There were moments where the Eagles showed real determination and drive. On the comeback trail, the Eagles erased a 21-point deficit and took a lead on the Dallas Cowboys in the most crucial game of the season.
And then, just like in the first quarter, they couldn't execute at all and were beat in every front.
In the end, it showed a glaring flaw to the Eagles. They are not worthy of making the playoffs. And after Sunday's loss to the Cowboys, they are in a position to miss the playoffs.
The Eagles finished the first quarter with no yards of offense. It was eerily similar to the Seattle game a week ago. Drives were short and everything was failing.
The secondary remained a glaring issue while the pass rush was non-existant. No chance for a Tony Romo interception on this night.
Even the special teams unit, which has been good all year, committed a huge gaffe on the opening kick-off.
And the turnovers. How many times must this team be reminded to take care of the ball?
Don't get me wrong, the Eagles did a lot of good things on the field. There were moments when the defense stood tall, and even with two touchdowns, they didn't let DeMarco Murray be a huge factor again.
The offense put together several solid drives as the game progressed. The Eagles sure looked like a playoff team when they erased a 21-point deficit.
But it was the turnovers, the overthrown passes from Mark Sanchez, the missed coverages on Dez Bryant, the penalties and so much more that showed the Eagles, in their current state, aren't worthy of the playoffs and won't be good enough to win a playoff game if the stars somehow align.
As the week comes to a close, the Eagles have five losses, four to playoff teams – Green Bay, Seattle, Arizona, Dallas. The loss to San Francisco, which was a yard away from being a win, hurts the most.
But every loss was the result of the offense not performing up to a capable level and the defense giving up the long-yardage plays or failing to get off the field on third down.
It is really like a broken record, as Chip Kelly said. But the Eagles really do consistently struggle at the same things every week. And all are in issues that good football teams find a way to fix.
The Eagles could very possibly finish the season with a better record than they had a season ago and still miss the playoffs. It might be a good thing.
This team hasn't learned from its mistakes and yet, after three losses, sat 9-3 – with two of those games being just short of wins – and in position for a first-round bye. In two weeks, they are now clinging to hope that someone else can help them get into the playoffs.
Sunday was the Eagles last game at home in the regular season and barring a miracle will be their last there this season. That is a far cry from the start they had this season.
It is unfortunate that the only team that looked poised for the playoffs has now managed to be in a position where the could miss entirely. But a team in need of this much improvement and lacking the talent to succeed while players are out injured simply can not win without making adjustments. The Eagles struggle there too.
So the playoffs may not be in sight for the Eagles and they honestly don't deserve it given the last two weeks. Perhaps the best way to remind the Eagles that they need a lot of work before being ready for the long haul and playoff push is to miss the playoffs the way they might this season.
Kevin Durso is managing editor for Eagledelphia. Follow him on Twitter @Kevin_Durso.
