PHILADELPHIA — Now in his fourth season, the Eagles’ Nick Sirianni is 42-19 as a head coach in the NFL.
That’s a better record than Don Shula, George Halas, Paul Brown, Tony Dungy, George Siefert, Andy Reid, Curly Lambeau or Bill Belichick had when any of them started out as a head coach in this league.
Sirianni has taken the team to the playoffs every year, is on track to do so again, and went to the Super Bowl in just his second season. There’s a school of thought that Sirianni might actually be pretty good at his job.
Still, even when the Birds were 10-1 a year ago, it was perhaps the least comfortable 10-1 in history, and then they collapsed. That implosion, along with a rocky start this year — punctuated by some sideline antics, tension with his quarterback, and mystifying in-game decisions — have contributed to a perception that Sirianni may not be the right man for Philadelphia.
“We spent so much time going through everything (from last year), from scheme to culture, everything was on the table,” Sirianni said Friday. “We constantly talk about controlling the things that we can control, and that’s it. Everything else is out of your control, and if you’re worried about those things, then you’re not worried about the things that are going to help you get better and help you win the next game.
“That’s all we’re working on, blocking out the noise. And, you know what? Sometimes stuff like that galvanizes you and brings you closer together.”
If last season’s 10-1 start was a house of cards, the team’s current six-game winning streak feels different. Five of those wins were against losing squads, but then the Eagles beat Washington, which had been in first place in the NFC East for much of the season.
The first half of that game wasn’t pretty, but it ended up being a decisive victory. Now, the Birds have a 1½ -game lead in the division.
Sirianni gets slighted as being the beneficiary of a good roster. On the other hand, are there any teams that achieve sustained success without a talented roster?
“This is a group of guys that love coming to work every single day, love fighting for each other,” Sirianni said. “You saw guys pouring it out there for each other. I just feel like we’re gelling together, day by day, getting better as a team.”
Saquon Barkley, ever since signing here after the Giants kicked him to the curb, has been a revelation, both on the field and in the locker room. Against the Commanders, he had 28 touches for 198 total yards and a pair of touchdowns.
“Saquon Barkley, he is a special talent,” Sirianni said. “What’s not known quite as much is how good of a teammate he is, how hard of a worker he is. Man, he’s a special player, special teammate, special dude. We’re so thankful he’s on this football team and helping us win games. … Howie (Roseman) has done a great job putting these guys together.
“Our offensive and defensive lines lead the way, and then you’ve got some linebackers who are making some big-time plays, with Zack Baun and Nakobe Dean. The defense is hitting. We talk about detail and we talk about physicality, and we talk about team. … Jalen Carter and (rookies) Cooper DeJean and Quinyon Mitchell have really been playing well, week by week.”
During this six-game span, the Eagles have the top defense in the NFL in nearly every major category. With a formula of running the ball a playing strong defense, with some big passing plays mixed in, Sirianni’s Eagles could be a tough out for any opponent.
