Eagles' Offense Trending Toward Execution Over Evolution

PHILADELPHIA - NFL training camps can often feel like Groundhog Day.

The Eagles' two joint practices against the Cleveland Browns this week gave off an inception vibe within that Groundhog Day.

Stop me if you’ve heard this before. Philadelphia’s inside zone running game looked unstoppable, and the passing game resembled a pop gun.

It took second-team All-Pro left tackle Jordan Mailata to admit the obvious in between gushing over the All-World abilities of the freakish Myles Garrett.

“I do think that we did really good things in the run game. That is very evident,” Mailata said after practice on Thursday. “In the pass game, we can certainly be a lot better. A bit more firmer up there, on the blind side. And I think we were a bit leaky sometimes [in pass protection].

“I definitely think we can be a lot better.”

Jordan Mailata after practice at Eagles training camp. | Ed Kracz/Eagles on SI

Garrett’s presence was part of the problem.

Few game-plan for preseason games, never mind practices, but when Garrett shows up, you almost have to acknowledge his presence to make reps at least somewhat valuable.

“He's an alien out there," Eagles Pro Bowl center Cam Jurgens when discussing Garrett. "Just watching him move, it reminds me of a predator with some ice skates running through the grass."

Even though Jalen Hurts was wearing a red shirt, the idea sure seemed to be to get the football out as quickly as possible.

The Eagles threw so many passes into the flats that the landscapers at the NovaCare Complex are probably going to have to re-sod those portions of the field for next week’s practices.

Vanilla is too adventurous a flavor to describe what went on at the NovaCare Complex.

Meanwhile, on the next field over, the Browns were pulling out a hook and ladder and double-throwback passes with a 40-year-old quarterback, who probably would have liked a nice swing pass now and again.

The context is Garrett in for Cleveland and A.J. Brown out for Philadelphia.

"I'll get a giggle," Mailata said about watching film of what went one. "I'll get a giggle out it. I'll be honest. I'm just standing, like, 'What the f@#$?' Sorry, I did my job, and yet I still got beat.'"

"'How is he still down around one of my knees and he's still bending the corner,'" Mailata added. "He starts the rush in a four-point stance, and by the time he's four yards upfield, he's still at that same height. It's kind [of] like, 'What am I supposed to do there? Just jump on him?' Not even that's possible. He'll just carry me to the QB."

There is no need to panic, of course. This Predator will eventually recede to Cleveland, normal life will resume, and the Eagles will be just fine.

That said, the dirty little secret here is that there isn’t much creativity in the Eagles’ offense and there hasn’t been in the Nick Sirianni-Jalen Hurts era, no matter who the play-caller has been.

If this week is any indication, the Eagles are running back their successful formula from last season.

It’s execution in Philadelphia again. Evolution will have to wait.

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