Eagles Coach Pushes Back On 'Protection Racket'
PHILADELPHIA – Nick Sirianni has often discussed his coaching philosophy and the mentors who have helped shape him along the way.
The foundation of it all can be traced back to Sirianni's college coach at Mount Union, Larry Kehres.
While interviewing Sirianni for what turned into his first coaching job, Kehres wanted to know what offense the fledgling coach planned on running if given the opportunity.
Kehres stopped Sirianni before the young coach got caught in the muck, explaining to the current Eagles' chief that he didn’t know who his players were going to be.
The overriding point is that you build an offense around the players you have and that could change from week to week, never mind season to season.
It was at that moment that Sirianni latched onto the mantra of “Players, Formations, Plays,” loosely defined as players being the most important ingredient, followed by scheme and then play-calling.
Players, Formations, Plays
The idea that talent is more important than coaching isn’t exactly a controversial one, but when you’re struggling like the Philadelphia offense is this season, the last narrative you want escaping the NovaCare complex is that the offensive issues can be blamed solely on the players.
“Well, 'players before plays,' but it doesn't mean you're separating out plays,” Sirianni said Wednesday with the Eagles starting preparation for their Week 7 game at Minnesota. “You've still got to think about the defense that they're running and how you get guys open and how you help them get open themselves.
"But it always will come down to players first.”
Welcome to the life of an NFL coach, where every word may be parsed and used against you in the court of public opinion.
“When I say that, that doesn't mean that the plays don't matter either. You know what I mean?” Sirianni asked rhetorically. “It all matters in this game. In the parity of this game, it all matters.”
The idea that “Players, formations, plays,” which rooted itself in Sirianni’s life in 2004, 17 years before he first started coaching Jalen Hurts and 14 years before he was on the same staff with offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo is a tacit defense of the offensive coordinator is ludicrous.
“I think I've been very clear [about] when we need to do a better job of helping the guys be in positions to succeed, and then we have to execute,” said Sirianni. “It's never just one thing. … It's not like you identify issues and then you stay quiet about it, right? That's the accountability piece going in there. It's always going to come down to, 'Did we help them make plays? Did we get our percentage as coaches, and did we execute?'”
Dan Quinn reveals main reason why Commanders are struggling
Washington Commanders head coach Dan Quinn has his team at 3-3 through the first six games of the season.
While the Commanders are 3-3, there's reason to believe they could have four or five wins based on how they have performed in losses, including the team's Week 6 game against the Chicago Bears. Quinn revealed the one issue plaguing the team to start the season.
“Just the fact that we haven't done complementary [football] as well as we need to in the six games," Quinn said.
"So, there's been times that we have, and it feels like winning and it feels like the things, we do feed off of one another and then there's times when we don't and we had a chance at the end to get some points at the end of the half and missing those spots.
"I liked how the defense then responded in their own two minute at the half, but the more we can lean into one other, the better it is for us. That's plain and simple and when we're at our best. So, that's what I want to make sure we capture and not just some of the time, but all the time.”
Quinn sees area of improvement
The Commanders played complementary football throughout most of last season, which led to the team winning 11 games and earning a playoff berth. As of now, the team is on pace for eight or nine wins, which likely isn't good enough to make the playoffs.
Luckily for the Commanders, they know where the issues lie and how to fix them. Now, it's all about executing the plans and hoping the team can figure out a way to win these games.
The Commanders are back in action in Week 7 as they travel to the Lone Star State to face off against the Dallas Cowboys.
