Jalen Hurts had the bounce-back performance he needed, even if it came against arguably the worst team in the NFL. Getting back to a run-heavy offense that has proved to be the best formula with Hurts the last five years paid dividends. Having the quarterback carry more, too, gave the unit a facet that had been missing for most of the season.
That allowed Hurts to be more efficient as a passer, despite the windy conditions. He completed 12 of 15 throws for 175 yards and three touchdowns. Hurts’ two best tosses were to his receivers: a 44-yard teardrop to DeVonta Smith and an anticipatory 27-yard touchdown to A.J. Brown on a seam route. But most of his targets went to tight end Dallas Goedert.
Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown celebrates his third-quarter touchdown reception with quarterback Jalen Hurts on Sunday vs. the Raiders.
Hurts also ran seven times for 39 yards. He kept on designed runs more than he has all season. He had six carries for 37 yards plus a successful Tush Push in the first half. He also converted two third downs on draw plays — the second with a 13-yard dart around the corner on third-and-12. And most important, Hurts didn’t turn the ball over a week after giving it away five times.
Those that wanted to see Tanner McKee got their wish, although not because Hurts was benched. With the Eagles up, 31-0, early in the fourth quarter, the backup took over under center.
Running back: B
Saquon Barkley was the workhorse on the ground. despite the Raiders often stacking the box, especially whenever the Eagles were in heavy personnel. It was tough sledding to start. Barkley averaged just 2.3 yards a rush in the first half. There weren’t many holes to run through, although he did leave meat on the bone when he cut outside on a blocked-up run off the right. Barkley saw more light after the half, running seven times for 44 yards.
Tank Bigsby did well to hit the hole on back-to-back runs that netted a first down in the second quarter. He finished out the game when the first unit was given the rest of the day off.
Eagles running back Saquon Barkley put together a solid second half before the first unit was given the rest of the afternoon off.
Receiver / Tight end: B+
Tight end Dallas Goedert led the Eagles with six catches for 70 yards. He also caught two touchdowns, giving him a team-high nine on the season. Goedert actually could have had a third, but he dropped a wide-open pass off an run-pass option in the end zone. Nevertheless, his first touchdown came on a shovel pass on the opening drive, while the second was via a flip sweep that capped the Eagles’ first series after the break.
Goedert caught a 32-yard pass in the third quarter when two Raiders defenders inexplicably covered second tight end Grant Calcaterra.
Asking Calcaterra to block Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby had a predictable result on a second-quarter, under center run: Barkley dropped for a 4-yard loss. The Eagles had more success running out of three-tight end sets than two.
A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith had quiet days with the pass game a secondary element, but they also shined when targeted. Brown caught two passes for 41 yards and a touchdown. He also drew a pass interference penalty vs. man coverage on Hurts’ first throw. Smith dusted cornerback Darien Porter on the 44-yard catch and finished with two grabs for 50 yards.
Darius Cooper also drew a pass interference on a third down fade into the end zone early in the second quarter. He caught a couple garbage time passes.
Offensive line: B-
The traditional run game numbers weren’t great, but the O-line answered the bell in the second half and put the game away. Hurts dropped to pass only 16 times, but his protection was good.
Fred Johnson finally got a win filling in for the injured Lane Johnson. The right tackle had acquitted himself well over the four games, but it was nice to see him rewarded for his efforts with Johnson expected back from a foot injury next week. The dangerous Crosby recorded a sack on third down after getting around Johnson in the second quarter, but Hurts probably held onto the ball too long. Crosby was otherwise kept in check.
Right guard Tyler Steen struggled in short-yardage run situations. His holding penalty brought back a 9-yard Barkley rush. But Steen also had his moments as a run blocker. Left guard Landon Dickerson is clearly not playing at 100%. His decline has been an issue all season, but he looked fairly spry when he pulled and helped clear a lane on Barkley’s 17-yard scoot off the right in the third quarter.
Center Cam Jurgens led the way on Barkley’s 6-yard run up the middle on the opening drive. Jurgens and Dickerson also got significant push on Barkley’s 2-yard touchdown run before the half. Left tackle Jordan Mailata got driven back by an off-ball linebacker on a Barkley carry in the first quarter. But he was near flawless in pass protection.
Quarterback Kenny Pickett walked into a buzz saw in his first start for the Raiders. He was sacked four times and forced into checkdowns and tight window throws all game. The Eagles front, meanwhile, led a defense that mostly bottled up running back Ashton Jeanty.
The old man in the group, Brandon Graham, led the way with two sacks — his first sacks since coming out of retirement. Heplayed mostly at defensive tackle for the second straight week. Outside linebacker Jaelan Phillips was a pass rushing force. He hit Pickett’s arm and forced an incompletion on fourth down in the first quarter. Phillips drilled the quarterback again from the blind side, and the ball came out short.
Jalyx Hunt had multiple third-down pressures. Outside linebacker Nolan Smith got in on the sack party in the third quarter. Jordan Davis failed to bring Jeanty down on his longest run to that point — 11 yards — but he had four total stops. Moro Ojomo sacked Pickett with an inside spin move.
Linebacker: A
Nakobe Dean led the Eagles with eight tackles — two of them for losses on passes. He recorded a tackle he dropped tight end Brock Bowers in the backfield after a catch. Zack Baun picked off Pickett for his second interception of the season.
Rookie Jihaad Campbell again was an afterthought and only played consistent snaps after the game was no longer in doubt.
Pickett averaged just 2.56 yards per attempt and had no room or time to throw downfield. Adoree’ Jackson had pass breakups on back-to-back plays before the half. Bowers bounced off him and picked up one of the Raiders’ few first half first downs. Quinyon Mitchell shut down his side and was hardly targeted.
Cooper DeJean had a shaky start, but settled down and made numerous plays vs. the run and pass. He had four tackles and a pass breakup. DeJean allowed a third down conversion when he slipped during the Raiders’ first possession. It got worse for him on the drive when DeJean committed two penalties on the same play — holding and an unnecessary roughness personal foul — but the Eagles eventually held.
Safety: A
With the Eagles ahead throughout, both safeties — Marcus Epps and Reed Blankenship — played an ample amount of shell defense. They made plays when called upon, though. Bowers did pull Blankenship for a first down on a third-quarter throw short of the marker.
It was straight A’s for Nolan Smith and the Eagles defense on Sunday.
Special teams: A
Kicker Jake Elliott was perfect on his kicks, connecting on a 27-yard field goal and four extra points in heavy winds. Punter Braden Mann had a light day with just one punt for 43 yards.
Britain Covey averaged 7.3 yards on three punt returns. Will Shipley broke through for 31 yards on his lone kick return. Long snapper Charley Hughlett returned from injury and seemed clear in all his snaps.
Nick Sirianni has his team back in the win column after a three-game slide. The Raiders are brutally bad and lacking in talent, but the Eagles took care of business and are one game closer to clinching the NFC East.
Offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo had a solid day calling plays. A workmanlike opening drive showcased some solid play-calling and a commitment to the ground game. Patullo worked in more successful under center runs and dialed up another nifty red zone touchdown on a shovel pass. He dialed up the shot to Smith with deception including two-back personnel.
