Quarterback Jalen Hurts struggled to ignite a sputtering Philadelphia Eagles’ offense Monday night. And while his actions on the field fell short during a 20-17 defeat to the Seattle Seahawks, perhaps his words after the game will have the desired effect.
Jalen Hurts, who was questionable going into the game with flu-like symptoms, challenged the team’s “commitment” following the Eagles’ third consecutive loss, which dropped them to the No. 5 seed in the NFC.
Citing a lack of commitment is among the most condemning things an athlete can utter. It typically can be translated as an attack on either an athlete’s selfishness, or his manhood, or both.
Either way, although Jalen Hurts was cautious with his responses, there was no questioning the message he was delivering, while also throwing himself in the way as a show of self-accountability.
“I don’t think we were committed enough,” Jalen Hurts said. “Been talking about execution all year,” Hurts saic. “Getting on the same page, everyone being on the same page. We didn’t execute. I don’t think we all were committed enough. You know, just got to turn it around. You know, it’s a challenge that we have to embrace. Just continue to see it through.”
But this is unfortunately what the Eagles’ season has come to. Last week there were reports of locker-room drama and significant finger-pointing among the players, with the frustrations leading to one change — taking the defensive play-calling duties from defensive coordinator Sean Desai and handing them to Matt Patricia.
What’s happened to the Philadelphia Eagles?
The Philadelphia Eagles were riding high as the No. 1 team in the NFL only three weeks ago. They had the best record at 10-1 and had won four straight games in comeback fashion, rallying from a halftime deficit each time.
Hurts was viewed as the early favorite for the NFL MVP award due to his ability to carry the team to victory with his arm and his legs. Over the two years, counting the postseason, Hurt had a 26-3 record as a starting quarterback.
But now, he’s equaled those three losses over the past three weeks. And the wilting offense has been a huge culprit, scoring only 16.3 points per game despite having playmakers like A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith, and De’Andre Swift, in addition to the game’s best offensive line.
The defense, meanwhile, was decimated in back-to-back blowout losses to the San Francisco 49ers and the Dallas Cowboys, giving up 42 and 33 points, respectively.
The Eagles made a move to bolster their linebacking corps with the signing of former All-Pro Shaq Leonard, who’d been cut by the Indianapolis Colts. But he has yet to be part of an Eagles’ victory.
What’s next for Jalen Hurts and Philadelphia Eagles?
Despite their current struggles, the Eagles have an excellent chance to remedy their issues and return to the win column over the next three weeks, with two games against the New York Giants and one against Arizona.
The Philadelphia Eagles took great pride in their winning culture when they were at their best. But a team’s character is revealed more profoundly in times of adversity.
And if a winning culture truly exists, as they claim it does, the Eagles will accept the challenge from their leader and starting looking at themselves in the mirror.