The Philadelphia Eagles didn’t quite bring their A-game this past season compared to their previous year’s performance. But despite the downturn, FS1’s Joy Taylor doesn’t think Nick Sirianni should shoulder all the blame or worry about his job security.
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Taylor made a compelling case for why Sirianni deserves some slack in her recent conversation on FS1. She started with how Sirianni has made the playoffs in all three seasons and won the regular season with the fifth-best record in the NFL.
Though the Super Bowl LVII was a disappointment, it came on the heels of a great season and playoff performance. Therefore, to judge him only over the last season would be both brutal and impractical, per Taylor:
“They lost in the Super Bowl, where they played well, and then had a down season the year after the Super Bowl, which statistically speaking is very common. It’s actually a complete outlier to do better than you did. The only team that has done it since the turn of the century is the Patriots, and they had Tom Brady and Bill Belichick.”
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Taylor pointed out the phenomenon known as the “Super Bowl hangover” where teams often struggle the season after making it to the big game. The Eagles’ season indeed ended in a way no one saw coming. They went from a promising 10-1 start to a disappointing first-round playoff exit.
But their 32-9 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFC wild-card game was a hard pill to swallow, putting pressure on everyone from owner Jeffrey Lurie to general manager Howie Roseman and coach Nick Sirianni.
Nick Sirianni and Jalen Hurts Suffered with a Disconnect
So, the Eagles started off strong last year, but it wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows at their camp. They kicked off the season with a killer 10-1 record, only to crash out in the Wildcard Round. Rumors were buzzing that part of Philly’s downfall was the rocky relationship between Jalen Hurts and Head Coach Nick Sirianni. And guess what? Senior NFL insider Dianna Rusinni just confirmed those whispers.
In the latest episode of “Scoop City” The Athletic’s senior NFL correspondent spilled the tea. Despite the Eagles racking up 10 wins, every victory was like pulling teeth.
“Last year there was some disconnect between them in their personalities. Nick, we’ve seen, is a very emotional guy… Jalen is a very private guy. They are different human beings.”
Rusinni also pointed out that their clash of personalities and philosophies means their relationship is far from perfect. Unfortunately, the tension is still there, and she called their chemistry a “work in progress.”
Even though Sirianni boasts a 34-17 regular-season record and three playoff appearances in his three seasons, including a near-miss in the Super Bowl against Kansas City, the heat is on him due to the team’s dramatic collapse. Now again the fans’ expectations are sky-high, Joy Taylor’s perspective sheds light on the broader picture, suggesting that the context of their struggles should be considered before jumping to drastic conclusions.