Patullo probably went with 12 personnel too much early on, but he adjusted and the Eagles went ahead, 17-0, with a strong series before the half.
Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio’s unit delivered its first shutout of the season. What more is there to say?
The Eagles host the Las Vegas Raiders in a Week 15 matchup at Lincoln Financial Field on Sunday at 1 p.m. Here’s what you need to know about the game:
When the Eagles have the ball: No defense in the NFL stacks the box as much as the Raiders, and it’s not close. Their 50.5% stacked box rate is 13% higher than the next team. What’s that mean for the Eagles? It’s pretty obvious, considering the success other defenses have had concentrating their efforts on stopping Saquon Barkley and the run game, and how Jalen Hurts has performed as a passer — especially over the last five games. If Las Vegas is going to stay in base personnel a lot, it’s imperative that Hurts and Co. use light numbers in the secondary to their advantage. And stop running into heavy fronts on first down! That said, I think Nick Sirianni and Kevin Patullo will have ample amount of short passing concepts to rebuild Hurts’ confidence after his five-turnover performance vs. the Chargers.
Raiders head coach Pete Carroll is one of the greatest defensive minds in NFL history, but his scheme hasn’t evolved as much as it should to counter modern offenses. He doesn’t have his safeties disguise pre-snap or rotate post-snap as much as they should, and his zone coverages lack matchup principles. Hurts should have chances to throw downfield vs. single-high looks, particularly Carroll’s preferred Cover 3. Post safety Isaiah Pola-Mao is no Earl Thomas — Carroll’s linchpin when he was with the Seahawks. Pola-Mao has a 20.3 missed tackle rate, per Pro Football Focus, and has allowed five touchdowns through the air. Carroll has a capable box safety in the Kam Chancellor role: Jeremy Chinn. He’s played more often on the line as the season has progressed. He also has another former safety in quasi-linebacker Jamal Adams to compensate for playing more base.
I like A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith against most cornerbacks, but Carroll doesn’t have Eric Stokes and Darien Porter on islands much. Hurts is likely to see a lot of zone again. Can the Eagles build off the middle-of-the-field concepts that produced chunk yards in Los Angeles? The disparate numbers between shotgun and under-center runs suggest Sirianni and Patullo should lean more into the latter, especially considering how it’s set up play-action passes. Hurts completed both play-action throws for 48 yards vs. the Chargers. Let’s see more of that. The Raiders’ Devin White, who was briefly with the Eagles last season, would be the second-level linebacker I’d target in the pass game.
Maxx Crosby (98) is banged up coming into the Eagles game, but the Birds will likely have to account for him.
If there’s one guy who can wreck the Eagles’ game plan, it’s Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby. Maybe I buried the lede with Fred Johnson starting in place of right tackle Lane Johnson for a fourth straight game. Crosby will line up over Fred Johnson most of the time. He has nine sacks and 18 quarterback hits this season. But with no one else of comparable talent up front, the Eagles should help Johnson enough to keep Crosby at bay. Crosby’s also banged up with knee and shoulder injuries, and no D-lineman has played more snaps (759) in the NFL this season. He was a full participant in practice on Friday.
When the Raiders have the ball: This will likely be the worst offense the Eagles have faced this season. The only variable that could hinder their chances is the new guy under center: Kenny Pickett. You may laugh, but injured starter Geno Smith is ahead of only Titans rookie Cam Ward in total expected points added (EPA) among quarterbacks. Pickett’s become a backup for good reason, but he also has 16 career wins as a starter, including the division clincher for the Eagles last season. In Smith’s defense, he’s played behind a bad offensive line and has few receivers who can get consistent separation. Tre Tucker (46 catches for 574 yards and five touchdowns) is his best downfield threat.
Old friend Kenny Pickett will try to extend the Eagles’ misery on Sunday.
Brock Bowers is easily the Raiders’ best skill position player. The tight end will fall short of his record-setting rookie season when he caught 112 passes for 1,194 yards, but he has 53 grabs for 619 yards despite missing three games and is on target for another solid campaign. He also has six touchdowns and will be Pickett’s best red-zone option. The Eagles have held tight ends to a league-low 428 receiving yards this season. Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio will use a combination of Cooper DeJean, Zack Baun, and Reed Blankenship — plus some bracketing — to contain Bowers.
As long as the Eagles are consistently out of third-and-short, I fail to see Las Vegas having much chance to put up points. The Raiders have been unable to do much on the ground for most of the season. Running back Ashton Jeanty averages just 3.5 yards a carry. It’s hardly the rookie’s fault his offense is last in the league in EPA/rush. The Raiders’ offensive line has been lacking at least one above-average blocker since left tackle Kolton Miller suffered an injury in Week 4. His possible return could offset an Eagles pass rush that has gotten better since the arrival of outside linebacker Jaelan Phillips, but I see a repeat of what happened against a patchwork Chargers O-line.
Could Sunday bring a shutout opportunity for Vic Fangio’s defense?
Extra point: The Eagles are double-digit favorites (12½ points) for the first time this season — a telling number considering how poor their offense has been since the Week 9 bye. Of course, the spread has as much to do with the Raiders incompetency as it does the Birds’ recent struggles. This is as close to an ideal get-back opportunity as Hurts and the offense could have at this stage of the season. Las Vegas has a decent defense and I suspect all the problems on that side of the ball won’t be solved. But you can’t lose if the other team doesn’t score points, and an Eagles’ shutout is in play. Really.
Weather will be a factor. There might be some snow showers, but 15-25 mph winds will be more the concern. Hurts and kicker Jake Elliott have struggled at times in bad weather games, but also in pristine conditions. I anticipate an outcome that will end up a nothingburger — the Eagles win behind their defense with the offense not performing well enough to satisfy most. Chip Kelly’s expected return to Philly would have brought some drama to the proceedings, but he was fired as Raiders offensive coordinator last month. We now just have “Pickett’s Charge” to write about. I foresee an end similar to that of the Confederate army.
While cute and novel, the Positivity Bunny proved nothing short of an unceremonious bust. As soon as they could following a brutal overtime loss to the Chargers, the Eagles gave the preposterous 10-foot locker room inflatable the boot. It was not the good-luck charm they hoped for, and served as a reminder that, instead of wishing its woes away, this team will actually have to put in real work to turn the season around. With a potential soft spot in the schedule emerging this Sunday vs. the Raiders, there might not be any better time than the present for the Eagles to breathe some life back into themselves. The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane touches base with a few trusted veterans, who share their perspective on the state of the club and the direction they think it’s headed.
00:00 The swift arrival and demise of the Eagles’ “Positivity Bunny”
03:48 What’s with the “awful” sideline vibes?
07:20 Different strokes for different folks
10:18 Jordan Davis and the importance of an optimistic mindset
unCovering the Birds is a production of The Philadelphia Inquirer and KYW Newsradio Original Podcasts. Look for new episodes throughout the season, including day-after-game reactions.
