eagles mgmt
The Philadelphia Eagles shook up their coaching staff on Tuesday. Reuters

After a 3-3 start to the 2012 NFL Season, the Philadelphia Eagles have fired defensive coordinator Juan Castillo. Secondary coach Todd Bowles will take over the position.

Castillo was let go two days after the Eagles blew a fourth quarter lead to the Lions. The loss put them at .500 and tied for second place in the NFC East.

Head coach Andy Reid decided to fire Castillo just a year and a half after hiring him. He was named the defensive coordinator, even though he had previously been the offensive line coach.

Philadelphia’s defense struggled in 2011, but the unit hasn’t been the main culprit in the team’s recent losses. The Eagles defense has been average in 2012, allowing 20.8 points per game. They are 13th in league, and have gotten very little help from the offense.

The Eagles offense may be the biggest reason that the team has lost three of their last four games. At 17.2 points per game, Philadelphia is second-to-last in the NFL in scoring. They’ve committed a league-leading 17 turnovers, and haven’t put the defense in much of a position to succeed.

Could Reid be on his way out the door in Philadelphia?

Reid has been one of the most successful head coaches, since getting the job in 1999. In the middle of his 14th season, he has a .611 winning percentage, leading the Eagles to nine playoff appearances and five NFC Championship Games.

Despite his regular season success, Reid has never won a title. He’s made just one Super Bowl appearance, even though the Eagles have won close to 10 games per season, on average, during his tenure. Reid has often been criticized for his in-game decisions, specifically not utilizing the rushing attack nearly enough.

The head coach experienced a lot of success early, but may be falling out of favor in Philadelphia. It’s been eight years since Reid led the Eagles to the Super Bowl.

Extremely high expectations were heaped on the Eagles before last season. They finished a disappointing 8-8, and could be headed for another similar finish. If Philadelphia fails to make the playoffs in 2012, Reid might not return next season.

Reid’s contract runs through the end of 2013.

National Football League