Down … And Out?

PHILADELPHIA – The Eagles returned to the practice field Wednesday to kick off what’s sure to be an eventful week leading up to their NFC Divisional clash with the Los Angeles Rams Sunday at Lincoln Financial Field.

Here’s a summation of some of the more pertinent storylines this week:

GETTY IMAGES: Eagles WR A.J. Brown hasn’t caught many deep passes recently.

Moore Of Pass Offense?

It hardly required a moment of clarity in the aftermath of the Eagles’ 22-10 win over the Green Bay Packers, but the passing game endured some obvioius turbulence.

The play and decision-making of quarterback Jalen Hurts left much to be desired, along with the route concepts, and for most of the game the offense lacked punch.

Fortunately for the Eagles, their defense did the heavy lifting to compensate, but offensive coordinator Kellen Moore on Tuesday offered a measured response to the elephant in the room.

“Passing game, obviously, wasn’t our best performance,” he said. “Certainly, every person involved would love to have it be cleaner, play better in that aspect of the game. But again, to Jalen’s credit, he played clean football as far as protecting the football.

“We made plays in some situations when we had to, and that’s sometimes how games go, unfortunately. It’s something that we are all excited to navigate and find better answers moving forward.”

But beyond the overall complexion of the staggering pass game, the unit as a whole curiously showcased a conservative approach despite fielding premier talent.

On 3rd-and-long situations, rather than push the ball downfield or elect to spring Hurts on some designed runs, the Eagles ran the ball – the football equivalent of waving the white flag.

The route concepts were compressed, relegated to the short-to-intermediary levels, and rarely ventured to the third level.

For an offense that features wide receivers A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith, shot plays came few and far between.

The effort was enough to defeat the Packers, and a marginal improvement should be sufficient to sneak past the Rams.

But to reach their ultimate destination – New Orleans, host city for the Super Bowl – the passing game and Hurts must elevate.

“You’d love to have more opportunities downfield,” Moore said. “You’d love to have those explosive play opportunities, and sometimes they didn’t present themselves. We were able to grind it out as the game progressed with some run game emphasis as the game ended.

“There are things each and every game when you come out of it, you would love to do different things, and love to call a few plays here and there that are different. You’re going to come out of every game that way.

“At the end of the day, we accomplished the number one goal, which is to advance in this tournament. There will be things where we’ll look back and say, ‘Hey, we want to improve on that,’ and, ‘We want to improve on that.’ And that’s the beauty of this group, that they are ready to do that.”

GETTY IMAGES: Rookie LB Jeremiah Trotter Jr. could see his first playoff defensive snaps with Nakobe Dean sidelined.

Fangio’s Endorsement

Logic suggests that veteran Oren Burks, coming off his 12th career postseason game in addition to having played in 108 career games, will undertake the bulk of the snaps vacated by injured linebacker Nakobe Dean.

But Vic Fangio on Tuesday indicated that the team might implement a platoon-like approach in filling the seismic void, giving a nod to rookie linebacker Jeremiah Trotter Jr.

“I think Trott’s got a good future and that future may be now,” Fangio said. “He’s got good instincts. Really likes the game. He’s smart. He’s got a lot of good qualities.

While Fangio also endorsed Burks, citing the veteran’s athleticism, experience and tackling prowess, he appeared intent on utilizing both to replace Dean, which speaks highly on the impact of the latter.

Trotter Jr., who logged just 104 defensive snaps during the regular season, has developed nicely behind the scenes, prioritizing fundamentals – specifically block destruction – and honing in on details.

The Clemson product showcased his growth in his lone start, a Week 18 matchup against the New York Giants in which Trotter Jr. accumulated 11 tackles and swarmed to the football with the same urgency he exudes on special teams.

Burks has the size and experience, but Trotter offers range and anticipation. It’s likely the Eagles will deploy both in a situational capacity.

As far as any potential concern for communication lapses as the team transitions to life without Dean donning the green dot and calling the plays, Fangio’s practice rule of not pairing two reserve linebackers together because “that’s not how it’s going to happen in a game” should ease concern.

