Doug Pederson: Philadelphia Eagles 'sick to our stomach' over losing
PHILADELPHIA – The Eagles insist that everyone is still focused on turning the season around and making the playoffs, and that there's no dissent within the team.
This comes after the Eagles have lost three straight games, most embarrassingly a 37-31 loss to the Miami Dolphins this past Sunday. They're 5-7, but still just a game behind the first-place Dallas Cowboys in the NFC East. The Cowboys play the Chicago Bears on Thursday night.
"I can just sense and feel the energy of the group," Eagles coach Doug Pederson said as the team began preparations for their game Monday night against the New York Giants (2-10).
"Listen, we're all disappointed and we're all sick to our stomach," Pederson said. "I have to bring that energy, bring that juice, so that they can see me in that light, and then that's what spreads out through the rest of the team. But, yeah, these guys are with me."
Eagles center Jason Kelce said he can tell the difference between when a team is still invested compared to giving up on the season. He has been with the Eagles since 2011, and has seen both extremes.
"I don’t feel like there are cancers or people who are like, ‘I’m refusing to do this because I don’t believe in it,’" Kelce said. "You don’t see that. That’s when it’s pretty bad. I think everybody here wants to win. Everybody here wants to go out and play well."
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Still, it has been a tough three-game stretch for the Eagles.
They have continued to shake up the roster, releasing veteran players just days after they played major roles in games.
The list includes linebacker Zach Brown, cornerback Orlando Scandrick, wide receiver Jordan Matthews, safety Andrew Sendejo, and most recently wide receiver Mack Hollins, who was released Tuesday.
Pederson was asked if there's a disconnect between the coaching staff and management, led by general manager Howie Roseman, on personnel decisions.
"There is not a decision that is made with this roster that Howie and I don't discuss first obviously," Pederson said. "We also feel like some of our younger players, (wide receivers) J.J. (Arcega-Whiteside), and Greg (Ward), have earned or at least deserved an opportunity.
"You have to make some tough decisions. Ultimately, it goes down Howie's path, but again, we talk and we agree and we make those decisions together."
Still, the season has been much more difficult than the Eagles expected, especially during this three-game losing streak.
The Eagles lost the first two games – against New England and Seattle, both almost certain playoff teams – by scoring a total of 19 points as quarterback Carson Wentz and the offense struggled.
Yet the defense played well, giving up 17 points in each game. That continued a stretch of four straight games of not allowing more than 17 points.
Yet against the Dolphins, ranked 30th in the NFL on offense, the Eagles allowed 37 points. It was the third time this season that the Eagles have allowed 37 or more points in a game.
The offense, meanwhile, scored more than 22 points for the first time in four games as it, too, has been wildly inconsistent.
"It seems almost every week, it’s something different," Wentz said. "We’re either shooting ourselves in the foot or I’m turning the ball over, missing throws. That’s the situation. The consistency, the lack of it, is frustrating. I’m excited that hopefully what we did last week – we didn’t make enough plays, obviously, but I think it got us going in the right direction and we can keep building on that."
The Eagles should have every opportunity to do that against the Giants.
New York has lost eight games in a row, and starting quarterback Daniel Jones is expected to miss the game with an ankle injury. He will be replaced by 38-year-old Eli Manning, the Giants' starter since 2004 until he was replaced by Jones in Week 3.
Jones is more of a threat to run than Manning. Jones is second on the team in rushing with 241 yards. But Jones has also turned the ball over 21 times (11 interceptions, 10 lost fumbles).
The Eagles, of course, are familiar with Manning, and they have had success against him. Manning is 10-20 in his career against the Eagles, but 1-9 in the last 10 games.
"I’ve played Eli since my rookie year," cornerback Jalen Mills said. "So as far as that goes, just studying his passing strengths, what he likes to do when he’s passing the ball, and as far as reads go."
Then again, Manning has two Super Bowl victories, and was named the championship game's MVP each time.
"He’s a guy who’s a veteran in this league," Mills said. "I mean, he’s been doing it for a long time. So as far as that goes, his decision making, of course it’ll be a lot better than a rookie quarterback."
Still, the Eagles know they will win the NFC East if they win their final four games. They insist that is their priority, and not dealing with the turmoil swirling around them.
"We realize the situation that we’re in, that we put ourselves in," Wentz said. "But at the end of the day, there’s only so much you can control. What you can control is that you can go out and work and get better.
"We’re not going to hang our heads over the last few weeks. Those were unfortunate. We didn’t want those outcomes. But what can we do? It’s behind us now, and we’re all excited to go full speed ahead."