Slowly but steadily, the Philadelphia Eagles have earned their spot among the contenders, at least for a chance to make the NFL playoffs. The offensive potential Nick Sirianni has on his roster has led them to win crucial games and achieve an 8-2 record. Both Saquon Barkley and Jalen Hurts are having standout seasons. However, the HC made something clear regarding the red zone in games.
The start of Week 11 for the Eagles was promising, given their excellent victory over a divisional rival like the Washington Commanders. With 26 points scored throughout the game, the coach knows he has great offensive potential to decisively finish games.
Saquon Barkley arrived in Philadelphia from none other than the Giants, and gradually earned the trust not only of his coaching staff but also of his teammates and the fans. However, it was Sirianni himself who made something clear to him regarding the red zone in different game situations.
“You always think about that. I think one thing we think about a lot in the red zone … a quarterback sneak, it’s tough to lose yardage there,” Sirianni said, via team transcript. “So when you come out, the worst thing you can do in red zone football is move backwards. That’s one the worst things that can happen there and put you behind the sticks. You always want to stay ahead of the sticks because things get harder and tighter down there as you move down in there.”
Saquon Barkley, running back of the Philadelphia Eagles
“So we’ve had a lot of success with the quarterback sneak,” Sirianni added. “Jalen has scored a lot of touchdowns. So there are times where, yeah — again, I want to be careful how I’m answering this, but I again want to answer your question. That’s probably the best way I can say that. Saquon has done a great job.”
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Sirianni knows he has offensive potential on his roster
While the Eagles have one of the best running backs in the league in Saquon Barkley, their coach can rest easy knowing they also have Kenneth Gainwell, another standout player at that position.
“Yeah, first, [RB Kenneth Gainwell] Kenny has always taken advantage of his opportunities. This year is no different. I think Kenny is doing the same things he’s done here since the moment I got here. And that he got here, too. We came in together. There is a lot that I do where I’ll go back and watch tape, whether it’s a situational football from ’21, ’22, ’23, ’24. Again, just always looking and trying to improve that way,” Sirianni told the media.
“On our way to Brazil, I watched every third down we had here in the past three years,” HC also stated. “Kenny Gainwell was all over that tape, making plays all over that tape. And so, to answer your question, I don’t think he’s doing anything different. I think he’s just taking advantage of his opportunities because he’s always done that. He’s always been the second back or the third back.”
Philadelphia Eagle Coach NICK SIRIANNI in action during the game against the Atlanta Falcons at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia PA Philadelphia United States
What’s next for the Philadelphia Eagles?
- vs Los Angeles Rams, November 24th
- vs Baltimore Ravens, December 1th
- vs Carolina Panthers, December 8th
- vs Pittsburgh Steelers, December 15th
- vs Washington Commanders, December 22nd
