TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — After Jalen Hurts and the Eagles fell behind by 24 points and didn't cross midfield until the second quarter following a dismal start Sunday, coach Nick Sirianni said Philadelphia has to “make some changes.” The Eagles were held without an offensive yard for more than a quarter of their 33-16 loss to Tampa Bay in the first matchup between the teams since the Buccaneers' one-sided playoff win last season.
“We got to make some changes as far as what is going fundamentally,” Sirianni said. Tampa Bay ended Philadelphia’s season for the second time in three years last January. Hurts is 1-4 against Tampa Bay, the lone victory coming in Week 3 of last season.
“I just have to play better,” Hurts said, “Production. Taking care of the ball. Just the efficiency.
” Tom Brady beat Hurts in the regular season and playoffs in 2021, and a 32-9 playoff loss to Baker Mayfield capped a stunning 2023 collapse that saw Philadelphia lose six of seven games after a 10-1 start. The Eagles were coming off a 15-12 win at New Orleans . The Bucs, on the other hand, had a frustrating 26-7 home loss to Denver.
Most of the first half saw the Eagles completely misfire on offense, miss tackles, and block a Bucs’ defender into their punt returner that resulted in a muff which Tampa Bay recovered. Philadelphia trailed 24-0 midway through the second quarter and had been outgained 254-0 over the stretch. “No excuses for that,” Sirianni said.
“We didn't coach well eno.