Philadelphia Eagles News, Roster & NFL Schedule: 5 Reasons Why Eagles Fans Should Worry
The Philadelphia Eagles are 9-5 after 14 weeks of play.
With a loss against the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday Night Football, the Eagles' playoff hopes may be fading away. The Eagles' defense is playing terrible, and Nick Foles won't be playing anytime soon.
Here are five reasons why the Eagles should be very concerned:
1. Mark Sanchez
Mark Sanchez is a quality backup quarterback, but with just two games left, the Eagles need him to step up and play better. Sanchez did have two playoff appearances with the New York Jets, but he has never won a division title in his career. In 69 career games, Sanchez has thrown 78 touchdowns and 78 interceptions. That's not exactly the high-profile passer the Eagles want behind center at this point in the season. As good as head coach Chip Kelly is on offense, even he can't fix Sanchez's inaccuracy and mistakes. Sanchez has thrown multiple interceptions in four of his seven games this season.
2. Defense
The Eagles defense has been really bad this season.
The Eagles defense ranks 26th in yards given up and 22nd in points allowed. The biggest problem has been the secondary, which ranks 28th in yards given up and 29th in passing touchdowns allowed. The Eagles have a strong defensive line, but they still rank 18th in rushing yards against. Not only is the Eagles defense struggling, but when you run a fast-paced offense like they do, your defense is going to be on the field a lot. Against the Cowboys in Week 15, the Eagles only controlled the ball for 18 minutes.
3. They Struggle Against Quality NFC Teams
This isn't the BCS where the schedule is everything, but the reality is you have to play well against the best teams. This season, the Eagles are just 1-5 against NFC teams that had a winning record. Losses against the Cowboys, San Francisco 49ers, Green Bay Packers, Seattle Seahawks and Arizona Cardinals doesn't sit well for January. Those are the teams that the Eagles will have to go though in the playoffs, if they make it. The only victory against a winning team this season for the Eagles came against the Cowboys in Week 13.
4. They're in a slump
At 9-3 and with a win over the Cowboys, the Eagles were flying high. But the last two weeks have turned 180 degrees for the defending NFC East champions. Each of the Eagles' last two losses were at home. There's no shame in losing to the Seahawks and Cowboys, but both losses were decided by a two-possession game. Not only have the Eagles lost their last two games, but they've dropped three of their last five after starting off 7-2.
5. They Don't Control Their Own Destiny
There's nothing better than controlling your own destiny in the NFL in the final month of the season. It means no matter what other teams do, you're in charge of where you finish in the standings. Even if Philadelphia wins out, they still may not make the playoffs. The Eagles are currently a No. 7 seed, with Seattle and Green Bay as the two wild cards. Both the Seahawks and Packers beat the Eagles this season, owning the tie-breaker. If Dallas wins their final two games, the Eagles can't win the NFC East, and a wild card spot looks unlikely. The Eagles will face the Washington Redskins and New York Giants in their final two games, both on the road.
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