The Philadelphia Eagles are 10-4 heading into Week 16, but they are in the midst of a free fall. The Eagles have lost three in a row and have fallen to second in the NFC East.
One of the factors in the losses has been the play of quarterback Jalen Hurts. As a result of his play, there are reports the Eagles locker room is in turmoil. What is wrong?
What Is Going on With Jalen Hurts?
Going into Week 13, the Eagles held the NFC’s best record at 10-1 and were coming off of a victory over the Kansas City Chiefs. Since then, they have lost to the San Francisco 49ers, Dallas Cowboys, and Seattle Seahawks. The 49ers and Cowboys losses came in blowout fashion, and the Seahawks loss came to backup quarterback Drew Lock.
In those three losses, Hurts has passed for just one touchdown. He has passed for 638 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions. On the ground, he has 132 yards and three touchdowns on 25 attempts.
The Eagles’ struggles began before the losing streak. According to The Philadelphia Inquirer, the Eagles were “the most miserable 10-1 team.” The mood was tense and significantly more anxious than would be expected of a team with the NFL’s best record.
The friction in the locker room just increased after each loss. Even with the friction, though, the Eagles have already clinched a playoff spot. One of the key factors in the friction has been the regression of Hurts. Hurts was once leading the MVP odds but has fallen to ninth, according to FOX Sports.
On the season, Hurts has passed for 3,335 yards, 19 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. He has also added 542 yards, 14 touchdowns, and five fumbles lost on the ground. The high quantity of rushing touchdowns can be attributed to the Eagles’ infamous ‘Brotherly Shove’ quarterback sneak play.
The Eagles signed Hurts to a major extension in the offseason. He signed a five-year deal worth $255 million, including $179 million in guarantees. According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, the Eagles want their franchise quarterback to be authentic, and team leaders want him to open himself up more in the locker room.
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Another factor in the Eagles’ locker room friction has been the demotion of defensive coordinator Sean Desai. Eagles’ head coach Nick Sirianni decided to make the change, putting Desai in the booth and Matt Patricia on the sideline. The move is believed to have shown an example of their panic, spreading from team leaders to players.
Desai and Patricia aren’t the only coordinators struggling on the Eagles. Offensive coordinator Brian Johnson has been under fire for his play calling, which has been seen as predictable. The Eagles lost both of their 2022 coordinators, Shane Steichen and Jonathan Gannon, to head coaching jobs in the offseason.
The Eagles will have a chance to end the streak and redeem themselves on Christmas afternoon when they face the New York Giants. The Giants sit at 5-9 and are coming off of a loss to the New Orleans Saints. If the Eagles lose, it could be the last straw that sends the team into a frenzy.
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