Eagles player’s performance in win over Commanders was ‘pathetic.’ Here’s his plan to bounce back

PHILADELPHIA – Eagles kicker Jake Elliott sat alone at the end of the bench in the fourth quarter of Thursday’s game against the Washington Commanders. The Eagles had taken a 12-10 lead over their division rivals, but Elliott missed the extra point, failing to extend the lead to three. Missed extra points happen occasionally, but Elliott’s earlier misses on two field-goal attempts that day raised considerable concern.

Players and coaches approached him on the bench, offering support and reassurance. But it wasn’t until wide receiver Britain Covey, currently on injured reserve, spoke to him that Elliott heard what he needed.

“He said, ‘I’m sure everyone’s telling you they’ve got your back,’” Elliott recalled. “Sometimes you don’t want that all the time. It can get frustrating when everyone’s coming up to you like that. I told him to just tell me I suck right now, and I’ll go figure it out.”

Elliott salvaged what had been the worst night of his NFL career, making his next two extra points to help the Eagles secure a 26-18 win. The victory improved their record to 8-2 and gave them an important lead in the NFC East. Despite the win, Elliott found no solace in his performance, finishing 2-for-4 on field goals and 1-for-2 on extra points. His misses left seven points off the board, and he strongly criticized himself after the game.

“It’s frustrating, and the adjectives that come to mind are ‘pathetic’ and ‘uncharacteristic,’” Elliott said. “It was a tough night. I felt pretty good hitting the ball, which is probably the most frustrating part. I felt good all night—pregame and even on a couple of the kicks that didn’t go in. I’ll watch the tape, figure it out, and try to bounce back.”

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Whether it was the defense stopping the Commanders on their ensuing possession, forcing a turnover on downs, or the support of his teammates, Elliott was grateful for how the team rallied around him.

“The fact that we were able to pull this out after everything I put them through tonight was pretty special,” Elliott said. “No one bats an eye. Everyone’s got a lot of confidence in me, which I appreciate. Even on the last drive, Coach (Nick Sirianni) came up to me and said, ‘Hey, what do we need here? We’re going to trust you to make this kick because we need you down the stretch.’ I appreciate him and all the guys for their unwavering support.”

This season, Elliott, who signed a four-year, $24 million extension in the offseason, has made 14 of 19 field goals. His 73.7% conversion rate is tied for the lowest of his career, matching his 2020 season. He has also missed all four of his attempts from beyond 50 yards. However, he is capable of turning things around and salvaging a season. In 2020, Elliott used video analysis to address his issues, realizing he was rushing his kicks on attempts of 45 yards or shorter. After some fans called for the Eagles to get a new kicker, they stuck by him, which led to Elliott eventually rebounding and finishing the season strong, and in 2021, kicking well enough to be named to the Pro Bow for the first time in his career.

The Eagles will need Elliott to bounce back quickly, especially with four of their next five games against playoff-positioned teams: the Los Angeles Rams, Baltimore Ravens, Pittsburgh Steelers, and Commanders, all opponents where points will be at a premium. Sirianni said he has no hesitation about trusting Elliott if he is needed in a critical moment during that stretch.

“We have so much faith in him, and that’s what you do,” Sirianni said. “You really build connections through tough times. He was going through a tough time, but this team believes so much in Jake Elliott because of his track record, who he is, the teammate he is, and the captain he is. I just wanted to let him know that we all believe in him and can’t wait for him to get his opportunity to go out and do it again.”