The blame game on offense this season has been a constant back and forth. One week it’s the coordinator. The next, it’s the head coach and his scheme. But after Monday’s game in LA, the pendulum took a major swing, and it was impossible to ignore the direction: right at the quarterback. Jalen Hurts isn’t the only problem, but five turnovers is unacceptable. The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane and David Murphy look at the implications of a historically bad performance by Hurts, and examine how the Super Bowl MVP has sunk to this level 10 months after reaching the pinnacle of his career.
unCovering the Birds is a production of The Philadelphia Inquirer and KYW Newsradio Original Podcasts. Look for new episodes throughout the season, including day-after-game reactions.
The Eagles lost to the Los Angeles Chargers, 22-19, in overtime on “Monday Night Football.” The loss, their third straight, drops them to 8-5 on the season.
The Birds remain in first place in the NFC East, but the path to a potential first-round bye just became a lot more difficult.
The Eagles next game is Sunday against the Raiders (1 p.m. at Lincoln Financial Field).
// Timestamp 12/09/25 5:17pm
Eagles waive long snapper Cal Adomitis
The Eagles waived long snapper Cal Adomitis on Tuesday, opening the door for the return of Charley Hughlett.
Hughlett, the free agent the Eagles signed in the offseason to replace longtime snapper Rick Lovato, has been on injured reserve since late September after suffering a core muscle injury that required surgery.
Hughlett, 35, also had a neck injury in camp.
But his potential return has the Eagles in line to have their initial specialists back together for the first time since Week 4.
Jake Elliott is going through a little bit of a rough patch. The kicker missed from 48 yards before halftime Monday night. He missed an extra point and an attempt from 52 yards during a windy Black Friday loss to Chicago, and also missed from 56 yards indoors the previous week vs. Dallas.
“They need to stop,” Elliott said of the misses. “I feel like I’m striking the ball well. Last week, obviously, windy conditions. But no excuses here indoors. It’s frustrating.”
Despite the offense’s struggles, the Eagles defense put up a bounce-back performance against the Chargers. Vic Fangio’s unit allowed just one total touchdown the entire game, and turned over Los Angeles quarterback Justin Herbert twice while sacking him seven times. Other than running back Kimani Vidal, who recorded a 60-yard reception on the Chargers’ third offensive snap, no L.A. pass catcher finished with over 25 yards.
The Eagles open as double-digit favorites on Sunday despite their current three-game losing streak. That likely has to do with their opponent, the Raiders. It has not been a good season for Las Vegas, which is riding a seven-game skid, including a 31-0 loss to the 6-7 Chiefs and a 24-10 loss to the 3-8 Browns. The Raiders have only scored 20 points once in their last seven games. Quarterback Geno Smith is also tied for the league lead in interceptions with 14. The Eagles enter the matchup as 11.5-point favorites.
According to multiple reports, grandfather — yes, you read that correctly — Philip Rivers, who last played in 2020, is coming out of retirement to sign with the Colts practice squad, presumably with the plan of starting for the team if backup Riley Leonard (knee) is unable to suit up.
The Colts (8-5) lost starter Daniel Jones (Achilles) in Sunday’s loss to the Jaguars, and Leonard, who came in to replace him, suffered a PCL sprain and is questionable for this weekend’s game against the Seahawks. Meanwhile, last year’s starter, Anthony Richardson, remains on injured reserve with an orbital injury.
Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts threw twice as many interceptions Monday night (4) as he had the entire rest of the season (2).
The reigning Super Bowl MVP is not a top 10 quarterback in the NFL, according to ESPN analyst and Birds fan Ben Solak.
“He’s an incomplete quarterback. To me, he’s not a top 10 guy,” Solak said on the Up and Adams Show, when asked about what is fair to say about Hurt’s game the day after the Eagles extended their losing streak.
While offering Matthew Stafford, Jared Goff, Jordan Love, and Caleb Williams as examples of NFC quarterbacks that are playing better than Hurts, Solak also cautioned against overreacting to his poor showing on Monday Night Football.
“We can’t take a guy who is on a historic pace to avoid interceptions this year, by the way, and immediately just rip him down the rankings off of one four-interception game, two of which were batted balls,” he said.
"[Hurts is] not a top 10 guy… [Caleb Williams has] all the clubs in his golf bag in a way that Jalen Hurts doesn't"
But Solak said that recent games have shown Hurts’ limitations.
“Jalen has done such a wonderful job in the NFL working around his deficiencies, getting so much better in areas like situational management, he’s usually really good at avoiding turnovers, he is a great scrambler … But if you wanted to start a team right now and build a complete passing game, you have to do it with a guy like Caleb Williams’ arm and all the throws at his disposal,” he said.
A.J. Brown owns his drops: ‘I wasn’t great when it mattered’
Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown attempts to catch the football during the first quarter against Los Angeles Chargers cornerback Tarheeb Still on Monday, December 8, 2025 at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif.
A.J. Brown believes he has the “best hands in the world.”
The Eagles’ star receiver, who has been open about the need for the passing game and the offense as a whole to meet its potential, and for the team to take advantage of his abilities, reached 100 yards for the third consecutive game.
He had six catches for 100 yards and made a few key plays. But inside the visitor’s locker room at SoFi Stadium late Monday night, it was the balls that hit his hands and landed elsewhere that stood out the most and had Brown looking inward.
The Eagles lost for a variety of reasons to extend their slump to three games. Jalen Hurts was nowhere near good enough. They had untimely penalties. Jake Elliott missed a field goal that proved pivotal. But Brown knows that his three drops changed the game.
Each one of them in isolation could have produced a different result Monday night. He wanted all of them back, he said, and was probably going to spend the long cross-country flight home thinking about them before he planned to “flush” the game when the plane touched down in Philadelphia.
Brown touched on all three drops.
“I’m more than capable of making those plays,” Brown said after the loss. “Jalen trusts me in any situation. I made some plays, but I wasn’t great when it mattered.”
Some are ‘very concerned’ about the Eagles; others think they’ll ‘cruise’ to the playoffs
Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts turned the ball over five times, including twice on the same play, against the Chargers.
Ultimately, Stephen A. Smith said on First Take Tuesday, the Eagles lost to the Chargers because Jalen Hurts and the offense once again failed to step up and deliver in a big moment. While not all of Hurts’ five turnovers were his fault — one of his four interceptions slipped right through Brown’s hands — his game-sealing pick was a bad mistake.
“You can’t make that throw,” Smith said. “You’re in field-goal range, in a position to tie, you know how much is on the line. Dallas has a tie on its record in your division and they’re tugging at your heels. … If you’re playing this game like Jalen Hurts has shown he’s capable of playing this game, that is a mistake at that particular moment in time that you simply cannot make. He made it, and once again we find ourselves sitting here talking about the Eagles offense, because the Eagles’ defense, outside of the 80-yard drive to open the game put the Chargers pretty much on lock and key.”
Longtime former Colts center Jeff Saturday said he thinks the Eagles listened too much to outside noise about the offense, and moved away from the more conservative style that won them games last year.
