On Sunday, Nick Sirianni’s Philadelphia Eagles fell 19-17 to the Jacksonville Jaguars in London.
During the game, Sirianni’s decision to kick the ball inbounds ended up playing a key role in the Eagles’ narrow two-point loss. In the aftermath, former Eagles linebacker Emmanuel Acho was clearly frustrated with how things played out.
Emmanuel Acho Slams Nick Sirianni’s Call in Jaguars Loss
“Eagles fans should be livid, every single one of them,” Acho said. “Of course you lose the game on a questionable Nick Sirianni decision. Why in the [expletive] would you not kick the ball out of the back of the end zone?”
Acho argued that Philadelphia should have learned from the opening kickoff and avoided giving Jacksonville another opportunity to exploit its coverage unit.
“Do you not remember the very first play of the game when the Jags exposed your kickoff unit?” he asked, before questioning why Sirianni would allow the same weakness to become a factor again with the game on the line.
“Why in the world would you kick off and allow a unit like your kickoff unit that’s already been exposed…” Acho said.
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The former Eagles linebacker believes a touchback would have forced Jacksonville to cover more ground with no timeouts remaining, leaving the Jaguars with a much tougher path to a game-winning score.
Sirianni addressed his decision during the postgame press conference and took accountability for his part in the Eagles’ loss.
“I didn’t make the right decision, and I lost us that game,” Sirianni said after the defeat. “And that’s what I told the guys.”
The game came down to the final seconds, with the Jaguars pulling off a 19-17 win after both teams traded field goals.
“What hurts there is that the guys fought so hard, and then I don’t make the decision that I should make at the end of the game, and I cost us the game,” Siranni said. “And I put that fully on me.”
Jake Elliott gave Philadelphia a 17-16 lead with a 48-yard field goal with just eight seconds left on the clock. However, the Eagles kicked the ball in bounds, giving the Jaguars one last chance to respond.
Sirianni declined to explain what went into his decision, but Elliott confirmed that he followed the coach’s instructions.
“That’s gotta be a question for (Sirianni),” Elliott told reporters when asked about the strategy. “He’s got stipulations on exactly what the amount of time is. But it didn’t work this time.”
Ameer Abdullah made the most of the opportunity. He returned the kick 53 yards to the Eagles’ 39-yard line. That set up Cam Little for a 57-yard field goal, which he converted to seal a dramatic walk-off victory for the Jaguars.
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Sirianni now has a tough challenge ahead of him. The Eagles will face a red-hot Carolina Panthers team next, and they need to turn things around quickly after a disappointing stretch of performances. Significant changes may be needed if Philadelphia hopes to get back on track.
The Eagles are currently ranked No. 29 in PFN’s Offense Impact score with a 69.7 grade through five games.
Sirianni has never missed the playoffs or finished a season with a losing record as a head coach. With the 2026 season still underway, he’ll need to get his players back on the same page and find a way to steady the team if he wants to keep both streaks alive.
This article originally appeared on Pro Football Network.