Eagles grades: Jalen Hurts takes a crushing safety, the decline of James Bradberry, and more

TAMPA, Fla. — Instant grades on the Eagles’ performance in their 32-9 loss to the Buccaneers in an NFC wild-card playoff game on Monday:

Jalen Hurts was again ineffective vs. Bucs coach Todd Bowles’ blitzes. He hasn’t had enough built-in answers from the scheme all season, so not all the blame falls on his shoulders, but he struggled to get the ball into the right hands. Hurts took a devastating safety in the third quarter, but it wasn’t against a blitz. Bowles rushed just four. Hurts didn’t appear to have anyone open, but he obviously can’t take the sack there in the end zone. Hurts had some good passes, and tried to will the Eagles back, but he ended the game on the bench with backup Marcus Mariota taking the final snaps.

D’Andre Swift was ignored for long stretches of the first half even though he ripped off a couple of early gainers. The Eagles got behind, though, and he finished with only 10 carries for 34 yards even though he had one of his best games in Tampa four months ago. Kenneth Gainwell had an ill-advised reverse in the backfield and was dropped for a 6-yard loss in the third quarter.

DeVonta Smith was the Eagles’ best player on the field and essentially their offense in the first half. He caught four passes for 111 yards, including a 55-yard bomb that was the team’s longest reception since Week 4, by the break. Smith finished with eightcatches for 148 yards. Julio Jones got the start on the outside with A.J. Brown had three grabs for 22 yards. His last went for 14 yards and he held on despite taking a big hit. But he suffered a concussion on the play and never returned. Quez Watkins caught 3 of 4 targets for 12 yards. Injuries and poor play marred his fourth season and he’s unlikely to be back next season. Tight end Dallas Goedert scored the Eagles’ first touchdown — a walk-in 5-yarder in the second quarter. He drew a third-down pass interference penalty in the third quarter. He had what would have been a third-down conversion glance off his fingertips in the first quarter. Goedert left late with an injury. Olamide Zaccheaus played, but he was never targeted.

» READ MORE: Sielski: Nick Sirianni’s future is in doubt. The Eagles are at a crossroads. And Jeffrey Lurie faces the biggest choice of his tenure.

If this is the end for center Jason Kelce, it wasn’t a fitting way to go out for the future Hall of Famer. He tried his hardest blocking Vita Vea and had success, but Bowles’ blitzes were too much for the Eagles. Lane Johnson should be back. He had another great season and hasn’t missed a beat. But when does Father Time start to catch up to the right tackle? Cam Jurgens had a costly holding penalty that negated a Hurts scramble and subsequent personal foul penalty for a late hit on the quarterback. He also had two illegal man downfield penalties, although how much of that was on him and how much was on the coaches who still haven’t taught that play well enough? On the Eagles’ first play from scrimmage, the right guard had the pulling lead block on Swift’s first carry that went 9 yards. Jurgens could be back at center — his natural position — if Kelce retires. Jordan Mailata and Landon Dickerson will return and should still form one of the best left sides in the NFL.

The Bucs had the worst run offense in the NFL, but the Eagles struggled to contain running back Rachaad White early on. Defensive tackle Jordan Davis did help spur a turnaround vs. the run. He had a stop near the line in the second quarter. But the D-line’s inability to set the tone early hurt. The Eagles’ pass rush was better than it has been in weeks. Fletcher Cox and Brandon Graham, to their credit, played as they might not play again — and it’s possible they played their last games in midnight green. Cox’s run defense resulted in a tackle for loss in the first quarter. He split a third-down sack with Graham before the half. They’ll always be legendary Eagles. Josh Sweat had a second-quarter sack — his first since Nov. 5 vs. the Cowboys. But he was otherwise quiet. But not as quiet as Haason Reddick, who barely made the stat sheet. Nolan Smith notched a third-down sack in the third quarter with a strong rush. And Milton Williams also had a Baker Mayfield takedown in the third.

Zach Cunningham had a rough first half. He committed a personal foul face mask penalty. He dropped a would-be interception. He missed a tackle on a Deven Thompkins first-down catch and run. And he overran his gap on fourth-down conversion run in the second. Cunningham did have an important third-down pass breakup. Nicholas Morrow got toasted by tight end Cade Otton in man coverage for 24 yards. He led the Eagles in tackles, but was often a day late and a dollar short. Shaquille Leonard never got on the field on defense. He was, ultimately, another of general manager Howie Roseman’s misguided in-season signings.

Darius Slay was back after missing the final five games of the regular season following arthroscopic knee surgery. He mostly did a solid job keeping the dangerous Mike Evans in check. He did have a poor tackle attempt on David Moore’s serpentine run through the Eagles secondary on his 44-yard touchdown in the first quarter. Slay had to be carted off the field in the fourth quarter with an apparent leg injury. James Bradberry started opposite Slay, but was subbed in and out for Kelee Ringo and Eli Ricks. Has there ever been an Eagles cornerback who has declined as quickly as Bradberry? He was one of the best at his position a year ago, but has struggled to cover and tackle all this season. He got lucky when Evans got behind him and dropped a would-be touchdown in the first, but he had two costly whiffs in the game. Ringo was better than Bradberry. Maybe he should have been in there from the start. Bradley Roby took most of the slot snaps with Avonte Maddox at safety. The Bucs went at him on the first play and picked up a first down. Ricks played both in the slot and outside and had more downs than ups.

Maddox got the call with Reed Blankenship out with a groin injury. He last played safety a year ago in Chicago, but it was a struggle for the cornerback. His friendly-fire clip of Ricks in coverage resulted in a wide-open Moore on the first score. Maddox helped with a couple run stops in the box. But the Bucs’ coup de grace came when Chris Godwin turned him around for a 23-yard nail-in-Eagles touchdown catch. Kevin Byard might have hit more of his own teammates than Bucs players. Bradberry had the initial miss on receiver Trey Palmer’s 56-yard touchdown, but Byard took a bad angle and it was off to the races for the Tampa receiver.

Michael Clay’s cover units have been good all season and didn’t disappoint in the playoffs. Britain Covey muffed a punt in the second quarter, but was able to fall on it. Braden Mann had a 41-yard net on four punts. Jake Elliott kicked a 47-yard field goal.

Is this how it ends for Nick Sirianni? The ESPN broadcast cut to a dour Jeffrey Lurie late in the game it wasn’t hard to imagine what he was thinking. The Eagles owner was embarrassed. Sirianni’s offensive answers knowing that Bowles would blitz like crazy weren’t good. He got off to a horrible game management start when he made the egregious decision not to go for it on fourth-and-2 at the 44. The analytics-loving Lurie surely made note. But Sirianni’s reluctance to run it is a franchise philosophy that comes from the top. De facto defensive coordinator Matt Patricia was just as bad as he has been since Sean Desai was demoted. He had no early solution to stop Mayfield & Co., and if it wasn’t for a bunch of Bucs dropped passes, the game might have been over at the half. Offensive coordinator Brian Johnson may end up the fall guy for the Eagles’ collapse. But it’s hard to know how much of the offensive inefficiency falls on his play calling. He certainly wasn’t good enough.

Now’s as good a time as any to hold Roseman and the personnel department accountable for a rapid fall from grace.