In three of the past four years, despite compiling a cumulative record of 38-26, the Philadelphia Eagles have spent more than 50 percent of their season behind on the scoreboard, and less than 35 percent of the season leading their opponents.
Rotoworld’s Hayden Winks released the following chart, which shows how often teams led or dragged when they had the ball. The Eagles ranked 18th in offensive snapshots with an advantage, and 20th in offensive snapshots with deficits.
I contacted Winks and asked him if he had data for seasons other than just 2019, and he was kind enough to pass it on. From the Doug Pederson / Carson Wentz era:
| Year | Offensive snaps | Snaps leader (%) | Final snacks (%) | Tied snacks (%) |
| 2016 | 1017 | 352 (34.6%) | 532 (52.3%) | 136 (13.4%) |
| 2017 | 984 | 497 (50.5%) | 285 (29.0%) | 205 (20.8%) |
| 2018 | 967 | 307 (31.7%) | 504 (52.1%) | 159 (16.4%) |
| 2019 | 1022 | 336 (32.9%) | 519 (50.8%) | 170 (16.6%) |
The numbers in 2016 and 2017 are not surprising, as the Eagles were 7-9 in 2016, and obviously destroyed their opponents throughout the season in 2017. However, you often won’t make the playoffs when you follow as long as the Eagles. did in 2018 and 2019.
One of the continuing narratives of the 2018 season was the anemic Eagles first quarter offense. Much of the heat from the Eagles ‘inability to start fast fell on the shoulders of Mike Groh, who was in his first year as the team’s offensive coordinator, after Frank Reich left to become the Colts’ head coach. . A comparison of the first quarter score from 2017 to 2018, to 2019:
| Eagles 1st Quarter Points | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 |
| Game 1 | 7 7 | 0 0 | 0 0 |
| Game 2 | 3 | 0 0 | 0 0 |
| Game 3 | 7 7 | 7 7 | 10 |
| Game 4 | 10 | 0 0 | 0 0 |
| Game 5 | twenty-one | 0 0 | 14 |
| Game 6 | 3 | 14 | 0 0 |
| Game 7 | 0 0 | 0 0 | 7 7 |
| Game 8 | 3 | 0 0 | 3 |
| Game 9 | 17 | 0 0 | 3 |
| Game 10 | 7 7 | 0 0 | 3 |
| Game 11 | 7 7 | 0 0 | 3 |
| Game 12 | 0 0 | 7 7 | 10 |
| Game 13 | 14 | 0 0 | 0 0 |
| Game 14 | 7 7 | 3 | 3 |
| Game 15 | 7 7 | 7 7 | 10 |
| Game 16 | 0 0 | 3 | 3 |
| Game 17 | 0 0 | 3 | 0 0 |
| Game 18 | 7 7 | 14 | N / A |
| Game 19 | 9 9 | N / A | N / A |
| TOTAL | 129 (6.8 / set) | 58 (3.2 / set) | 69 (4.1 / set) |
In 2019, the “slow start” narrative decreased somewhat, but the reality is that while the Eagles’ first quarter points per game increased by 0.9, 4.1 first quarter points per game remained well below the They were averaging fewer quarterly touchdowns first in 2019 (6) than in 2018 (7).
We appreciate the team’s ability, led by Carson Wentz, to come back and win as many games as the Eagles did last season, but playing from behind as much as they have and still making the playoffs is simply not sustainable. From the Eagles’ perspective, I suppose God bless the horrible NFC East.
It would be helpful to determine if the Eagles coach changes this offseason.
PLUS: Three riders that could make sense for the Eagles in an exchange | What they are saying: Ranking of the Eagles list, the status of the franchise and the latest trade rumors | 10 reasons why the Eagles will be a fire in the garbage dump this season
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