Nick Sirianni Deserves Benefit Of Doubt; Recent Turnover-Spree Highlights Why

The Philadelphia Eagles coach hasn't always made the best decisions or been on his best behavior, but how bad can he be if he is 41-19 and owns five winning streaks of five games?

Nov 3, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni and chief security officer Dom DiSandro, Sr walks off the field after win against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images / Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

Nick Sirianni must be doing something right.

Despite widespread criticism over his decision making, the Eagles coach is 41-19 in three-plus seasons since coming out of nowhere to land – actually, Indianapolis - a seat in the big chair.

The Eagles’ walloping of the Dallas Cowboys in Week 10 gave Sirianni a winning streak of at least five games for the fifth time. That’s five times. In three-plus seasons.

Perhaps it’s best to just accept him for who he is, a coach willing to throw the playbook out the window in some of the decision he makes. He isn’t your grandfather’s head coach, so why bother letting your emotions get tied in knots when he does something you disagree with?

Sure, it’s frustrating, but he won’t change. It would be nice to see him dial down the emotion, especially when it comes time to getting into it with fans or opposing players during a game, but you can either pull your hair out until you have none left, then bite your tongue until it’s nothing but a nub, or accept it, knowing he will eventually have to answer to owner Jeffrey Lurie is his decision prove to be more wrong than right.

Coaches are made to be fired. Even Andy Reid came with a 14-year expiration date in Philadelphia. Bill Belichick was offered a parachute out of his troubles at the end of his Hall of Fame career in New England.

The day will eventually come for Sirianni. Right now, though, at 41-19, and again in contention for the NFC’s top seed, now is not that time. Talent helps, but having all the talent in the world doesn’t guarantee wins, so it stands to reason Sirianni has done more right than wrong since being hired in early 2021.

You want a recent example of the culture he has built look no further than the turnovers the Eagles defense is creating. It seems like they could fall out of bed and force a fumble or snare an interception. They had five against the Cowboys and own 10 in three games to get to plus-one in the all-important takeaway/giveaway department. Just a month ago, the Eagles were at minus-six and net to last in the league. They have climbed to No. 14 now.

The players, not Sirianni, revealed that the coach shows them cutups of turnovers from around the league and even in college. And when the players start talking about coaching points, well, it generally means they like what their coach is doing.

Nov 10, 2024; Arlington, Texas, USA; Philadelphia Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni watches play in the game against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-Imagn Images / Tim Heitman-Imagn Images

Asked about it on Monday, three days before the Eagles host the Washington Commanders in a battle for first place in the NFC East, the coach said doing that wasn’t anything new. He brought it with him from his time as the offensive coordinator with the Colts.

“Saturdays we always show the things from around the league,” he said. “We don’t show every single turnover, but the ones that make sense for us to and the ones we need to learn from, so anywhere from 10, 15 clips whatever it is, just so it’s always on their mind.”

Sirianni has posters and banners preaching turnovers – how to force them and how to protect against them - displayed in the team meeting room, which doubles as the news conference auditorium, so the media can see them.

The in-your-face turnover preaching has resonated with this team.

Linebacker Nakobe Dean and Zack Baun have talked about how it is always being harped on. Not just from the coaches, but the players, too.

Informed this revelation is coming from the players, Sirianni said: “That’s what you want, that’s when you know you have your culture going the way you want it to go. Things like that are constantly on their mind and it sounds like that’s the case.”

Sirianni has made a case to be given the benefit of the doubt, even when his decisions don’t always work out or make sense.

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