all about the team, and I think it was a good thing. … We’re teammates. We’re all friends. We were just having a conversation.”
Short week, big questions
Now, on a short turnaround before Thursday night’s divisional game at MetLife Stadium, the Eagles are trying to quickly reset. Patullo said the coaching staff worked through the night Monday. “If we got two or three hours of sleep, it was a good night,” he said. “We have to rely on what we know we can lean into and do.”
Asked if he agreed that Thursday games reveal a team’s “DNA,” Patullo said it depends. “We have a high football IQ as a team, so that gives us the ability to do different things,” he said. “It just depends what you’re comfortable with.”
Still, the core issue remains. The Eagles’ offense — once the league’s most physical and balanced — has tilted toward the pass without the payoff. Hurts’ decision-making on RPOs has been solid, but the run game’s disappearance has allowed defenses to dictate the flow.
Patullo insisted the foundation is there. “Everybody’s into it,” he said. “When we’ve done what we need to do, we’ve moved the ball extremely well. We’ve just got to continue to do that.”
But through five weeks, that consistency has been elusive. The numbers show a bottom-tier offense propped up by moments rather than rhythm. Denver exposed that imbalance — and on a short week, Philadelphia must rediscover its offensive identity before cracks become chasms.
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NOTES: TE Grant Calcaterra (oblique) and G Landon Dickerson (ankle) did not participated in Tuesday’s walkthrough. It’s possible Dickerson will miss extended time, according to multiple reports. … Limited were RB Saquon Barkley (knee), LB Jihaad Campbell (biceps) and DT Byron Young (triceps). … LB Nakobe Dean (knee surgery) was a full participant.
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Follow Christiaan DeFranco on X at @the_defranc.
Source: Berkshire mont
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