The Philadelphia Eagles won the weak NFC East with a record of 9-7. This meant that they were able to host a playoff game and welcomed a Seattle Seahawks' team that was 7-1 on the road in the regular season. The Eagles' season ended with a 17-9 loss on their home field.
Philadelphia was decimated with injuries all season. It became worse when Carson Wentz was knocked out in the first quarter against Seattle. With their season now over, here are the four biggest takeaways from their 2019 campaign.
4. The Postseason Fate of Carson Wentz
The Eagles probably wished they had Nick Foles on the bench during the Wild Card round. After missing two postseason runs in Philly, Wentz was finally ready to start his first playoff game. His night ended after just four pass attempts. He suffered a hit while going to the ground and he left the game with concussion-like symptoms.
This injury was different than past seasons but it has to make one wonder if Wentz will ever stay healthy for the course of a full season and playoff run. He played all 16 games in 2019 for the first time since his rookie season. But once again, he was forced to miss playoff action and the Eagles' season ended in an unfortunate way.
3. Greg Ward is a Player
The Eagles lost Alshon Jeffrey and Nelson Agholor to injuries in the middle of the season. This forced some young players to step up and Greg Ward was at the top of the list. The former Houston quarterback did not a big workload until Week 12. Ward impressed immediately.
Ward finished with 28 catches for 254 yards and a touchdown this season. He quickly became one of Wentz's favorite targets down the stretch. Even when the Eagles get their full complement of receivers back, Ward will continue to be part of the game plan.
2. The Secondary Needs an Overhaul
The Eagles were playing with third-string guys in their secondary. This is a reason that D.K. Metcalf tore up the secondary for 160 yards and a touchdown in his playoff debut. Even when healthy the Eagles' secondary is a disaster.
Philadelphia has been relying on players like Jalen Mills and Avante Maddox for too long. This is not a unit that has any chance of being successful over the course of 16 games. The Eagles know how bad their secondary was and changes will be made in the offseason.
1. Doug Pederson is a Darn Good Coach
There are some coaches who have a knack for coaching big games. Pederson is one of those leaders. He almost led his battered team to a win over the best road team in the league. There were actually people who wanted him fired when the Eagles were struggling this season.
It is safe to say that Pederson is not going anywhere. He brought Philly their first championship in his first season and returned to the playoffs again in 2019. Pederson is one of the 10 best coaches in this league and he proved it this season.
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