Doug Pederson’s gutless game defines who the Eagles are

Doug Pederson may have a Super Bowl win to his name, but his decision to punt the football late in overtime on Sunday was inexcusable.

The Eagles entered Week 3 in desperate need of a victory. Instead of going for the crucial win they needed, Doug Pederson elected to play for a tie in overtime. His gutless decision is a perfect illustration of just how weak the Eagles have been during the 2020 season.

The Eagles’ conservative play calling on the last drive of their overtime contest of the Bengals had them set up to attempt a 59-yard field goal just before time expired. Just before the ball was snapped Matt Pryor was flagged for a false start. That left Pederson with a decision to make as to whether or not he should attempt a 64-yard field goal in the game’s closing moments.

What Pederson should have done was put Carson Wentz and his offense back out on the field. There were 19 seconds left in the game when the penalty was called. The Eagles were out of timeouts but they still could have tried to convert on 4th and 12. Philadelphia would have been forced to hurry to stop the clock and set up a field goal, but they would have enjoyed a chance at victory.

Instead, Pederson took the most conservative option possible. Pederson sent out his punt team to pin the Bengals offense deep in their own territory. He even elected to take a delay of game penalty to give his punter more room to work with.

That decision doomed the Eagles to a tie that probably won’t do them any good when all is said and done this season. The team needed a win to improve their playoff odds and, more importantly, the team’s fractured mental state.

Pederson’s gutless decision to play for the tie will only tell his roster that he doesn’t trust their ability to win this season. The Eagles might be beset by injuries currently, but they still have stars capable of winning games. The fact that Pederson didn’t trust his squad to beat the lowly Bengals sends a clear message that he’s given up on the season. It’s only a matter of time before his players do the same.