Eagles Strip Sean Desai of Play Calling Responsibilities

The Eagles have reportedly relieved Sean Desai of defensive play calling responsibilities.

According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, Desai will spend Monday’s game against Seattle in the press box with other coaches. The play calling responsibilities have been handed over to Matt Patricia, defensive assistant for the team.

Patricia was hired during the offseason and has spent years as a defensive coordinator for Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots, including during the Eagles’ defeat of the Patriots during Super Bowl LII. He was given a head coaching job in Detroit following that Super Bowl loss but was fired after posting a 13-29-1 record over two and a half seasons. Patricia returned to the Patriots as sort of a defensive coaching Swiss army knife.

Desai, who came into the team during the offseason proclaiming he wanted the defense to be “palpable,” has been anything but during these last several games. Desai’s defense is last in the NFL in third down conversion percentage allowed (48.07%). It also ranks in the bottom half of the league in most meaningful statistics, including total yards per game (353.9, 23rd in league), passing yards per game (259.9, 28th in league), interception rate (1.15%, 31st in league), sacks per pass attempt (7.09%, 21st in league), first downs allowed per game (21.5, 29th in league), 4th down conversions allowed (51.85%, 29th in league), red zone touchdowns allowed (70.45%, 30th in league), and points per game (24.7, 28th in league), among others.

Additionally, while Desai’s defense allowed on average 65.6 rushing yards per game going into the bye week, which was first in the league, the team has allowed four straight 100-plus yard rushing games, and has fallen to ninth in the league in that stat (94.0 average yards).

Desai formally retains the title of defensive coordinator, according to Rapoport, but without play calling responsibilities and with a head coach who does not call even offensive plays, let alone the defense, it’s hard not to see that as a title in name only. Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer indicated that Desai is not staying even as defensive coordinator and will be taking a different role with the team.