-
Tim McManus
philadelphia–conversation eagles‘The offensive struggle seems to spread in a dozen directions without sufficient focus on the man with the ball in his hands, jalen hurts,
It would be understandable if his resume concealed the fact that he has been part of the problem. He’s a highly accomplished 27-year-old quarterback who has already garnered a world championship, two Super Bowl appearances, two Pro Bowl nods and a Super Bowl MVP.
He is a force inside the walls of the NovaCare Complex, inspiring the Nick Saban within him (former college coach of Hurts at Alabama) to raise the bar of excellence even higher. And just imagine how expectations have grown recently for a franchise that climbed above .500 for the first time in 92 years: There wasn’t much fanfare over the fact that the Eagles rattled off 18 consecutive wins in games the Hurts began and ended last September, yet there has been plenty of nerve-wracking and hair-pulling from the two losses, their first losing streak since the 2023 season.
His achievements and organizational impact are above debate. But so far this season, Hurts has fallen short of what the Eagles need.
There was no doubt coming into this season Saquon Barkley He was supposed to get huge attention from opposing defenses after his historic 2024 campaign, and it proved to be, as Barkley had to run into stacked boxes (8-plus defenders) 30% of the time compared to 21% last season, according to NFL Next Gen Stats. Barkley has been limited to 54.2 yards per game after averaging an astonishing 125.3 ypg in 2024. Hurts and the passing game have had a greater burden on his shoulders, with Hurts averaging 29 pass attempts per game compared to 24 last season.
The increase in opportunity has not resulted in satisfactory production. The Eagles rank 29th in passing yards (179.2 per game). Hurts has been average in QBR (14th, 60.8%) and completion percentage (15th, 68%) and below average in yards per attempt (22nd, 6.8%) and EPA per dropback (21st, 15.9%). He has been sacked 18 times – third most in the NFL – and oversees an offense that leads the league in sacks three times with 22.
He generally keeps money in high-leverage situations, and that’s largely been true this season, as evidenced by Philly’s league-leading 87.5% red zone success rate. There have been some lapses, too, including two misfires on key throws last week lost 34-17 To the veterans who helped turn the tide in New York’s favor.
“I’ve got to get better. I take ownership of it. A lot of autonomy, a lot of opportunities with the ball in my hands and given those situations, I’ve got to be smart and be more expansive with it,” Hurts said before Sunday’s game against the Minnesota Vikings (1:00 p.m. ET, Fox). “Always look inward first.”
According to Eagles coach Nick Sirianni, that autonomy includes helping set defenses and changing plays or routes at the line of scrimmage.
“You’re good at it because what he’s seeing is right a lot of the time,” Sirianni said.
Hurts has taken ownership of the offense during his four-plus year tenure and has certainly not gone back since beating Kansas City. patrick mahomes On the largest stage, complete with 46-yard “dagger” devonta smith As part of his sterling three-touchdown performance. He said in December of that season that “the offense will look the way Jalen Hurts wants it.”
He has shown he can put the offense on his back as a passer in key moments. He still needs to prove he can do it consistently down the stretch.
The Eagles began the 2024 season planning a more balanced attack, but shifted to a Barkley-centric approach after a 2–2 start in which Hurts committed seven turnovers.
Hurts’ average pass attempts per game dropped from 33 to 22.5 after the team’s Week 5 bye, and he threw one interception the rest of the way. The Eagles dominated on the strength of a top-tier defense and running game, fueled in part by Hurts’ 630 yards and 14 touchdowns on the ground.
The slow pace of play has changed the math for the Eagles this season. The defense is finding success with zone coverage featuring two-high defenses, especially when it comes to limiting big plays. According to ESPN Research, seven of Hurts’ eight touchdown passes this season have been against man. It’s a similar story for his career, with only 28 of his 93 touchdown passes coming against the zone. There has been pressure from coverages that have proven effective, including defensive back blitzes – no one has faced more DB blitzes than Hurts (22.5% dropbacks), and that’s a factor in his big sack total.
He is not maximizing the skill set of his formidable receiver duo. aj brownJoe ranks 47th in receiving yards (274) through six games while Smith (321 yards) is 32nd. This group has dealt with frustrations in the pass game spanning multiple seasons and different coordinators, with the common denominator being Hurts.
When asked why the offense is still working to get on the same page this season despite being together as a group for some time, Hurts said: “I think it’s like having all the same ingredients but having a different chef in the kitchen. I think it’s been that way for us over the years.” The new head coach this season is offensive coordinator Kevin Pattullo, Hurts’ fifth playcaller in the pros.
It’s fair to keep in mind the learning curve that comes with having another OC, and Pattullo certainly needs to take some responsibility for the underperforming offense. But one advantage of promoting Patulo was that the system would remain largely in place, making change easier. And it should be noted that other NFL QBs have dealt with changes in offensive staff, such as Baker Mayfield in tampa bay, Jared Goff in detroit and dak prescott in Dallas, and all are performing at a high level.
There’s a new coordinator, the offensive line has been strengthened and the defense is giving more – and it all plays into why the Eagles have fallen behind in every game so far.
But few quarterbacks are blessed with such tackles lane johnson And Jordan Mailata And he has a skill set that rises to the level of talent of Brown, Smith, etc. dallas goedert And Barkley and yet most have been more productive through the air.
Hearts has shown growth in the league every season. He has improved against the blitz overall, keeping his interceptions in single digits in all but one season (2023) and creating nine game-winning drives over the past two-plus seasons. This season, he ranks third among qualified QBs in TD/INT ratio (8.0) and has the fourth-best off-target percentage (10.2%) in the league.
It’s mostly good, and their approach has produced a remarkable 50-22 record early on. But as Hurts has said about leadership in the past, each year requires a different version of you. And this season, because of all the different circumstances, it is essential that he elevates his game as a passer.
It’s never a good idea to bet against Hearts, but it’s fair to say he’s not quite there yet. He will need that to accomplish what the Eagles want to accomplish.
