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INJURES NOT ONLY REASON FOR BIRDS LOSS TO CAROLINA
Injuries continue to wreak havoc on the Eagles 2026 Philadelphia season.
The Birds makeshift offense was again unable to generate enough points against the Carolina Panthers and avoid the team's fourth loss in a row.
Even with Pro Bowl quarterback Jalen Hurts out with a superficial blood clot in his leg, with Saquon Barkley still sidelined with hamstring issues plus offensive line starters Landon Dickerson and Drew Kendall sill out with leg injuries, the Eagles again had their chances during Sunday's 25-14 loss at the Linc Sunday afternoon.
Special team's errors played a major role in Nick Sirianni losing four games in a row for the first time since he took over the head coaching job in January 2021.
Two of the Panthers three touchdowns came after botched punts off the foot of the normally reliable Braden Mann.
In the second quarter, after the Eagles went three-and-out, Mann shank-ed a punt from the Eagles 12-yard line that traveled just 23 yards.
The Panthers ensuing drive started at the Eagles 35-yard line.
Five plays later, quarterback Bryce Young hit tight end Tommy Tremble with a 12-yard touchdown pass to give the Panthers a 10-0 lead.
Despite an offense that struggled to move the ball all afternoon, in the fourth quarter, backup quarterback Tanner McKee led the Eagles on a 10-play, 69-yard drive that was capped by a 19-yard touchdown pass the DeVonta Smith that made the score 19-14 with 10:37 left in the fourth quarter.
The Eagles defense, which spent most of the afternoon on the field, held Carolina to a three-and-out.
The Eagles next drive was over on the first play when backup center Jake Majors mishandled the snap resulting a fumble and 12-yard loss.
Making a bad situation worse, Mann's punt from the Eagles 40-yard line was partially blocked by Anthony Tyus III, who was elevated from the Panthers practice squad for the game.
The ball traveled all of eight yards setting up a Panthers drive near midfield.
It took just four plays for Young to find Tremble in the end zone again for a 19-yard touchdown pass with 6:33 left that effectively ended the game.
IT'S NOT JUST THE INJURIES
Yes, the stunning level of injuries the Eagles have incurred are a major reason for their 2-4 record, but the Birds could still have a winning record had they just executed the plays Sirianni will say, “need no talent.”
The coach offered no excuses after the game. His new offense, led by first-year coordinator Sean Mannion, is not getting it done.
“Obviously, you've got to be able to score points,: Sirianni said at his post game press conference. “We weren't able to do that. All of us have a lot of improving to do. I thought
Tanner battled. I thought he took care of the football.
“I thought he put some good balls out there, touchdown to Smitty (DeVonta Smith). The third down to Tay (Wicks), he had some good plays, but everyone's going to have plays that were good and everyone's going to have plays that they want back, and that's coaches too. We'll look at the tape, but I thought Tanner battled.”
In addition to being shorthanded, the Eagles got no breaks on field position to start drives.
Of the Eagles first eight drives, the best field position they started with was at their own 26-yard line. Three drive started at their 11, eight and 13-yard line.
When your center is starting only his second game as a pro, and your entire running back room is out with injuries before the game started, that's a lot to ask.
The defense continued its trend of fast starts and slow finishes during this unwanted streak.
All Pro safety Cooper DeJean, one of only a handful of starters who made himself available after the game, talked about how the defense only gave up 13 points through three quarters, then gave up 12 in the fourth quarter.
It could have been 14 or 15 points, but the Panthers failed on a two point conversion and missed an extra point.
“It's very frustrating,” DeJean said at his locker. “I feel like we were playing well in the first half, then I in the second half we just kind of take our foot off the gas a little bit, which we can't do. We have to find a way to put our offense in better situations, give them chances to score. I don't think I've lost this many games in any sport I've played in a row. It's pretty frustrating.”
It also didn't help after defensive tackle Jordan Davis suffered an ankle injury in the fourth quarter.
The Birds had already lost Nolan Smith to a concussion in the first half.
McKee finished 26 of 45 for 215 yards, a touchdown pass and no interceptions. He was sacked three times.
Eagles running Dameon Pierce, up for the second week in a row from the practice squad, rushed 12 times for 35 yards including a two-yard touchdown.
Panthers running back Chuba Hunnard had a big day rushing for120 yards on 28 carries and a TD.
Panthers QB1 Bryce Young was 20 of 39 for 281 yards and two TD passes. He was sacked twice and did not turn the ball over.
The Eagles' defense was led by Edge rusher Arnold Ebiketie who registered nine total tackles (one solo).
One of the other starters who braved the post-game questions was left tackle Jordan Mailata.
The nine-year veteran said the Eagles troubles on offense can be linked to effort.
“Offensively, you've got to want it more than the guy across from you,” Mailata said in the middle of a almost empty Eagles locker room after the game. “We had a couple good drives in the second half. We shot ourselves in the foot a whole bunch in the first half, putting us between the sticks.
“It's kind of the old same story,” He continued. “We can't move the ball if you're in third and long situations and third and very long.
“We just need to do a better job up front communication-wise and execution-wise both on protections and runs, and we didn't do it today.”
Mailata punted after trying to find words that offered a solution.
“Don't know how, I've got to watch the film,” Mailata said. “I just know from right now, this is going to ride in the lowest of lows, even right now.
“It's going to be tough. We've got to be able to face the music, be accountable. The detail part, again that's accountability. We've got to stay together.”
MORE POST GAME QUOTES
McKee was asked to talk about his overall performance.
“First thoughts, my team needs me to be better," he said. "I need to be better. I am so much better, and I'm looking forward to learning everything and becoming the player that I know I am, the player that I can prove that I am. A lot of things obviously that were frustrating fall on me. A lot of things we've got to get fixed as an offense for sure.”
McKee was asked about what he specifically was unhappy with.
“Yeah. I mean, even from the jump, just communication," the fourth-year player out of Stanford said. "Whether it was guys in the wrong spot, I've got to get them fixed or a missed call, I've got to get it fixed. That falls on the quarterback. That is nobody else's responsibility but the quarterback's. That's on me.
"We had two drives that stalled just from miscommunications or things like that, that I've got to get fixed. I think I've got to settle down a little quicker.
"Obviously, those first two drives were some of those drives that stalled because of the miscommunication. So, I've got to go out and be ready to roll. I felt like I was just prepared and everything, but I've got to be able to make those adjustments on the fly."
Willie Lampton, who is starting at left guard for Dickerson, was asked what Sirianni said to the team after the game.
“We've just got to keep working,” Lampton said at his locker. “We've got to battle through the storm. Our brakes are going to be there. We've just got to continue to battle.” *
Email Al Thompson at al.thompson@footballstories.com
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