“I’m very concerned, because I don’t think they know who they are,” Jeff Saturday said. “It was such a boring offense to watch, but they won that way. It was a very low-risk, high-reward profile that they were playing under. I understand their run game was struggling, their offensive line wasn’t the same, they’re not as dominant, I get all of that, but there is a style of play that translates to wins for the Philadelphia Eagles.”
Despite the concerns, Smith and the First Take panel still believe the Eagles will ultimately win the NFC East and make the playoffs.
“The Philadelphia Eagles are going to win the NFC East, they are,” Chris Canty said. “When you look at the remaining schedule, they’re going to cruise to 11 wins.
“That’s not the conversation we should be having about the Philadelphia Eagles. The conversation we should be having about the Philadelphia Eagles is how can they position themselves to go back to back, because that’s all anybody was talking about after Super Bowl LIX. … We were ready to compare the Eagles to those modern day dynasties. They are a far cry from that.”
Former Eagles debate Hurts’ performance: ‘He was the reason they lost today’
No one has defended Jalen Hurts more than former Eagle LeSean McCoy over the course of the season, but even he didn’t have much to say in Hurts’ defense after his performance on Monday.
“Did he play bad?” McCoy said. “Yes. Did he play horrible? Hell yeah, but he ain’t no four-pick-type quarterback. He had a bad game. A lot of quarterbacks have that.”
“You guys have been waiting for a moment like this,” McCoy said later in the show. “You talk about Jalen Hurts all the time and you try to bash him. The truth is, all he does is win. You can’t really bash him.”
His podcast co-host Emmanuel Acho wasn’t buying his defense.
“Do your job,” Acho said. “… He’s been average all season, and he was atrocious today. He was the reason they lost today.”
LeGarrette Blount thinks more Saquon Barkley is the answer for Eagles
Running back Saquon Barkley scored the Eagles’ only touchdown in their loss to the Chargers.
Eagles Super Bowl champion LeGarrette Blount believes that getting more touches for Saquon Barkley is the key to unlocking Philly’s stagnant offense. While Barkley finished the game with 122 rushing yards and a touchdown, Blount said the Eagles star needs the ball even more.
“You got to get him more and more touches,” he said on Good Morning Football, pointing out that while Barkley carried the ball 13 times in the first half against the Chargers, he only carried it 7 more times in the second half and in overtime. Barkley finished the game without a reception.
Blount advocated for the bell-cow approach, despite the Eagles’ struggle to get the running game going during points of the game. Removing his 52-yard breakaway rush in the fourth quarter, which broadcasters said could have been called back for a Jordan Mailata hold, Barkley averaged 3.7 yards per carry.
It appears the team is still desperately missing perhaps its most important player. Since Lane Johnson was drafted in 2013, the Eagles are 15-27 in games played without him.
Eagles defensive tackle Jordan Davis and linebacker Zack Baun sack Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert in the third quarter.
Lost in the offensive calamity Monday night was another outstanding performance from Vic Fangio’s defense, which came after its worst effort of the season last week.
Here are some highlights from the defense …
Justin Herbert was pressured on 68.3% of his drop backs, according to Next Gen Stats, the highest pressure rate of any defense this season and the sixth-highest since 2018. Eight Eagles tallied at least three pressures against a banged-up Chargers offensive line. Jaelan Phillips and Nolan Smith each had seven pressures apiece.
How did the Eagles replace Jalen Carter? By committee. Jordan Davis had an outstanding game, but he didn’t see a major uptick in snaps. Neither did Moro Ojomo. Instead, Byron Young saw increased work, Brandon Graham was used on the inside, and Ty Robinson was in for seven snaps. The defensive line dominated, too. Young was credited with 1½ sacks, the firsts of his career. The Eagles sacked Herbert seven times, with Jalyx Hunt’s 2½ sacks leading the way.
Cooper DeJean was excellent in pass coverage, especially in his ability to keep Ladd McConkey in check. DeJean had a few lockdown coverage reps against the talented inside-outside pass catcher. McConkey was targeted five times and caught one pass for 12 yards.
Nakobe Dean continues to excel as a blitzer. He rushed Herbert five times Monday and tallied four pressures and two quarterback hits, including one sack. Dean is up to 11 pressures on 26 pass rushes through seven games since returning from injury.
Marcus Epps started at safety after coming off injured reserve with a shoulder injury. It will be his job to lose for as long as Drew Mukuba is out — which will be a while. Fangio doesn’t seem to prefer Sydney Brown being on the field in most situations. Epps has a chance to stabilize the back end down the stretch.
The Eagles haven’t allowed more than 24 points in seven consecutive games and are allowing 18.3 points per game during that stretch.
One area where the defense struggled Monday was containing Herbert when the quarterback decided to run. Herbert ran 10 times for 66 yards, his most rushing yards in a game since Nov. 19, 2023.
“If you were going to tell me going into last night that somebody was going to throw four interceptions, I would have thought it’d probably be the guy with only one hand,” Dan Graziano said on ESPN’s Get Up, referencing Chargers’ quarterback Justin Herbert’s broken non-throwing hand.
So, is there hope that the Eagles can turn it around in time for the playoffs? Or is the offense doomed to repeat the collapse of 2023?
“I thought they would until last night,” Jeff Saturday said. “When you look at the way that they’re moving, the only thing that feels different about this than a couple years ago, their defense can win games, and they’ve already beat the best teams.”
Last time the Eagles offense was this bad, Terrell Owens was involved
Terrell Owens did sit-ups at his home in Moorestown, N.J., for the assembled media after he was banished from training camp for insubordination in 2005.
Seven months after he nearly played hero in the Super Bowl, Terrell Owens started the 2005 season by doing sit-ups in his driveway after being sent home from training camp in Lehigh University during a contract dispute with the team.
Every “next question” from Drew Rosenhaus should have foretold what was to come: a Super Bowl hangover, an offensive meltdown, and an eventual split between Owens and the Eagles.
Parallels to today? There are a few. The Eagles did something Monday for the first time since 2005: Had a fifth consecutive game come and go without scoring more than 21 points.
The streak in 2005 was eight games, from Week 5 to Week 13. The Eagles started 3-1 before losing six of their next eight.
Things aren’t quite that bad right now for the Eagles, but it’s not a season with which you want to have many touchpoints.
“Everything is still right in front of us,” A.J. Brown, the closest comparison there is to Owens, said Monday night after a game in which he had three crucial drops. “There’s still so much to be optimistic about. These tough losses, tough little stretch, I’m not going to say it’s humbling us but we are doing what we need to do, going back to work and taking pride into that and get this thing turned around at the right time.”
Despite the turnovers, missed throws, and maybe the worst four quarters of his NFL career, the quarterback had an opportunity to drive the Eagles to victory in overtime.
He did not.
Instead, Hurts tossed an interception — his career-high fourth of the game — that was deflected and caught at the 1-yard line and gave the Los Angeles Chargers a wild 22-19 win over the Eagles at SoFi Stadium on Monday night.
“As frustrating as the night was, we had an opportunity to win the game,” Hurts said. “In the end, I had the ball in my hands driving down the field, having everything on our terms to a sense, and I didn’t bring it home.”
