Eagles must improve in red zone

Everyone has said that when the Eagles’ offense finally hits stride and gets healthy, it will be a force to be reckoned with.

Nowhere is that more prevalent than the Eagles and their red zone offense — ranked 32nd in the league (dead last).

“I think we spent a lot of time last week looking at situational football,” Eagles offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur said. “We like to run the ball in the red zone, as you know. We try to stay balanced. … I think it just came down to us being sounder and executing better in most situations.”

The Eagles have scored a touchdown on 40 percent of their trips to the red zone. The Denver Broncos, ranked No. 1, score TD’s at a 78.95 percent clip.

Quite often, Nick Foles can be seen overthrowing a receiver in the back of the end zone. Of Cody Parkey’s 12 field goals made this season, nine have been from less than 39 yards, with many coming in the red zone.

It is clear the Eagles are leaving points on the field.

“Offensively we’re just trying to score points and lots of them,” Shurmur said. “I mean, that’s really what we’re trying to do, and certainly more than our opponent on any given Sunday. So when you get in the red zone, it’s very important that we connect when we’re throwing the ball.”

So why don’t they run the ball more inside the 20-yardline? Just a few weeks ago in San Francisco, the Eagles could have run it up the gut with LeSean McCoy to score a go-ahead touchdown and they didn’t. Shurmur, like head coach Chip Kelly, still claims the team is committed to running the ball near the goalline.

“We believe in our ability to run the football and we’ll continue to do it throughout the game,” he said.