For the Eagles, Sunday night’s 27-10 loss in Washington may have hit rock bottom. Yet, unfortunately for them, their hole may get deeper.

Eagles’ fans easily could have been at loss for words, or be ready to recite a diatribe about the plight of their team.

A pair of local football coaches, a fan, and a sports editor have plenty to share about the Eagles’ six-game losing streak and their free-falling ascent that is traveling downward as fast or faster than a California landslide.

Northampton assistant head coach and former Palisades head coach Kevin Ronalds along with Catasauqua quarterback coach and former Northampton quarterback Cooper King, Whitehall head softball coach and Eagles’ fan Jeff Vivian, and Lehigh Valley Press sports editor Scott Pagel will all offer their views and opinions on four Eagles’ issues in this week’s Eagles’ Roundtable.

This week, the panel takes a look at quarterback Tanner McKee, the ongoing offensive line issue, the state of the sagging defense, and any potential positives along a trail laced with plenty of potholes.

Did McKee’s stock drop after his showing? Is it time for backup Joe Milton?

Ronalds - “McKee’s stock definitely takes a hit after this week. The fourth quarter interception was a terrible decision, and the offense still only managed 10 points. Whether it is time to move on to the backup, Milton, maybe not quite. But the leash on McKee has to be getting shorter. One thing is certain: they can’t keep doing the same things and expect different results.”

King - “Yes. McKee’s two turnovers, five sacks and pocket-awareness mistakes hurt his case. The blocking was poor, but some problems were his own. Giving Milton a chance makes sense, though switching quarterbacks won’t necessarily fix the whole offense.”

Vivian - “McKee stock drops a little. I just don’t think it was that high to begin with...you are talking about a third year quarterback that couldn’t beat out Andy Daulton in preseason. I don’t think anyone you put back there will make a difference with no healthy running and wide receivers.”

Pagel - “Yeah, I think it did drop. Like I said last week, I’d like to see him in a game that’s not Week 18 with all the weapons healthy to get a better feel. But overall, he’s just not looking the part. I wouldn’t be opposed to a switch to Milton, if not to see if he’s worth keeping around going forward. But I wouldn’t expect much better from Milton. I don’t think the Eagles want to give any signs of giving up on the season just yet.”

How do you rate the offensive line’s performance?

Ronalds – “The offensive line gave up 5 QB sacks and 9 tackles for a loss. They will grade an F as a unit. Individually, they also seemed to struggle. This group also committed many 5-yard penalties, which only made things worse.”

King - “The line struggled to open running lanes and protect McKee. Missed assignments and costly penalties made things even worse. Having the same starters for two straight games didn’t bring much improvement as I thought it would. I’d rate them a C.”

Vivian - “The offensive line is abysmal and that was against a terrible Washington team. The loss of Jeff Stoutland has really shown across the board. Regression from (Jordan) Mailata and (Landon) Dickerson (two long-term starters) and the rest just look underprepared, and the communication is bad among that group, which goes directly to coaching.”

Pagel -” I was really hoping to see the line keep improving, even if it was baby steps. But they looked pretty bad at times this past week. Broadcast replays just showed what looked like confusion and missed assignments. At this point, I expect big changes on the line next year and it may look nothing like it does right now. “

Why does the Eagles’ defense seem to collapse after halftime? Are they out of shape?

Ronalds - “The defense seems to struggle to get a sack and pressure the QB as the game goes on. They also have an innate ability to make mistakes and have communication issues at the worst times. They only had two sacks in this game, and Jalyx Hunt doesn’t have many stats yet this season. They are also very much banged up and playing many different lineups. The lack of consistency on offense is hurting this defense as the game goes on. The defensive staff needs to figure out a way to get to the quarterback.”

King - “Are they out of shape? Injuries, missed tackles, coverage mistakes and a weak pass rush are some good explanations for the collapse. The offense’s short possessions also leave the defense with little help and could take into effect the defense conditioning simply because of the amount of time they are on the field.”

Vivian - The Eagles’ defense just looks like there is a lack of depth. Their offense can’t sustain any drives which stresses their defense. They have no safety help and the edge play has been awful. I think there has been a misevaluation of talent on that side of the ball. (Defensive coordinator Vic) Fangio’s defense is not a blitzing defense. So teams have made adjustments to his game plan...and without a strong D-line...the back end is getting exposed and so is Fangio.”

Pagel - “The defense is most concerning to me this season. I was expecting them to be elite and maybe a top-five, top-seven defense in the league, but they really took several steps back. I would hope they just aren’t out of shape, but the offense doesn’t give them much help with quick possessions. I just don’t think the depth is very good either and I think it all factors together.”

Were there any positives?

Ronalds - “There were not many positives that came out of Sunday’s game, but if I had to identify any, I would list these:

a) Makai Lemon getting the opportunity to become a primary receiver. Hopefully this pays dividends in the future.

b) Zack Baun and Andrew Mukuba stood out on defense

c) Although his stats weren’t anything special, Barkley returning to the lineup will provide a lift to a struggling offense as they move forward.”

King - “Lemon had a decent game. He led the team in receiving yards and Nolan Smith came back and got a sack and had some good minutes played.”

Vivian - “Makai Lemon seems to be developing. Nolan Smith coming back helped the D-line, specifically Jalen Carter. They still need someone to play consistently on the other end.

“The other positive is that the real issue has been exposed. You have a head coach that is a CEO coach. He provides nothing to the offensive game planning and calling. So they will always have to have strong coordinators. When he does, they win. When he doesn’t, they look lost. So, at some point, that has to be reconciled.”

Pagel - “It’s nice to see Lemon getting more involved. I was afraid we were going to add him to the list of wide receiver draft busts. I’m hoping he continues to take steps forward and he can be a big contributor to the offense. The same goes for tight end Eli Stowers. The preseason talk of him being soft was worrisome, so it’s nice to see him back on the field and producing. Those two players will be worth watching the rest of the way and a reason to be excited about next year.”

My thoughts: “The Eagles looked good in the first half when they had a 10-0 lead. But McKee has proved to be a backup and did a serviceable job. The offensive line got worse over time and Bell was a turnstile at times. The defense has been breaking down consistently in the second halves of games, and most times they look lethargic. It’s beginning to like coaching on a few fronts, and GM Howie Roseman isn’t free of blame.”

Thanks to coaches Ronalds, King, Vivian, and bossman Scott Pagel for sharing their thoughts this week.

However, you, too, can join us. Simply send an email to spagel@tnonline.com with the title “Eagles Roundtable,” and if your email is chosen, we’ll include you in our weekly discussion! It’s that easy!

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