Take your pick ... Nick Sirianni, Jalen Hurts, the running game, the defense, etc.

Who is to blame for the Eagles’ recent 19-17 stunning, literally last-second defeat to the Jaguars in London. Is it solely on one person, or is there plenty of blame to go around?

Whatever the case, the birds have dropped three straight, and they’ll head home to meet Carolina at the Linc Sunday afternoon. A 2-3, though, they are still major players in the mediocre NFC East (Are the Giants for real?).

In this version of our Eagles’ roundtable column, sports editor Patrick Matsinko is joined by venerable sports writer Rich Strack and Marian head football coach/athletic director Billy O’Gurek to discuss and debate some issues facing the Birds from their London loss.

How did you rate Sirianni’s performance, especially not deciding to kick the ball into the end zone at the end?

Matsinko - “I think Sirianni deserves plenty of criticism for that decision. With eight seconds left, you have to kick the ball into the end zone and make Jacksonville drive the field. Instead, you give them an opportunity for a big return, and it costs you the game. I give him credit for taking responsibility, but that’s a mistake a head coach simply can’t make.”

Strack - “It was a critical mistake to not kick the ball in the end zone and a horrible performance from the Eagles kickoff team. A lead with eight seconds to play should have been a slam-dunk win.”

O’Gurek - “I put this one squarely on Sirianni. The offense continued to look inept in the second half of games, plus he mishandled the field-goal drive by not draining more time off the game clock. Despite all that, the decision to not kick into the endzone is baffling. A touchback, and Jacksonville is starting at the 35-yard line with eight seconds left and no timeouts. It would have taken a miracle to win, but the kick return changed everything.”

Is Hurts back on track?

Matsinko - “I think Hurts took a step in the right direction, especially considering all the injuries around him. He wasn’t spectacular, but he protected the football, made some big throws and put the Eagles in position to win. I wouldn’t say he’s completely back on track, but there were encouraging signs.”

Strack -“Hurts is the least of the Eagles’ problems, even though he was only 21 of 40 yesterday. Missing Devonta Smith was a huge factor in his low completion rate.”

O’Gurek - “He did play better. I am still unsure why, especially with all the running back injuries, they refuse to run him more. That’s what made him so successful in the past, and it’s just not part of their game plan anymore for some reason. Hopefully when Smith returns, the passing game will continue to improve.”

Do the Eagles immediately have to address the running game if Barkley is still out?

Matsinko - “Absolutely. You can’t expect to win consistently when you’re rushing for just 22 yards. Barkley is obviously irreplaceable, but the Eagles need to find some kind of balance offensively. The injuries along the offensive line aren’t helping, either. They can’t keep putting everything on Hurts.”

Strack - “The running game is virtually non-existent without Barkley. That said, they should have won despite having a paltry 22 yards in their ground game.

O’Gurek - “It looks like it. Not just Barkley, but also Bigsby. I think Shipley has shown he is nothing more than a rotational player. If both Saquon and Bigsby continue to miss time, they’ll need to add someone who can contribute.”

Are they any concerns about the defense?

Matsinko - “I actually think the defense deserves a lot of credit. Jacksonville moved the ball, but the Eagles made several big stops and kept them out of the end zone on multiple trips inside the 20. Giving up 331 passing yards is concerning, but the defense gave this team every opportunity to win. I’d be much more worried about the offense right now.”

Strack - “The defense played well enough to win, and the Jags tried to lose the game with their penalties and fourth-down failure inside the five -ard line early in the fourth quarter. The one-handed catch for the Jags’ Parker Washington was well covered. Lawrence did throw for 330 yards proving the pass rush needs improvement, and there are holes in the secondary.”

O’Gurek - “I thought the defense did everything they could. Mitchell had an interception, Jalen Carter had two sacks. Jacksonville has been rated as one of the most efficient offenses in the NFL so far this season, and they held them to 16 points before the kick return and game-winning field goal. The defense needs some help from the offense if they are going to snap this losing streak.”

My take: “Sirianni made some major blunders with clock management down the stretch, some play choices, and, of course, with the kickoff. He accepted the blame to take some heat off his players. Hurts looked better, but the overall offense is still stuck in first gear. Defensively, they looked solid overall in the opening half, but there are still issues with the secondary.

“Unless things change drastically, expect more close games and a record around .500. Carolina is a must win Sunday.

“Maybe the Giants are for real?”

What do you think? We would like to know, and you, too, can be a part of the panel. Simply submit an email to tnsports@tnonline.com titled Eagles Roundtable. If your email is chosen, you will be a part of the panel.

Your thoughts are always welcomed and will be published; email them to tnsports@tnonline.com

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