Sometimes saying nothing is powerful.

After the Philadelphia Eagles’ 20-14 loss to the New York Jets, coach Nick Sirianni did not say anything to his team in the locker room. Rather leaders, such as Jalen Hurts, Jason Kelce and others spoke. The team just self-reflected and held each accountable.

“Yeah, I didn’t have to say much,” Sirianni said. “In fact, I didn’t say anything.”

Maybe that was a good. I don’t think Sirianni could say anything to help the team. Players were definitely upset already, and thinking things over in silence or with teammates can sometimes help.

That was the case Sunday.

“Our guys, as soon as we got in there, they talked,” Sirianni said. “A lot of different guys said different things, that’s what you want out of your team. 

“That part was a big positive because they’re holding each other accountable, they’re holding themselves accountable. I’m holding myself accountable, and so, I didn’t have to really say anything. The leaders on the football team did and we’ll keep what they said tight in there.”

But some other media outlets and aindividuals are going after the coach for his choice, including Jon Ritchie on the WIP Morning Show and Ron Jaworski on NBCSports Philadelphia’s postgame show.

Why?

I think it was the right move. Sirianni talks a lot and is very positive and uplifting person. Also, he had his own self-reflecting to do as coaching and play calling was not great.

The players aren’t high school or college kids. They know what to say to each other and that they played poorly, mainly on offense. Again, Sirianni wouldn’t have said anything different than what the leaders said.

And the players liked it.

“Just a lot of self-reflecting, a lot of leadership just stepping up and talking to each other,” wide receiver A.J. Brown said. “That’s most important, even better than Nick getting up there and talking because we’re the ones going to war, we’re the ones out there going to battle each and every play and we depend on each other.

“That was the vibe. We were just holding each other accountable. We’re going to grow from it, but I’m going to keep what was said inside the locker room.”

Kelce basically echoed that sentiment.

“I think whenever you lose you want to take accountability and ownership and I think we all know that wasn’t the standard that we hold ourselves to,” he said.

“Whenever you lose or you win, emotions are high and you know people are going to talk so I don’t know that it’s that unique. I think it’s kind of how it goes when you try to motivate your teammates and get things corrected.”

See? Not kids. The players can hold each other accountable. Sure, coaches normally do speak with their team after wins or losses. And we know Sirianni does.

I don’t look at it like Sirianni was too upset to talk and was being childish by not talking to his team, letting them sit in their own failure.

I look at it as Sirianni letting his leaders take the wheel because he knows his team will be fine. He has confidence in his team and knows they will not play like this every week, chiefly the offense because the defense shouldn’t be blamed at all for the loss.

The players liked hearing from each other after the game rather than the coach.

“We know the standard and we’re coached well, and I think it was important for us to speak up, and players looked each other in the eye and we’ve got to hold each other accountable,” Jordan Mailata said. “So I kind of liked it.”

I think the players holding each other accountable speaks volumes.

Sirianni will speak to his players this week. He probably already did Monday.

The hope is the players motivated each other and they come out strong against the Miami Dolphins on Sunday night in what would be an important game for the Eagles, who are about to start a daunting stretch of games.