Eagles coach Nick Sirianni blamed himself for the late-game mistake that cost Philadelphia a win over the Jaguars in London on Sunday.
The Philadelphia Eagles took a one-point lead on a field goal with eight seconds left at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Then the game slipped away in a flash.
Jacksonville running back Ameer Abdullah returned the ensuing kick 57 yards to the Eagles’ 39-yard line. He was brought down with one second remaining. After a timeout, Cam Little drilled a 57-yard field goal to win it for the Jaguars.
Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni did not duck the result. He told his players and reporters he made the call that lost the game.
Newsweek reported Sirianni’s blunt assessment after the NFL International Series defeat.
Sirianni praised the fight first. Then he owned the ending.
"Our guys fought their butts off today. Defense played an outstanding game, keeping us in that game. Offense did enough at the end to go win us that game. Special teams did a nice job of kicking that there,"
He did not stop there. He put the loss on his own choice in the final seconds.
"I made a decision, and I lost us that game and that's what I said to our guys there. And what hurts there is that you know the guys fought so hard, and I don't make the decision that I should I make at the end of the game,"
Sirianni left no wiggle room.
"There’s no way around it... It's just, I didn’t do my job in that situation."
That is accountability in plain English. Coaches who hide behind scheme talk and “we’ll look at the film” rarely say it this directly.
Philadelphia entered as heavy underdogs. Key pieces were already missing, including running back Saquon Barkley and wide receiver DeVonta Smith.
The day started worse. Defensive starter Jeremiah Trotter Jr. was disqualified after a fight on the opening kickoff.
Jacksonville jumped ahead 7-0. The Eagles answered before halftime.
Hurts connected with Darius Cooper for a touchdown. Running back Will Shipley added another score. Philadelphia led 14-7 at the break.
In the second half the Jaguars stiffened. They held the Eagles to that single late field goal until the final sequence. Then Abdullah’s return and Little’s kick finished it.
Philadelphia fell to 2-3. Jacksonville improved to 4-1.
Eight seconds and a one-point lead should be enough to close a road game. The kickoff coverage failed to keep the ball inside the numbers or force a short return. Abdullah reached the 39. One second remained. Little had room for a long try and made it.
Sirianni did not name the exact choice he regrets, onside versus deep, coverage look, or clock management. He simply said he failed to make the right one and that it cost his team.
Players had done enough to win. The defense kept them alive. The offense manufactured the late lead. Special teams made the go-ahead kick. The head coach said the last decision was his, and it was wrong.
Fans can argue coverage or kick strategy all week. The man paid to make the call already took the blame. In a league full of excuses, that still counts for something, results still matter more.