The loss, by no means, was all on the sixth-year quarterback. … But Hurts’ imperfections as a dropback passer were again glaring. He threw over and behind his intended targets. He made the wrong reads and missed receivers either schemed open downfield or on check downs. He was in a fog and couldn’t see the field, especially over the middle.
There were some good moments, no doubt. But not close to enough. It seems unimaginable that Eagles coach Nick Sirianni would consider benching Hurts for backup Tanner McKee. Opening that can of worms may cause more harm than good — especially in the long-term — but the idea has some merit.
Eagles guard Landon Dickerson walks off the field in the second quarter after injuring his calf. He returned in the second half.
While the Eagles suffered a stinging defeat Monday night in California, they did escape relatively healthy, with the only in-game injury being sustained by guard Landon Dickerson (calf). The injury occurred in the first half, but Dickerson, who along with a few fellow offensive linemen has battled injury all season, returned to the game after the halftime break. With Lane Johnson already out with a Lisfranc injury, Dickerson’s health will be worth monitoring.
Coming into Monday’s game, the only two starters carrying injury designations were Johnson and defensive tackle Jalen Carter, who underwent a procedure on his shoulders earlier in the week. Both were listed as questionable, but were inactive as expected.
We’ll keep you posted if any other injury news emerges out of Monday’s loss.
Yes, the vibes remain bad, but despite three straight losses, the Birds remain on track to become the first team in 21 seasons to win the NFC East in back-to-back years. That would mean hosting at least one playoff game at the Linc.
Even if the Cowboys win their four remaining games — at home against the Chargers and Minnesota Vikings (5-8), on the road against the Washington Commanders (3-10) and New York Giants (2-11) — Dallas would still need the Eagles to lose two of their final four games to take the division.
NFC East standings
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The race for the No. 1 playoff spot in the NFC is another story.
In order for the Eagles to earn the No. 1 seed with a 12-5 record, they’ll have to win out and root for a lot of losses from a lot of teams at the top of the NFC. Wharton professor and Eagles analytics nerd Deniz Selman has a full breakdown if you’re curious:
#Eagles playoff scenarios updated after Sunday's games.
NFC East magic number is 3 (any combo of 3 wins / DAL losses out of 9 combined games left).
For NFC # 1 and # 2 seed, here are all scenarios with Eagles finishing 13-4 or 12-5 (excluding any further tie games): pic.twitter.com/JuoOkxyRRd
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Jalen Hurts does something that hasn’t been done in nearly 50 years
Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts fumbles, his second turnover on the same play after throwing an interception and then recovering a fumble on the return.
When Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts turned the ball over twice on the same play against the Los Angeles Chargers on Monday night, not even the fictional characters of Disney/Pixar’s Monsters, Inc. could keep up with one of the most bizarre sequences in recent NFL memory.
It also proved costly, giving away three valuable points in what would be a 22-19 overtime loss for the Eagles.
Hurts didn’t see defensive tackle Da’Shawn Hand dropping back into coverage over the middle on third down midway through the second quarter and threw it right to the 300-pounder. Hand started running but was stripped from behind by Eagles running back Will Shipley, sending the ball bouncing into Hurts’ hands, only for Chargers defensive tackle Jamaree Caldwell to force another fumble which was recovered by linebacker Troy Dye.
According to Elias Sports Bureau, it was the first time one player committed two turnovers on one play since at least 1978, which is as far back as available play-by-play data goes.
Da'Shawn Hand picks off Jalen Hurts. Da'Shawn Hand fumbles. Jalen Hurts recovers. Jalen Hurts fumbles. Troy Dye recovers. @Chargers ball.
A.J. Brown on how the Eagles can turn their season around
// Timestamp 12/09/25 8:56am
Sielski: This could be worse than 2023
Nick Sirianni and the Eagles have gone 4-5 since starting the season 4-0.
So we know what kind of team the Eagles are now. It took 13 games, and to watch most of them was to experience the same amount of pleasure as when you slam your fingers in a door. But they have revealed themselves, and there’s no use disputing the diagnosis.
The Eagles are an excellent defensive team, and that is all, and that is not enough, not even close. Not with an offense like this. Not with this team’s tendency to commit untimely and inexcusable penalties. Not with so many questions that don’t get answered and so many problems that don’t get solved.
They lost Monday night to the Los Angeles Chargers, 22-19 in overtime, and we know now that the most basic assessment of their status is deceiving. They still are 8-5, still in first place in the NFC East, still on track to make the playoffs and, in theory, have a shot at winning another Super Bowl in a conference without a dominant team. But no one who has watched them can see through that spin, that false representation of who they are and how the rest of this season could play out.
They have lost three straight games, and they are poised for a breakdown as bad or worse than their collapse in 2023. That was six losses in seven games and a franchise that faced an inflection point with its head coach. This is different. This disintegration, if it continues, will be harder and graver, because it will mean their season is transforming from an attempt to defend a championship into a referendum on the coach, the quarterback, and any number of players who were presumed to be part of a talented and tested team’s core.
“Who said it was going to be easy?” Brandon Graham said. “This year, coming off a Super Bowl, man, all we got to do is make sure we stay together.”
Eagles fall to Chargers in OT behind Hurts’ four interceptions
Jalen Hurts threw four interceptions — and lost a fumble — in the Eagles’ loss to the Chargers.
On Monday night, the Hollywood lights were too bright for Jalen Hurts.
The fifth-year starting quarterback tossed a single-game career-high four interceptions in the Eagles’ 22-19 overtime loss to the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium. Backup safety Tony Jefferson called game, picking off Hurts near the end zone on a pass intended for Jahan Dotson.
The game went to overtime after Chargers kicker Cameron Dicker tied it, 19-19, with eight seconds remaining in regulation. The Eagles won the toss, and the Chargers had the first possession. Vic Fangio’s defense got gashed on the ground, but limited the Chargers to a field goal, giving the offense a chance to win the game with a touchdown.
On the first play of the drive, Justin Herbert kept the ball and rushed right for a 12-yard gain punctuated by a stiff-arm on Reed Blankenship with his injured left hand. Omarion Hampton followed it up with an 18-yard run to the same side.
Ultimately, the Chargers were forced to settle for a 54-yard field goal.
The Chargers and the Eagles scored one touchdown apiece. Los Angeles scored on its opening drive on a 4-yard pass to Hampton, while Saquon Barkley notched a 52-yard rushing touchdown in the fourth quarter off a Tush Push fake.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. — It was all there for Jalen Hurts.
Despite the turnovers, missed throws, and maybe the worst four quarters of his NFL career, the quarterback had an opportunity to drive the Eagles to victory in overtime.
He did not.
Instead, Hurts tossed an interception — his career-high fourth of the game — that was deflected and caught at the 1-yard line and gave the Los Angeles Chargers a wild 22-19 win over the Eagles on Monday night at SoFi Stadium.
“As frustrating as the night was, we had an opportunity to win the game,” Hurts said. “In the end, I had the ball in my hands driving down the field, having everything on our terms to a sense, and I didn’t bring it home.”
