Australian NFL star Jordan Mailata offered a sobering post-match admission on the Philadelphia Eagles’ capitulation and conceded the only thing the team could salvage was “pride.”
The Eagles were sent packing from the NFL playoffs at the first hurdle by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in a brutal 32-9 loss.
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Defeat against the Buccaneers also capped off a humiliating run of form for Philadelphia.
Having been considered serious Super Bowl contenders with a 10-1 record, the Eagles went on to lose six of their next seven games.
Against Tampa Bay, Philadelphia was held scoreless in three of the four quarters, with all of their nine points being scored in the second quarter.
Unfortunately for Mailata, there came a point when he realised the game was too far gone for the Eagles to mount a comeback, leaving his team with only one objective.
“Just try to finish the game with pride,” Mailata told reporters after the game, per Delaware Online.
“Try to go out there and keep putting your best foot forward.
“When you’re getting your a** whooped like that, there aren’t many positive emotions.”
As the fallout of the defeat rumbles on, serious questions will be asked of Philadelphia head coach Nick Sirianni as well as superstar quarterback Jalen Hurts.
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Hurts inked a five-year, $AUD385 million extension in April last year but severely struggled to shine against Tampa Bay.
The Alabama product entered the game under a major injury cloud after he dislocated his middle finger on his throwing hand against the New York Giants in the Eagles’ final regular season game.
Although he was passed fit, Hurts did little to spark the Eagles’ offence and couldn’t handle Tampa Bay’s blitz.
Per Next Gen Stats, the Buccaneers sent six or more blitzers at Hurts on 25.6 per cent of his dropbacks on Tuesday, with the Philadelphia quarterback completing 5 of 10 passes for 11 yards and a touchdown against it, marking a 10 per cent dropback success rate.
However, Mailata went in to bat for his quarterback when asked if he still has faith in Hurts to deliver.
“One hundred twenty-five thousand per cent,” Mailata said.
For now, Mailata will await to see what will happen with the future of Sirianni and Hurts.
Either way, it promises to be a long off-season for all involved with the Eagles.
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