Things were looking okay for the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday night in Seattle. With 1:52 left to play, the Eagles led the Seahawks 17-13. Seattle got the ball at its own 8-yard line with just one timeout.
Quarterback Drew Lock — starting in place of the injured Geno Smith (groin) — got all the inspiration he needed from Philadelphia’s new defensive play-caller, Matt Patricia.
With the dexterity of a Hall of Fame quarterback, Lock tore apart the Eagles defense, allowing Seattle to reach the Philadelphia 29-yard line in less than 90 seconds without needing to utilize a timeout.
With Seattle’s backs to the wall on third down and 10, Patricia gave Lock an early Christmas present. Lock found wide receiver Jaxson Smith-Njigba in a one-on-one matchup with cornerback James Bradberry. Smith-Njigba scorched Bradberry and scored the game-winning touchdown ball.
The Seahawks improve to 7-7 with a 20-17 victory, while the Eagles drop to 10-4 with the defeat.
Philadelphia still has a strong chance of winning the NFC East and has already secured a postseason spot. But considering the defense’s recent track record, one must wonder: Is it worth it?
Although Sean Desai is still the defensive coordinator, he no longer has play-calling authority after the Eagles’ last three games saw them give up 109 points. It was Patricia’s first game leading the defense on Monday night.
The former New England Patriots defensive coordinator and Detroit Lions head coach proved what every Bill Belichick disciple eventually proves: He was made to look talented by the players around him.
The Patriots dynasty’s collapse after quarterback Tom Brady left in 2019 revealed a scam that has dominated the NFL for 20 years.
Brady, Rob Gronkowski, Tedy Bruschi, Vince Wilfork, and other legendary players on both sides of the ball attained excellence on their own, which allowed others, like Patricia, Josh McDaniels, and Joe Judge, to advance their careers by thinking of themselves as experts. Since then, Belichick’s legacy has also been called into doubt.
Regarding “one of the biggest plays in the fourth quarter in the history of the NFL,” Patricia took credit in 2020.
referring to Malcolm Butler’s end-zone interception that lifted the Patriots over the Seahawks in Super Bowl XLIX.
Patricia was in reverse. The pick came about as a result of Seattle’s inexplicable decision to throw a pass at the 1-yard line, despite Butler’s outstanding play. Patricia had not exactly executed a brilliant move.
Philadelphia is the most recent squad to fall victim to Belichick’s “geniuses” recruitment scam. The Eagles appear incredibly beatable after their recent three-game losing streak.
They got to this situation because of their collapsing defense, and with a quack like Patricia in charge, you never know how low Philadelphia’s defense can sink.
