Doug Pederson is still on the hot seat even after benching Carson Wentz

Doug Pederson is still coaching for his job even after benching Carson Wentz.

The Philadelphia Eagles could fall to last place in the NFC East if the Dallas Cowboys pick up a victory Tuesday night. That has the team on track to end up with a top-5 pick in the 2021 NFL Draft and could also mean Doug Pederson loses his job.

The Eagles have had a steady decline since winning the Super Bowl in 2017 and Carson Wentz has bottomed out in 2020. He has now been benched and Jalen Hurts is getting a chance to prove himself.

Eagles fans now want to know if Wentz was the problem, or if Pederson’s offense couldn’t flourish with the former No. 2 overall pick under center. Regardless, Pederson’s seat is still extremely hot with the former franchise quarterback on the bench.

Pederson needs to prove he still belongs

The head coach has gotten the Eagles to the playoffs in three consecutive seasons and does have that Super Bowl win to his name. But the product seen on the field in 2020 is a disaster and questions may arise of who is to thank for the Super Bowl victory. Nick Foles surely leads any such list, while current Indianapolis Colts head coach and former Eagles offensive coordinator Frank Reich may deserve a lot more recognition.

The organization now needs to know if Pederson or Wentz deserve another shot in 2021. Trading Wentz and taking on all that dead money just to keep the head coach would likely only happen if Hurts comes in and dominates. Even so, does all the credit go to Pederson?

Philly is in a tough spot because winning a few more games doesn’t ensure a playoff spot given the resurgence of Washington and the New York Giants. It would be better now to lose and land a top prospect in the draft.

Hurts’ first start is coming Sunday against the NFC’s top seed in the New Orleans Saints. The offense reaching 20 points, which it hasn’t done in four straight games, would be a small victory and show signs the unit can do better without Wentz.

Fortunes change fast in the NFL and the Eagles may need to do a total reset in 2021. The cap situation is a disaster and ownership may want to clean house from the top all the way down to Wentz.

Pederson was the right man for the job when he showed up in 2016. His team essentially giving up and continuing the current four-game losing streak down the stretch would prove he needs to go. Now his future in Philadelphia is in the hands of a rookie quarterback.