On the opening drive of the Philadelphia Eagles’ 31-7 blowout win over the San Francisco 49ers, head coach Nick Sirianni opted to go for it on fourth-and-3 at San Francisco’s 35. Jalen Hurts linked up with DeVonta Smith for an exceptional 29-yard acquire.
Besides this was clearly not a catch.
The 49ers not throwing the problem flag just isn’t Philadelphia’s drawback, and so they cashed in on their fourth-down determination by scoring a landing on a Miles Sanders run simply two performs later.
Whereas the Smith catch shouldn’t have been dominated as such, the choice by Sirianni was statistically the suitable transfer to make, and whereas the decision on the sector was incorrect, the method resulted in factors.
—> SF (0) @ PHI (0) <—
PHI has 4th & 3 on the SF 35Suggestion (STRONG): Go for it (+3.2 WP)
Precise play: (Shotgun) J.Hurts move deep left to D.Smith to SF 6 for 29 yards (J.Ward). pic.twitter.com/RGYiYxMVwF— 4th down determination bot (@ben_bot_baldwin) January 29, 2023
The opposite pivotal fourth-down name was made inside his personal territory. With the rating knotted at 7-7 and the Eagles struggling to muster something offensively, Sirianni confronted 4th and 1 at his personal 34. By this level, Josh Johnson had already subbed in for the injured Brock Purdy however the 49ers had simply scored a landing on their earlier possession. As a substitute of punting for a fourth consecutive time, Sirianni dialed up the almost unstoppable Hurts quarterback sneak for the conversion. The Eagles would get the go-ahead landing and blow the sport open from there.
Once more, it was the analytically most popular determination even in a tied recreation in Philadelphia’s personal territory.
—> SF (7) @ PHI (7) <—
PHI has 4th & 1 on the PHI 34Suggestion (STRONG): Go for it (+2.8 WP)
Precise play: J.Hurts up the center to PHI 35 for 1 yard (Ok.Givens). pic.twitter.com/pBKr90SqxI— 4th down determination bot (@ben_bot_baldwin) January 29, 2023
Two fourth-down makes an attempt, two conversions (formally!), and two eventual touchdowns whereas the sport was nonetheless shut. That’s profitable soccer at its most interesting, and it’s additionally been Sirianni’s MO all season.
In the course of the common season, the Eagles transformed the second-most fourth downs within the NFL, had the fourth-highest conversion charge, and scored touchdowns a league-best seven occasions in these conditions. When it comes to fourth-down aggressiveness, the Eagles ranked sixth, up from twelfth in 2021.
After their 29-21 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars in October, through which they transformed three-of-five makes an attempt on fourth down, Sirianni defined how his belief in Jalen Hurts influenced his determination making.
“The very very first thing of why we go for it on fourth down, or why we went for it on fourth down yesterday, I belief our guys. Who do you belief? I belief Jalen [Hurts] to make the suitable selections with the soccer. I belief Jalen if it’s a move. I belief Jalen that if it’s a run that he creates an additional hole for the protection. I belief the heck out of our offensive line and I belief our guys on the perimeter to make a play with the soccer of their palms. I belief our protection if we don’t get it that they’re going to get a cease.”
[…]
“Does that imply we’re going to be 100% in these situations? No. We had been, what, 60% yesterday, proper? However I nonetheless have that belief in him, and naturally that’s constructed by way of observe, that’s constructed by way of the reps you’ve got at observe, that’s constructed by way of the reps you’ve had collectively in video games, and that’s constructed by way of the conversations that you’ve all through the week and all through the months and all through the years that you’ve collectively.”
Sirianni has rapidly adopted within the footsteps of his predecessor, Doug Pederson, who sparked a league-wide pattern by constantly being among the many leaders in “go for it” calls on fourth down, most notably the “Philly Particular” play within the Tremendous Bowl towards the New England Patriots.
Not each determination goes to be the suitable one and typically the suitable determination will yield an undesired outcome. For the Eagles, their fourth-down selections have largely been right, the success charge has constantly been excessive, and this offensive juggernaut is on the verge of one other title because of a head coach who understands probably the most optimum methods to win in right now’s NFL.