Does Philadelphia Eagles franchise quarterback Jalen Hurts not trust the offense? One ESPN host believes so.
During an appearance on 97.5 The Fanatic on Thursday morning, ESPN’s Kevin Negandhi talked about Hurts and the inconsistent offense.
Related: Is Philadelphia Eagles QB Jalen Hurts morphing into Carson Wentz?
Without playmakers A.J. Brown (hamstring) and DeVonta Smith (concussion) in Week 4’s loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Eagles’ offense only mustered 14 points. Hurts threw one touchdown pass and had another crucial fumble that curtailed a drive.
Jalen Hurts has 82 (combined) sacks + interceptions + fumbles across the last 2 seasons.
— Paul Hembekides (Hembo) (@PaulHembo) October 2, 2024
Bryce Young (92) and Sam Howell (91) are the only QBs with more over that span 😬
Too many negatives. Way too many negatives.
The week before against the New Orleans Saints, the Eagles put up a meager 15 points in the win. Hurts didn’t have a touchdown, threw a pick, and lost a fumble. Brown was also out for that game, and Smith suffered a concussion.
Hurts’ somewhat erratic play has happened while his favorite target has been on the sideline the last three games. Hurts is second in the NFL in turnovers this season with seven — four interceptions and three fumbles. Since the beginning of 2023, he has turned the ball over a staggering 27 times, the most in the NFL.
During the 2-2 start to the season, the Eagles have averaged 21.5 points per game (15th in the NFL), and 211.8 passing yards per game (14th in the NFL).
In his five NFL seasons, Hurts has already had four different offensive coordinators, with his latest one being Kellen Moore.
‘Doesn’t look like he trusts the offense’
Negandhi believes Hurts doesn’t have faith in his offense that’s missing Brown and Smith.
“Jalen Hurts doesn’t look like he trusts the offense. He doesn’t look like he trusts the guys he has to throw to if they’re not A.J. Brown or DeVonta Smith, when I bring up the wide receivers,” Negandhi explained. “There’s no trust in these windows, these short windows that he has. He holds onto the ball with hesitation because he just doesn’t trust that the wide receiver is going to get there unless it’s A.J. or DeVonta.”
“Jalen Hurts doesn’t look like he trusts the offense. He doesn’t look like he trusts the guys he has to throw to if they’re not A.J. Brown or DeVonta Smith, when I bring up the WRs. There’s no trust in these windows, these short windows that he has. He holds onto the ball with… pic.twitter.com/4qEaePXX27
— 97.5 The Fanatic (@975TheFanatic) October 3, 2024
Backing up that assessment, ESPN’s Tim McManus noted that Hurts ranks 32nd among NFL quarterbacks in average time to throw at 3.1 seconds, meaning he’s holding onto the ball for too long.
There’s still time to turn it around. The Eagles have a perfect time for a bye with injuries to Brown, Smith, and right tackle Lane Johnson (concussion). The Birds are hoping to turn it around in Week 6 when they face the Cleveland Browns at home.