Even in this age of analytics that favors bold fourth-down decision making, Troy Aikman could not understand the Eagles’ controversial decision late Monday night.
The ESPN announcer openly questioned head coach Nick Sirianni’s call to go for it on fourth-and-6 with 33 seconds remaining while at the Green Bay 35-yard line and nursing a three-point lead.
Philadelphia did not convert in what could have been a disastrous decision, but Brandon McManus shanked a potential game-tying 64-yard field goal to secure the Eagles’ 10-7 win.
“I don’t know what he’s going to do, this is surprising to me,” Aikman said before the Eagles snapped the ball, “but I can’t believe they’re going for it here on fourth down.”
Philadelphia faced a critical decision during this potential NFC playoffs preview while trying to bleed the clock after three straight runs resulted in just four yards, setting up a fourth-and-6.
Sirianni said he didn’t love the idea of attempting a 53-yard field goal, especially since it would have been into the wind on a cold night at Lambeau Field.
The head coach did not mention the possibility of punting, which one could have argued for since the Eagles’ defense held Green Bay to just 261 yards.
He thus sent out his inconsistent offense, which mustered just 183 passing yards.
“I got a lot of faith in our offense. It didn’t work out on this one. We just didn’t get it,” Sirianni said. “I stand put on that decision, especially being up three, because you go up six they’re still going to need a touchdown and Hail Mary and and everything like that, so we would have ended the game if we got that and got a lot of faith in our guys to be able to do that.”
While it was fair to wonder if the Eagles sent out the offense in hopes of drawing Green Bay offsides, they actually snapped the ball and threw a deep fade to A.J. Brown.
The talented receiver could not corral the ball while in tight coverage, suddenly giving Green Bay the ball roughly 25 yards from field goal range with 27 seconds.
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“I don’t know what the thinking was here,” he said. “You stop the clock, could have ran it down.”
Packers quarterback Jordan Love threw an 18-yard completion to get the ball to the Eagles’ 46-yard line, at least giving itself a chance for a game-tying kick.
However, Lambeau Field is not the venue for 60-plus-yard attempts and McManus’ kick was off line the moment it left his foot.
The victory placed the Eagles in a three-way tie for the NFC’s best record, while the Packers fell to third place in the NFC North at 5-3-1.
Sirianni could at least breathe a sigh of relief that his roll of the dice didn’t cost his team a pivotal win.
“I’m not sure either coach feels real good about this,” Aikman said while Sirianni and Green Bay coach Matt LaFleur met on the field after the game. “Sirainni will be answering a lot of questions about that fourth down but he escapes Lambeau Field with a win.”