It probably was the best decision and throw of Hurts’ four picks. But Chargers cornerback Cam Hart somehow got his hand on a pass intended for wide receiver Jahan Dotson, and safety Tony Jefferson snagged the deflection to seal the outcome.
That Hurts would succumb seemed destined, however.
The loss, by no means, was all on the sixth-year quarterback. The offense was disjointed and produced just one touchdown, on a fake Tush Push. Receiver A.J. Brown had a pass bounce off his hands to a Chargers defender and two deep Hurts teardrops that he failed to pull in could have resulted in scores.
There were penalties that brought back successful plays. A missed field goal. And even the defense, which kept the Eagles alive with repeated stops and forced field goals, had the occasional breakdown.
But Hurts’ imperfections as a dropback passer again were glaring. He threw over and behind his intended targets. He made the wrong reads and missed receivers schemed open downfield or on check downs. He was in a fog and couldn’t see the field, especially over the middle.
There undoubtedly were some good moments. But not close to enough. It seems unimaginable that Eagles coach Nick Sirianni would consider benching Hurts for backup Tanner McKee. Opening that can of worms may cause more harm than good — especially in the long term — but the idea has some merit.
Eagles coach Nick Sirianni lamented the turnovers. “Tonight was a little uncharacteristic of us.”
Not just the quarterback
Hurts has been in a free fall since the Week 9 bye. Each week has seemingly been worse, with the quarterback uncharacteristically turning the ball over at a high rate. Sirianni can’t dismiss all that Hurts has accomplished. And he and offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo have to take ownership, as well.
But something likely has to change if the reeling 8-5 Eagles don’t want to repeat their collapse from just two years ago.
“It’s never just on execution,” Sirianni said when asked about Hurts. “We look at ourselves as coaches first to help them be in position to succeed and execute. Obviously, you never want to turn the ball over. We’re pretty good at that, and tonight was a little uncharacteristic of us.”
But turning the ball over has become more the norm during the Eagles’ three-game losing streak. They committed nine turnovers over that span after having just four in their first 10 games. Hurts wasn’t involved in two, but the other seven have come from five interceptions and two of his fumbles.
The fumble vs. the Chargers was fluky and came after his first pick. Hurts didn’t see defensive lineman Da’Shawn Hand drop into coverage on a simulated third-down pressure. He forced a throw to Brown when it appeared that Dotson was open over the top.
Eagles running back Will Shipley knocked the ball out of Hand’s grasp, and Hurts picked it up. But he, too, lost it for the rare double turnover. How rare? It had been at least 48 years since it last happened.
Eagles offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo with A.J. Brown and Jalen Hurts.
On the next series, Hurts was intercepted again when he threw behind DeVonta Smith. He settled down as the teams exchanged field goals until Saquon Barkley broke through on the fake Tush Push and scored a 52-yard touchdown early in the fourth quarter.
But with the Eagles finally ahead, 16-13, a high Hurts dart to Brown over the middle went off the receiver’s hands and into Hart’s.
“The ball over the middle — no, it wasn’t perfect,” Brown said, “but I’m more than capable to make that catch.”
Brown, who finished with six catches for a team-high 100 yards, said he also wanted back Hurts’ deep shot to him on the first play from scrimmage and a dime the quarterback dropped into his bucket in the end zone.
“I know there’s definitely some that he wants back,” Hurts said of Brown. “There’s some that we all want back.”
Hurts walked over to the receiver on the bench after the third interception and gave him a fist pump. Brown, whose chemistry with his quarterback on and off the field has come under question, defended Hurts after his rough night.
“You can’t just point a finger,” Brown said. “I think all of us have our hand in that pot and we’re trying to get better. Obviously, he’s the quarterback, he’s going to get a lot of stuff for it.
“But we in this thing together.”
Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts tries to pick up a fumble after throwing an interception in the second quarter.
Still looking for answers
Sirianni, who got more involved in the offense after the Eagles’ mini-bye, has to find a formula that doesn’t require Hurts to drop back as often as he has the last three games. The run-pass ratio favored the latter 45 to 21. Hurts completed just 21 of 40 attempts.
The tinkering of the offense resulted in more motion and passing concepts in the middle of the field. Hurts had some impressive throws in those scenarios, but there were as many bad ones. Against a good defense, the odds weren’t in his favor.
“Nick stepped in, and I think he played a very good role this week, provided some structure and kind of organized some things for us,” Hurts said. “Obviously, we still have ways and room for improvement. But I look at myself first. I look at the man in the mirror first.”
After the Chargers settled for a 54-yard field goal on the opening possession of overtime, Hurts ripped a 28-yard pass to Smith on third-and-16 early in the next drive. Then he avoided a fourth-and-4 test when Chargers pass rusher Odafe Oweh jumped into the neutral zone.
But after two completions to tight end Dallas Goedert, Patullo dialed up a run-pass-run option play that had proved successful earlier in the game and a week ago vs. the Chicago Bears. Rather than have Smith as the read in a high-lo concept route, though, it was Dotson.
“I knew it was going to be a tight-window throw,” Hurts said. “I’d have to watch the film to see it from the film’s point of view. Ultimately, it’s a play that I didn’t make.”
This angle of Jalen Hurts' fourth INT that sealed the game for the Chargers 👀 pic.twitter.com/93F7sbxkkc
The Eagles locker room, when it finally opened to reporters, was full of players and coaches with blank stares. As Hurts sat silently on his stool, Smith was in the next stall over with his arms crossed and his head bowed for what seemed like eternity.
“It’s not nowhere close to 2023,” Smith said later when asked about this Eagles’ late-season swoon.
Brown was across the aisle, catty-corner to Hurts. He chatted with rookie Darius Cooper until receivers coach Aaron Moorehead came over and offered consolation.
There were no overt displays of anger for public consumption. The players who didn’t perform took accountability. No one pointed blame. But frustrations with Hurts behind the scenes have been mounting, according to team sources, and may have reached a precipice.
The lowly Las Vegas Raiders offer a chance for the quarterback to get right next week. It’s not all on Hurts. But he keeps showing that he can’t shoulder too much of the offense.
“It starts with me and how I play, how I lead, and how I go out there and do my job,” Hurts said. “So when I look at it at any point, it’s about how I respond to a test, and what level of resilience and resolve I have to push forward and figure things out.”
The division title and more are still there. Can Hurts get the job done?
The Eagles travel to the Los Angeles Chargers for a Week 14 matchup at SoFi Stadium on Monday at 8:15 p.m. Here’s what you need to know about the game:
When the Eagles have the ball: It’s December and it’s unlikely the Eagles will suddenly have a high-powered offense at this late stage. At the least, they could look more like the outfit that did enough to win most of the first 11 weeks by not turning the ball over and being effective in the red zone. But there is conceivable room for improvement and I think one way to address that is having Jalen Hurts run more. Kevin Patullo suggested as much earlier this week, and the guess here is that the offensive coordinator and coach Nick Sirianni had a “come-to-Jesus” conversation with the quarterback about having more designed runs.
