Nakobe Dean wanted the defense to be on the field to end Sunday’s game. He knows that Head Coach Nick Sirianni showed his confidence in the defense to punt the ball away rather than try a long, 55-yard field goal holding a six-point lead against Carolina, and the defense had Carolina pinned at its 2-yard line in the waning minutes of a 22-16 victory.
“Who else better than this year’s Philadelphia defense to go out there and end the game?” Dean said after the win. “He not only showed confidence in us, he showed confidence in Braden (Mann, punter) and the punt coverage team to down it (which Avonte Maddox did, catching the punt at the 2-yard line). He showed confidence in all of us there. We just went out there and did what we were supposed to do.”
Showing confidence in his players. That’s what Nick Sirianni is all about – whether he’s deciding to go for it on fourth down, when he’s pumping up his players, when he goes back to a receiver after a missed pass, or sticks with someone who isn’t playing his best at the very moment. This is one of the ways Sirianni connects with his players and, clearly, it is working.
Sirianni’s record with the Eagles is nothing short of stellar. Take note …
- The Eagles have started 11-2 or better through 13 games for just the fifth time in team history, having also done so in 2022 (12-1), 2017 (11-2), 2004 (12-1), and 1980 (11-2).
- Sirianni is just the second head coach in franchise history to direct three straight 11-plus win campaigns, joining Andy Reid from 2000-04 (5).
- Philadelphia previously won nine in a row during the 2017, 2003, and 1960 seasons.
- Sirianni has produced a 45-19 (.703) career record in four seasons with Philadelphia.
- According to Elias Sports, Sirianni’s .703 winning percentage is the 6th-highest in NFL history, behind Guy Chamberlin (.784, 58-16-7 from 1922-27), John Madden (.759, 103-32-7 from 1969-78), Vince Lombardi (.738, 96-34-6 from 1959-67, ’69), Ray Flaherty (.720, 54-21-3 from 1936-42), and George Allen (.712, 116-47-5 from 1966-77).
- His .703 winning percentage ranks 3rd among NFL head coaches since 2021, trailing only Reid (.762, 48-15) and Sean McDermott (.726).
The Eagles have won nine straight games since their bye week and Sirianni’s guidance after a 2-2 start is a huge reason why.
“We’re all in this thing together and that’s the way it is,” safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson said. “We want to always play hard and win for each other. That is our…
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