Replace Sean Desai? Put Dom DiSandro at LB? 5 fixes to save Eagles Super Bowl dreams

PHILADELPHIA − It's understandable that Eagles fans are worried.

The Eagles have dropped two games in a row, to their closest challengers for the top spot in the NFC, and each game was a lopsided defeat.

There was the 42-19 loss to the San Francisco 49ers on Dec. 3, followed by the 33-13 loss to the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday night.

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And already, there are suggestions that Eagles coach Nick Sirianni should get help for offensive coordinator Brian Johnson and defensive coordinator Sean Desai, both in their first seasons in those positions.

In fact, for the second week in a row, there was a sign outside the NovaCare Complex. Last week, it was "RUN THE BALL." This week, it was "FIRE SEAN DESAI!"

Sirianni pushed back on that, as well as the possibility of taking over the play-calling duties on offense.

"I feel good with the people that we have in this building," Sirianni said Tuesday. "We’re 10-3. We’re in control of our own destiny. We’re going to keep rolling and find the answers with the people that we have."

That destiny statement isn't entirely true. The Eagles, Cowboys and 49ers are tied at 10-3. But the 49ers hold the tiebreaker for the top overall seed in the NFC, with the first-round bye and home field up until the Super Bowl that goes with it. The Eagles would win a tiebreaker with the Cowboys for the NFC East if both teams win out.

Here, then, are five suggestions to fix the Eagles:

1. Find out who 'the dudes' aren't, and let young players play

Defensive tackle Fletcher Cox basically called out his teammates after the Cowboys loss, saying, "I think the biggest thing for this team now is really find out who the dudes are."

That Cox has to insinuate that there are players who might not be giving their all is telling enough.

We've already seen some examples. The Eagles waived defensive end Derek Barnett last month, who was dissatisfied with his standing going back to training camp. Rookie Nolan Smith is finally getting a chance to play more, logging a career-high 21 snaps against the Cowboys.

The same is true at cornerback as rookie Kelee Ringo played 22 snaps after playing only one in the first 12 games.

At times, Ringo was rotating with veteran corner James Bradberry, who hasn't played well. Bradberry did move inside to nickel on occasion. But Bradberry played 72 of 82 snaps, or 88%, when he has played at least 92% in every other game (he was injured in the opener).

2. Run the ball (duh), and run it better

It's not as much a question of whether the Eagles should run the ball more. They just need to run it better.

The run game certainly wasn't the issue against the Cowboys. The Eagles passed 28 times and ran 23 times. They averaged 4.6 yards per carry after averaging just 3.2 yards against the 49ers, with a 48-18 pass-run ratio.

The difference against Dallas was quarterback Jalen Hurts, who rushed five times for 30 yards. After the loss to the 49ers, pass rusher Nick Bosa said they had the "blueprint" for stopping Hurts − force him to the outside. Yet Hurts mostly ran between the tackles, and was effective.

If that continues, Hurts has to be treated as a plus-one again, which should open up opportunities for D'Andre Swift. He had 11 carries for 39 yards against the Cowboys.

It's a start anyway. And not fumbling would help too.

3. Sure, spreading the ball around is nice, but not necessary

Against the Cowboys, Hurts targeted only three receivers − A.J. Brown (nine catches for 94 yards), DeVonta Smith (five for 73) and tight end Dallas Goedert (four for 30).

There were no targets for Quez Watkins, who played 47% of the snaps, or for Olamide Zaccheaus (27%) other than on a fake punt, when he caught a 28-yard pass from punter Braden Mann, or Julio Jones (24%).

But why take away receptions from Brown, who already has 1,258 yards receiving, or Smith, who is at 907 yards? Sure, Watkins can spread the field with his speed, and that can be his role as long as defenses take that threat seriously. If they don't, throw it deep to him.

As for Jones, one of the NFL's greatest receivers of all time, he's 34 years old and \ has only five receptions for 16 yards in seven games as an Eagle.

"Our passing game runs through three guys," Sirianni said. "That doesn't mean we don't want to get the ball to some other guys here and there. But the main passing game goes through those guys. ... Every plan is thought of through that. I've said that from the very beginning."

And yet, JAKIB Sports host Derrick Gunn reported that one player told him the offense has become predictable.

"Look at our pass routes compared to the Cowboys pass routes," Gunn quotes the player telling him. "Our pass routes take too long to develop. Dallas gets their (stuff) out real quick."

"We obviously don't think so as coaches," Sirianni said. "We'll continue to work on making sure that we're meshing things together."

The key is finding one-on-one matchups for one of those three players. Now that Goedert is back after missing three games, that should become likely.

4. Put Dom the chief security officer at linebacker (not really)

At least Dom DiSandro put up somewhat of a fight. DiSandro, the Eagles chief security officer, was banned from the sidelines against the Cowboys following his altercation with 49ers linebacker Dre Greenlaw the week before.

DiSandro got in Greenlaw's face after the linebacker slammed Smith to the ground following a catch near the Eagles' sideline. Both men were ejected from the game.

But the Eagles still have a linebacker issue, even after signing Shaq Leonard, who played 14 snaps, and the return of Zach Cunningham from a hamstring injury.

That helps explain why the Eagles are last in the NFL in third-down defense. Dallas converted 56%, and the 49ers and Bills were also above 50%.

While that might fall on Desai coming up with a better scheme, he would be helped tremendously if the pass rush could get to the quarterback. That happened, really, only in the first quarter against the 49ers when the Eagles held QB Brock Purdy to 0 yard passing and the 49ers to minus 6 yards.

That only makes what happened over the next five-plus quarters all the more remarkable as the 49ers and Cowboys combined to score on 10 straight possessions, nine of them touchdowns, not including kneeldowns.

The Eagles' formula is simple: The pass rush masks a lot of issues. Fix that, and other things should fall into place. Does that mean more blitzing? Or does it mean the current group of pass rushers playing better?

The answer is yes to both.

5. The schedule, the schedule, the schedule

The Eagles' last five opponents have a combined record of 45-20, a winning percentage of .692. The Eagles went 3-2.

Their next four opponents are a combined 19-33, a winning percentage of .365. The Eagles are on the road against Seattle (6-7) next Monday, then home vs. Giants (5-8) the following Monday, then home against the Cardinals (3-10) on Dec. 31. The season finale is Jan. 7 at the Giants.

The Seahawks, for example, are just as bad defensively as the Eagles. Seattle is ranked 28th (Eagles are 22nd) in total defense, 25th in pass defense (Eagles are 28th), 27th in points allowed per game (Eagles are 28th) and 30th in third downs (Eagles are 32nd).

Seattle's offense is much worse than the Eagles' across the board, and starting QB Geno Smith might not play after suffering a groin injury last week in practice.

Still, the Seahawks receivers can exploit the Eagles with noted Eagles killer DK Metcalf, in addition to Tyler Lockett and rookie Jaxon Smith-Njigba.

If the Eagles can't get pressure on Smith or backup Drew Lock, then their problems could persist.

"We’ve been challenged and stretched out in a ton of different ways," Hurts said. "We have to continue to grow from all of those experiences, win, lose or draw. That’s what this game is about. The moment you stop learning is the moment you should hang it up and leave it alone. That’s the mindset we have."

We'll find out for sure soon enough.

Contact Martin Frank at mfrank@delawareonline.com. Follow on X @Mfranknfl.

This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: 5 fixes to save Eagles' Super Bowl hopes: Replace Sean Desai?