Eagles’ New Hire Kellen: The Significance of Cowboys’ Ex and their Impact
PHILADELPHIA – “Fresh ideas” turned into Kellen Moore for the Philadelphia Eagles.
The 35-year-old former backup quarterback in Detroit and Dallas, Kellen Moore, will be bringing his own unique perspective as he enters his sixth season as an NFL offensive coordinator at the NovaCare Complex. Moore spent four seasons as the OC with the Cowboys before being scapegoated for playoff disappointments there. He then spent one season in Los Angeles, mentoring the talented Justin Herbert.
While there are immediate differences in the approach of Moore and Nick Sirianni as offensive leaders, it’s important to consider the context of the strengths of the quarterbacks they have worked with. Moore tends to use more motion and puts the quarterback under center much more than Sirianni, but both coaches have tailored their approaches to the specific skills of their quarterbacks – Dak Prescott and Justin Herbert for Moore, and Jalen Hurts for Sirianni.
It’s important to recognize that Moore did what was best for the quarterbacks he worked with, and Sirianni has shown flexibility in building an offense around Hurts. How this dynamic will play out in Philadelphia will be one of the most intriguing storylines for the Eagles in the upcoming 2024 season after Sirianni was tasked with bringing fresh faces and new ideas to the organization.
The Eagles’ interest in Moore dates back to at least 2021 when they interviewed him for the head coach position. It’s worth noting that Jeffrey Lurie hired Sirianni, so it would be disingenuous to say that the interest in Moore was a direct reflection of disapproval in Sirianni’s approach to offense.
Despite his young age, Moore brings a wealth of experience in designing passing concepts, game plans, and play calling. His offenses have been statistically successful, with two No. 1 units from both traditional and advanced DVOA measures. However, Moore’s offensive approach has been largely pass-heavy, which led to some criticism during his time in Dallas.
In terms of run-game coordination, the Chargers struggled to run the football during Moore’s time there, so Jeff Stoutland’s continued role as the run-game coordinator for the Eagles will be essential.
One critique of Sirianni’s offense was its perceived struggles in dealing with pre-snap eye candy, something Moore has excelled in, ranking No. 8 in the NFL for pre-snap motion with the Chargers last season.
Another area where Moore’s offenses have excelled is in handling blitzes, which was a concern for the Eagles last season. Dallas was ranked No. 1 against the blitz in 2022, and Herbert had a historic game against an ultra-blitz-heavy scheme last season. Therefore, there will be high expectations for Hurts in navigating the blitz successfully in 2023.
For Moore, this will be the second consecutive season working under a head coach who is perceived as being on shaky ground. If the Eagles achieve success in 2024, it is likely that Moore will be a hot coaching candidate elsewhere. This scenario underscores the reality that upheaval is part of the modern landscape of the NFL.
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The term “uncomfortable” has been thrown around the NovaCare Complex quite a bit since the disappointing end of the 2023 season. Owner Jeffery Lurie’s plan to shake things up has certainly placed both Sirianni and Hurts outside their comfort zones, with the hopes of breathing new life back into the franchise. It’s a gamble but one Lurie felt was necessary.