At the risk of sounding like a broken record, this could be the game to get Saquon Barkley and the run game back on track. Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter has used light boxes 48.2% of the time — which ranks third in the NFL — to induce good passing offenses into running more. But he may break that trend considering how effective defenses have been when concentrating their efforts on stopping Barkley. The Chargers use their base five-man front only 20% of the time, but when nose tackle Teair Tart is on the field, he eats up the “A” gaps. Patullo can keep L.A. in nickel on run downs simply by favoring three-receiver sets. This matchup screams for less of second tight end Grant Calcaterra as a run blocker, despite the Eagles’ perplexingly high use of “12” personnel.
A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith could be contending with a defense that puts seven defensive backs on the field Monday.
Minter’s philosophy mirrors that of Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio. He’ll sacrifice some yards on the ground if it means aiding the secondary and limiting explosive plays through the air. The Chargers lean on two-high safety shells and zone coverage 82% of the time. Minter uses dime personnel — and sometimes will have as many as seven defensive backs on the field — more than most coordinators. He favors Cover 4 when he has two safeties — typically RJ Mickens and Elijah Molden — deep. Derwin James is the linchpin in the secondary and rotates between the slot, box, and post. The Eagles will see some single-high safety looks, but rarely vs. man coverage. Patullo needs to open the playbook with more crossing routes for receivers A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith. Hurts can throw intermediate-length passes, he just needs to pick his spots.
Fred Johnson’s ability to protect Jalen Hurts against the Chargers pass rush will be critical on Monday night.
The Eagles’ pass protection has been relatively sound, but pressure has been an issue in recent weeks. Minter blitzes only 19% of the time — 31st in the league. He likes to simulate blitzes with exchange pressures. The Eagles have struggled to pick those up this season. Hurts needs to find his answers … not that they’ve always been there. Outside linebacker Tuli Tuipulotu leads the Chargers in pressures, but Khalil Mack is healthy and the most dangerous. Both edges line up predominantly over the right tackle, which will be Fred Johnson in this case. He’s starting for a third straight game with Lane Johnson (foot) still out. Patullo has increasingly helped his tackles with chip blocks. Hurts isn’t getting sacked as much, but he’s completed only 59% of his passes in the last four games vs. 70% before the bye.
When the Chargers have the ball: Justin Herbert is expected to play despite surgery on the quarterback’s left non-throwing hand earlier in the week. If he can’t go, it’ll be backup Trey Lance, which would be a considerable drop-off. Assuming Herbert is active, he may not be able to go under center. The Chargers don’t have a heavy volume under-center offense, but they do it 29% of the time and throw play-action out of that formation 33% of the time. That’s one less variable coach and play-caller Jim Harbaugh will have at his disposal. And that could help an Eagles defensive line vs. a patchwork offensive line.
The Chargers offense is down both starting tackles. Rashawn Slater was lost for the season in training camp. Joe Alt followed him to injured reserve last month. In the three games since his injury, the offense ranks 28th in expected points added (EPA) per drop back. After some shuffling, Harbaugh has settled on Jamaree Salyer at left tackle and Trey Pipkins at right tackle. Both have previous starting experience, but are backups for good reason. With the Eagles down their best defensive lineman, Jalen Carter, the edge rushing group — led by Jaelan Phillips, Jalyx Hunt, and Nolan Smith — will need to exploit their advantage.
Herbert has four solid receivers to sprinkle around his throws. Ladd McConkey, Keenan Allen, Oronde Gadsden, and Quentin Johnston each have more than 500 yards receiving. Eagles cornerback Quinyon Mitchell is unlikely to follow one guy as a result. Adoree’ Jackson should expect a lot of attention, as should a safety corps that has underperformed. Sydney Brown may be back to the bench if Marcus Epps is ready after a stint on IR. If not, Herbert or Lance will likely find ways to attack him in coverage.
Even without Carter, the Eagles’ interior D-line shouldn’t be overmatched. Center Bradley Bozeman can be a liability. Right guard Mekhi Becton has regressed playing on a weaker line than he did in Philly. He was benched in Week 11 but is expected to start. Harbaugh will want to establish the run, especially after the Eagles got chewed up on the ground by the Bears. Running back Omarion Hampton could be active after having his 21-day practice window opened last week. The first-round rookie averaged 4.8 yards a carry in five games before suffering an ankle fracture. A remarkable 4.1 of those yards came after contact. Hampton is tough to bring down, as is Kimani Vidal, who averages 3.4 yards after contact. The Chargers use a fair amount of two-back personnel. The Eagles, who missed eight run tackle attempts vs. the Bears, will need to be more sure-handed on Monday night.
If Jim Harbaugh has quarterback Justin Herbert (10) on the field, the Chargers’ chances of moving to 9-4 increase exponentially.
Extra point: I’m not 100% convinced Herbert is active. Neither are the Eagles. They prepared for both Chargers quarterbacks. Herbert is the one to worry about, obviously. He’s done a remarkable job considering the O-line woes. He can make almost any throw and can fit it into tight windows. Herbert also been excellent out of structure, which has happened a fair amount due to poor pass pro. But he’s forced some passes, which has resulted in interceptions. And now he has the issue with his off hand.
I’ve been terrible at picking Eagles games, as usual. Come for the analysis above — I hope — and leave by the time you get to the prediction. I’m sure fans hate whenever I pick the Eagles. I get the joke. But I like their chances against a limited quarterback, and definitely if Lance starts. I don’t think the offense will rise from the near-dead, but I anticipate noticeable changes off the mini-bye that will aid their chances. I also like Hurts indoors.
Turn on sports talk radio or read coverage of the Philadelphia Eagles, and it’s probably be impossible to find any analysis of the team’s recent woes that doesn’t reference the offense. The unit has been painfully disjointed and inconsistent to watch, unable to deploy a nucleus filled with all-pro talent. But to pin the Eagles’ issues on this factor alone would be misguided. Should head coach Nick Sirianni, offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo, and quarterback Jalen Hurts shoulder a chunk of the burden? Yes, but as The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane points out, there’s plenty of blame to go around, and we shouldn’t overlook the other areas where it can be found…
00:00 Yes, the offense stinks, but there’s a lot more going on
02:17 Addressing the Jalen Carter news, and the warning signs that preceded it
06:25 Where art thou, Jihaad Campbell?
13:38 Seeking solutions at safety
17:47 The one play that summed up the Eagles’ offensive plight
unCovering the Birds is a production of The Philadelphia Inquirer and KYW Newsradio Original Podcasts. Look for new episodes throughout the season, including day-after-game reactions.
Things aren’t getting better; they’re getting worse. The theme doesn’t just apply to the Eagles’ Black Friday loss to the Chicago Bears. It fits the narrative of the entire 2025 season. With five games to go, there’s little reason to hope or expect significant change to take place, particularly on the offensive side of the ball – unless…
The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane and Olivia Reiner take a look at what the Eagles’ seemingly inherent flaws mean for the homestretch of the season, and how they could affect the fate of offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo.
unCovering the Birds is a production of The Philadelphia Inquirer and KYW Newsradio Original Podcasts. Look for new episodes throughout the season, including day-after-game reactions.
