The Eagles boast the third-best offense in the league in terms of yards. They are atop the league in rushing yards. They are tied for third in the league in plays of 20 yards or more. They are tied for second in trips to the red zone.
Those numbers are nothing new. The surprise with the 2011 Eagles offense is the penchant for turnovers. They lead the league with 15.
With an explosive offense, a simple remedy would be to dial back the aggressive playcalling. But offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg will have none of that. And his players agree with that sentiment.
"The natural instinct is to kind of (scale back) and become conservative and that's the wrong approach, I think, normally," Mornhinweg said.
Mornhinweg pointed out that the turnovers from last Sunday's game against Buffalo weren't the result of aggressive playcalling. There were four interceptions. Quarterback Michael Vick was hit as he threw two of them. A screen pass was tipped into the air and intercepted. Center Jason Kelce admitted to blocking the wrong man which led to the Nick Barnett interception return for a touchdown. Wide receiver Jason Avant fumbled while trying to go for extra yards. The last interception was another ball that was kicked into the air.
The turnovers weren't the result of low-percentage deep passes. The Eagles are not going to go away from what has made them one of the most successful offenses year in and year out.
"We're going to do that no matter what. When you have the talent that we have, there's no reason to back off," wide receiver Jeremy Maclin said. "We're going to remain aggressive and still take our shots downfield and still get this offense going."
The Eagles know they must do a better job of taking care of the football. They are 1-4 and headed on the road to Washington to take on the first-place Redskins. The season hangs in the balance and the Eagles have no leeway to make careless mistakes.
"Taking care of the ball is a conscious mindset in every way," Mornhinweg said. "And so, it's just that simple. And again, I do know this, emphasize it (because) it's crystal clear (and) typically that part of it gets better."
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