PHILADELPHIA − Now we know why the Eagles have been so unhappy through much of the season, even though they began this season 10-1 and are heading back to the playoffs for the third straight season.

And it's not about to change this coming Sunday in the regular-season finale against the Giants on Sunday. That, of course, represents the Eagles' last chance to win the NFC East for the second year in a row.

The Eagles put themselves in that position by their humiliating 35-31 loss to the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday. Now they need a win over the Giants (5-11) along with a Cowboys loss at Washington (4-12) to win the NFC East and get at least a first-round home game.

Any other combination relegates the Eagles to the wildcard with the No. 5 seed, meaning they very likely would have to win three straight road games in order to get back to the Super Bowl. With the way the Eagles have played over the last five games, losing four, they'd be hard-pressed to win one.

Clearly, the players aren't having fun, and neither are the coaches. Here's why:

As AJ Brown seethes, DeVonta Smith is in a walking boot

Perhaps the most worrying signs of unrest are at wide receiver with both A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith.

They are the Eagles' most dynamic players. Brown is avoiding the media, saying he has "nothing nice to say." Smith was seen after the game on crutches and in a walking boot, with a sprained ankle that the NFL Network reported as "mild."

It sure doesn't seem mild after Eagles coach Nick Sirianni said Monday that Smith was still on crutches and in the boot. That's not a promising sign for his availability Sunday against the Giants, let alone the playoffs the week afterward.

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Smith, who has 1,066 yards receiving this season, might be only 170 pounds, but he has never missed a game in his three NFL seasons.

"He's as tough as anybody we have on this team," Sirianni said. "This guy, he's a warrior. He's tough as heck ... I think his toughness is super contagious."

Smith was injured while blocking on a 3rd-and-19 screen pass to Kenny Gainwell with about 3 minutes left in the game. The play gained four yards and the Eagles had to settle for a go-ahead field goal with 2:33 left.

What's egregious is that Brown, who has 1,410 yards receiving, and Smith were each targeted once in the entire second half (Brown had the only reception, for 18 yards). Brown and Smith are the only Eagles' duo to each have 1,000 yards receiving in a season.

No wonder Brown didn't want to say how he really felt, but Sirianni knows.

"Obviously, I don't want to speak for him," Sirianni said. "But obviously, when you have a dynamic playmaker like A.J., he's going to want to change the game at all times. He's capable of doing that at all times ... Obviously, we're all frustrated right now, especially coming off that loss (Sunday)."

Obviously.

Did Sirianni panic by changing defensive play callers?

It's easy to look back at now, three games after Sirianni replaced defensive coordinator Sean Desai with senior defensive assistant Matt Patricia (Desai kept the title), and see that it hasn't made a difference.

After all, the Eagles were gashed by the Cardinals, allowing 221 yards on the ground and 449 yards total; barely held off the Giants the week before; and gave up a game-winning 92-yard touchdown drive in the final two minutes against Seattle on Dec. 18.

But Sirianni said he was seeing progress − up until Sunday.

Then again, the Seahawks beat the Eagles with backup quarterback Drew Lock, and the Giants were playing third-stringer Tommy DeVito before he was replaced by Tyrod Taylor. Cardinals QB Kyler Murray was the first upper-echelon QB that Patricia had to plan for.

Murray exposed the Eagles, much like elite quarterbacks like Buffalo's Josh Allen, Dallas' Dak Prescott and San Francisco's Brock Purdy did when Desai was calling the plays.

"The adjustments that I made a couple weeks ago were in attempts to do what was best for the team, and I still believe that," Sirianni said. "Coming off a game like that, no one is going to be satisfied about anything that happened. But I do believe in the guys that we have on the field. I do believe on the guys that we have, the defensive coaches."

Sirianni's curious response about Haason Reddick dropping into coverage

Add Haason Reddick to the list of disgruntled Eagles players.

After the Giants game, Reddick didn't speak with reporters. FOXSports cameras caught Sirianni yelling at him to go back onto the field when the Giants were about to attempt their last-second pass into the end zone.

On Sunday, Reddick was asked if he was upset after the game against the Giants.

"It’s football. Emotions run high with this game," he said.

Against the Cardinals, Reddick dropped into coverage seven times, more than he ever has in his two seasons as an Eagle. The Eagles, of course, signed him to a three-year contract worth as much as $45 million to rush the passer, not cover slot receivers.

Reddick has 11 sacks this season, his fourth straight season with at least that many.

"You're trying to not be predictable in different fronts that you're in," Sirianni said. "I know when we see somebody that's predictable in anything, we try to take advantage of that. And so, you're trying not to be predictable.

"We know he gets paid to rush the passer and he's really good at it."

Sirianni also pointed out that Reddick played 59 snaps, so if he dropped into coverage on seven plays, he was rushing the other 52 times.

But if the Eagles have only 4 sacks in 3 games under Patricia − none by Reddick or Josh Sweat, who has been stuck on 6.5 sacks for 7 straight games − maybe predictability isn't such a bad thing.

The case for sitting Jalen Hurts, others vs. Giants

The Eagles' slide has cost them the No. 1 seed and the first-round bye. The only way they can win the NFC East is with a win, and a Cowboys loss to Washington (4-12). So if the Eagles begin postseason play the weekend of Jan. 14-16 anyway, why risk playing Jalen Hurts or many of the veterans?

That includes Smith, cornerback Darius Slay, who's missed three games to have knee surgery, or even players like center Jason Kelce (he'll at least start to keep his consecutive games streak going), right tackle Lane Johnson and defensive tackle Fletcher Cox.

In other words, treat it like a preseason game, and take the full two weeks to iron out the issues for the playoffs.

Sirianni said "everything is on the table" about their approach against the Giants.

Then he added: "We've also got to get out of the rut that we're in, and so I'm not saying to you yes, I'm not saying to you no. I'm saying to you that everything is discussed."

Contact Martin Frank at mfrank@delawareonline.com. Follow on X @Mfranknfl.

This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: DeVonta Smith injury adds to Eagles' misery. Rest Jalen Hurts vs. Giants?