It would be unfair to pin the Eagles’ 24-15 loss to the Chicago Bears on Jalen Hurts, even if his two turnovers and ineffectiveness as a passer were contributing factors.
Nick Sirianni and Kevin Patullo’s inability to scheme to the quarterback’s strengths, while also covering for his weaknesses, again was the primary reason for another inept showing from the offense. The same could be said for their game plan in the run game.
The rest of the offense, meanwhile, underperformed — from the offensive line to skill position players. And, for the first time in some time, the defense can’t be absolved. Vic Fangio’s group couldn’t stop a pig in an alley. The Bears’ 281 rushing yards were the most the Eagles have allowed in 10 years.
The Eagles were collectively bad on Black Friday. “They had that thousand-yard stare in their eyes,” said one team source about players and coaches on the sidelines at Lincoln Financial Field.
Sirianni has a mini-bye to turn another two-game losing streak around. He’s done it before. He’s earned the benefit of doubt. But he may have to cut his offensive coordinator loose, alter the play-calling command, or bring in a consultant to save a unit that currently has no chance in the playoffs …
Assuming the 8-4 Eagles don’t collapse and fail to reach the postseason.
“We’re not changing the play caller,” Sirianni said.
Sirianni probably can’t change the quarterback, nor should he. The Eagles have won a lot of games with Hurts, including the Super Bowl just 9½ months ago. But his limitations as a dropback passer have been a season-long problem and are central to what’s plaguing the offense.
If you want to know why the Eagles can’t run the ball, look at the play-calling, the O-line, and running back Saquon Barkley. But don’t forget the quarterback. Defenses have concentrated their efforts on stopping Barkley, and Hurts has failed to consistently make them pay through the air despite lighter secondaries.
If you want to know why the passing route design sometimes looks rudimentary, look at Sirianni, Patullo and their nondescript scheme. But don’t forget the quarterback. There are swaths of the playbook that aren’t touched because Hurts isn’t comfortable with certain concepts.
And if you want to know why a group that returned 10 of 11 starters and costs more than any other offense in the NFL is among the worst in the league, look at the men in charge. But if Sirianni and Patullo are to be called out for failing to coach to their talent, Hurts has to face that same scrutiny.
On Friday, there was plenty beyond the big-picture problems to be critical of.
Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts jogs off the field after the loss to the Bears.
“A combination of a lot of things,” Hurts said when asked about the offensive struggles. “Ultimately, you look inward first, and I see it as how the flow of things has gone for us this year and being practical about that. I can’t turn the ball over, so the ultimate goal is to go out there and find a way to win.
“That’s been a direct correlation with success for us being able to protect the ball and so that really, really killed us.”
No quarterback had been as efficient in protecting the ball this season. Hurts had just one interception and two lost fumbles in the first 11 games. But the Bears force turnovers at a higher rate than any defense.
And Hurts was careless when he was flushed from the pocket early in the third quarter and was picked off by former Eagle Kevin Byard for the safety’s NFL-leading sixth interception.
“I saw Kevin coming over and I knew there was a chance he was going to be able to make a play on the ball,” Hurts said. “Just was trying to give him a chance and throw it to the sideline where A.J. [Brown] could try and make a play on it, and I wasn’t able to connect with him.”
The defense held and Hurts bounced back on the ensuing drive. He drove the offense 92 yards and hooked up with Brown for a 33-yard touchdown. Jake Elliott missed the extra point, but the Eagles only trailed, 10-9, despite having just four first downs on their first seven possessions.
Saquon Barkley found some running lanes on Friday, but it wasn’t enough.
Then Eagles outside linebacker Jalyx Hunt intercepted Caleb Williams. Off the turnover, Barkley ran three times for 24 yards down to the Chicago 12 and the Eagles appeared primed to take an inconceivable lead. But Hurts was stripped by cornerback Nahshon Wright when he was stood up on a Tush Push.
“I have to hold onto the ball,” Hurts said when asked if he felt there should have been an earlier whistle to blow the play dead. “It definitely presents itself as an issue and it always has. It’s just never gotten us and so today it got us, and it’s something that we and I need to tighten up.”
As for the Eagles’ patented quarterback sneak, Hurts admitted that “it’s becoming tougher and tougher” to execute.
It was a tough day to execute the passing game with winds blowing at 18 miles per hour at kickoff. Hurts’ passing inefficiency should be viewed through that lens. Williams completed just 47.2% of his throws. Hurts finished 19 of 34 (55.9%) and threw for 230 yards and two touchdowns.
But he was 9 of 18 through 3½ quarters. Hurts converted just one of seven third downs as a passer over that span. He threw behind receiver DeVonta Smith on an early third down and the Eagles settled for a field goal.
“It was two guys on two different pages,” Hurts said, “and that’s a bit of the issues that we’ve kind of been having.”
Smith, who caught five of eight targets for 48 yards, declined an interview request after the game because he said he had to see the team doctor. He’s been dealing with various injuries. Brown had more success, pulling in 10 of 12 attempts for 132 yards and two scores.
But the outspoken receiver didn’t seem any more pleased even though he’s been more involved in the last three games. Brown understands the run game is paramount to the Eagles offense functioning at a high level.
“They’re making it extremely tough to run the ball,” Brown said of opposing defenses. “And we have to run the ball. We have to. That’s how you get the game going, you know?”
Jalen Hurts and A.J. Brown have seemed more on the same page in recent weeks, a good sign for a team that needs one.
It’s a shame because the Eagles got some push and there were some lanes for Barkley to run through against one of the league’s worst run defenses. But the offense was hardly on the field in the first half partly because the defense couldn’t contain Bears running backs D’Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai.
Hurts also had some moments on the ground. He picked up 23 yards off a draw that set up the first touchdown. It’s long been one of the Eagles’ more effective plays, but only recently has it been featured.
There were more run-pass option plays this week, and Hurts kept once as a runner. But including him more in the run game might be like trying to stuff toothpaste back into a tube. There are so many issues with the offense, and yet, it wasn’t just Sirianni who defended Patullo.
“That’s a crazy question,” Brown said when asked about making coaching changes.
He said receivers were getting schemed open. So why has the passing game been listless?
Hurts supported Patullo — seemingly with a caveat.
“I have confidence in him,” he said. “I have confidence in this team. I have confidence in us when we’re collaborative. I have a lot of confidence when we have an identity.”
The offense had an identity built around Hurts, which was to establish the run — with his involvement — and open the downfield passing game. And when the Eagles secured a lead in the fourth quarter, they could salt the game away behind their four-minute offense.
But they haven’t been able to run at will anymore and Hurts hasn’t been able to shoulder the offense as a dropback passer — at least on a game-to-game basis.
“I thought he made some good plays, had some good scrambles, had some good things that he did,” Sirianni said of his quarterback. “Just like all of us, he had some plays that he’ll want back, and he had some really good plays, but, again, we just weren’t consistent enough as a whole.”
Hurts can win, obviously. Some inside the NovaCare Complex seem to have forgotten that, based on frustrations with how he’s performing seeping into the public. He isn’t perfect. Far from it.
But he’s been good enough. And he’ll have to be — for now. It’s on Sirianni to figure it out.
