Sean Mannion’s Doubling Down on Eagles Offensive Issues -- And How He's Fixing Them

When describing the Eagles offense, first-year offensive coordinator Sean Mannion keeps landing on the same word.

Jun 10, 2026; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Sean Mannion looks on during minicamp at Jefferson Health Training Complex. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

PHILADELPHIA — First-year Eagles offensive coordinator Sean Mannion keeps landing on the same word to describe his offense … Close.

Asked this week about everything from the first-down struggles to screen passes, the running game and the play-action timing - parts of the offense that have not yet clicked and lagged behind an elite third-down performance, Mannion returned again and again to the idea that Philadelphia is a few fundamentals away from the complementary attack he wants.

The brilliant play of quarterback Jalen Hurts and a 2-0 start have hidden some of the struggles heading into Monday night at Chicago. Absent has been an early-down rhythm that would, in theory, allow the run game, the screens, and play-action to feed off one another.

Lip Service Or Lift Off?

Sep 20, 2026; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (1) during post game against the Tennessee Titans at Nissan Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

On screens, Mannion did not hide from what have been some ugly misses. 

“I think we’re close on a few of them,” Mannion claimed. “I think there’s some fundamental things to clean up a little bit. I think we had a couple that were fundamental-based, a couple that were just execution based.” 

The screen game, he added, “is going to be a big part of what we do.” 

The run game drew a similar diagnosis. 

“Yeah, I think we’re close,” Mannion said. “I think it’s just a few little things fundamentally, just some of the smaller details that if we just attack those, it’ll really come to life for us.” 

The players, he said, have bought in. Staying on schedule on first and second down would allow more runs. Those runs, he suggested, can “start to pop” without warning.

“I feel confident that moving forward, those are going to start to break through,” said Mannion.

Play-action, in Mannion’s view, is not a standalone operation. 

“I think [the run game and play-action] go hand-in-hand and you want to be productive in both,” he said. 

The Eagles have it a couple of explosives off play-action. Once the run game joins that production: “it becomes a compounding effect,” per the young OC. “They really run parallel to one another and it’s going to be a huge part of our offense.”

The split between downs is the clearest illustration of the gap. First down has been a struggle. Third down has been a strength — No. 1 in the NFL.

Mannion explained that the Eagles were behind the chains too often in Week 1, making it harder to marry run and pass. Week 2 was better. 

“We were much better at staying on schedule,” he said. “I think we’re really close on a few of our things on first and second down, just some fundamental things to clean up, some corrections to make.”

Mannion also rejected the idea that his explanations were empty coach-speak. 

“I do think we’re really close, ” he insisted. 

Success on third down has been “exciting to watch” for Mannion and the staff wants to keep leaning into it. Manageable early-down situations will only make third down easier in the two phases that “really play off one another.”