Both Burks and Trotter Jr. have repped with starter Zack Baun, who will now wear the green dot for the remainder of the season.

For a better understanding of Dean’s rehab process, watch this bonus Inside The Birds edition featuring former Eagles athletic trainer Aaron Borgmann:

Tone Setter

When it comes to the game’s third phase, not much is mentioned about it – until an error ensues.

Many of the players on special teams occupy thankless roles on game days, but on Sunday, coordinator Michael Clay saw his unit give Lincoln Financial Field a thunderous jolt on the game’s opening play, when Burks laid down the gauntlet on returner Keisean Nixon.

“It was an awesome play out of Oren,” Clay said. “Obviously, the environment was outstanding, 4:35 game in the Linc. To start off a game where we defer and we kickoff and being able to steal possession almost off the opening kickoff is awesome.

“It was an awesome hit by Oren right there. One of the cooler experiences I think I’ve had as a coach just to feel that atmosphere. You could hear that hit from the sideline. I’m sure you could hear it in the stadium.

Clay added being “tough and physical” are hallmarks that head coach Nick Siranni’s harps on for his team.

“Nothing kind of more stand-out than an opening kickoff fumble recovery and heck of a job by Trott,” Clay said. “Anything goes at the bottom of the pile to get that ball out.”

Burks, second on the Eagles in special teams snaps (319) behind only cornerback Kelee Ringo, along with Trotter Jr. will be counted on to undertake more prominent defensive roles.

Clay acknowledged the balance he’ll have to strike when rationing their workload.

“It’s just communication between Vic, between [Inside Linebackers Coach] Bobby [King] and myself, who is going on, who is going off,” he said. “Trying to keep those guys as fresh as possible, but it’s really kudos to the players in here.

“They are trying to do anything they can to help this team, whether that’s playing defense and having to play a couple roles on special teams.”

Clay noted Baun’s tackle on a punt, a tackle on kickoff coverage by Nolan Smith, and Cooper DeJean diving into the bottom of a pile.

“These guys are so selfless and all they want to do is put this team in the right spot,” he said. “Like Kellen said, to advance in the tournament. We always are going to try to put these guys in the best possible way to move forward.”

GETTY IMAGES: Veteran WR Parris Campbell gives the Eagles depth and experience for the postseason.

Roster Replenish

The Eagles on Tuesday announced a series of moves, placing Dean on injured reserve and signing wide receiver Parris Campbell to the 53-man roster.

The team also signed veteran linebacker Nicholas Morrow and second-year wide receiver Elijah Cooks to the practice squad. Wide receiver Joseph Ngata, signed to the practice squad last week, was released to clear space.

Campbell, elevated from the practice squad ahead of the Eagles’ wild-card matchup, was elevated three times during the regular season and has spent time on the active roster at various points of the season.

Appearing in five games, Campbell reeled in six catches for 30 yards on eight targets and a touchdown. With experience at a premium behind A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith and Jahan Dotson, Campbell adds a veteran presence to supplement rookies Johnny Wilson and Ainias Smith.

Campbell has played in 49 games, starting 27.

Morrow, 29, started 12 games for the Eagles last season before signing a one-year deal with the Buffalo Bills in free agency.

Appearing in 11 games this season for Buffalo, Morrow racked up three tackles. Most of his time was dedicated to special teams, where he logged 182 snaps.

That Morrow is a capable special teamer is vitally important in light of the injury to Dean.

For perspective, Dean’s replacements – Burks and Trotter Jr. – accounted for the second- and third-most special teams snaps, respectively.

Morrow, who presumably will be elevated against the Rams, has the ability to lighten the third phase workload for Burks and Trotter.

Cooks (6-4, 215), 26, entered the NFL as a rookie free agent with the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2023. The San Jose State product has appeared in 11 games over two seasons, accruing three catches for 38 yards.

He appeared in two games with the Jags this season, spending most of his season on their practice squad.

– Andrew DiCecco (@AndrewDiCecco) is a Staff Reporter/Content Producer for InsideTheBirds.com.