PHILADELPHIA — Jalen Hurts might have the answer why the once-mighty Eagles have slid from 10-1 and the top of the NFC to 10-4 and fighting for a division title amid a three-game losing streak.
A streak in which they failed to score more than 19 points. A streak that forced coach Nick Sirianni to change the defensive coaching staff. A streak that all but knocked the Eagles out of a shot at earning the NFC’s No. 1 seed and a first-round playoff bye.
“I don’t think we were committed enough,” Hurts said.
Hurts — who played through an illness Monday night — tried to take responsibility by saying that getting the Eagles on the right page starts with him. That opportunities are always there for him to make plays. But it’s clear following their loss in Seattle that the Eagles need more than Hurts returning to his Pro Bowl level for the team to make a second straight Super Bowl.
“We have to make an internal change in how we attack things, how we come to work every day,” Hurts said. “Starts with the little things, how committed we are to what we’re doing, and that all starts with me the quarterback. So it’s a challenge that I’m embracing.”
Sirianni knows about internal changes after he stripped Sean Desai of his defensive play-caller duties and turned them over to former Detroit Lions coach Matt Patricia. Sirianni said he made his decision ahead of the Seattle game because the defense wasn’t playing up to standards after it had allowed 109 points over the previous three games. The Eagles gave up just 20 points against the Seahawks — but surrendered a 92-yard drive on the winning touchdown.
Patricia now has the final call on the defense.
“I know that’s not something that is common of a 10-3 team,” Sirianni said. “But just thought the adjustment needed to be made to give the defense a spark and help our players play better.”
Was this a panic move made purely to put the Eagles on notice that most everyone is replaceable? Was it the right call at the right time? Or was it change for the sake of change and no better results will come from it?
The final answer won’t be known until the end of the season. But the work begins with a three-game stretch that includes two games against the New York Giants (5-9) and one against the Arizona Cardinals (3-11). Win them all, and the Eagles are the NFC East champs. Lose, and more changes could be ahead.
“We know we clinched playoffs this week. We’re not really looking at that,” Sirianni said. “We know what we want to do. We want to win this division, but that’s the last time you’ll hear me say that.”
WHAT’S WORKING
D’Andre Swift had 74 yards rushing for the Eagles and Sydney Brown and Kelee Ringo gave admirable efforts filling in for the injured Darius Slay. But when a team is on a three-game slide, that often means little is working well. Sirianni’s shuffle on defensive play-calling didn’t provide any instant relief. The pass rush was absent on Seattle’s winning drive — 92 yards against an ineffective defensive line.
WHAT NEEDS HELP
Scan every part of the game and the Eagles are playing more like a team headed toward the NFL draft lottery than one that can still win the NFC East. Hurts threw two pivotal interceptions in the fourth quarter.
STOCK UP
Low bar in this one, but the game ball goes to punter Braden Mann. His 42-yard punt late in the game was downed at the 8-yard line and he averaged 49.6 yards on five punts, with no touchbacks.
STOCK DOWN
James Bradberry. The cornerback’s slide into a liability this season was never more in focus than the game-winning drive when Drew Lock simply picked him apart. He was flagged for pass interference on a fourth-down play in the third quarter and gave up the 29-yard winning score to receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba on a corner route. DK Metcalf caught three passes on Bradberry on the drive.
Overall, Bradberry gave up six catches for 112 yards and a touchdown on the six times he was targeted, according to Pro Football Focus.
Bradberry hasn’t been the same since the Super Bowl, when he was flagged late for defensive holding in the 38-35 loss to the Chiefs.
INJURIES
The Eagles need a clean bill of health for Hurts on Christmas.
KEY NUMBER
5 — Jalen Carter got his fifth sack of the season, becoming the first Eagles rookie since Derek Barnett (2017) to total five-plus sacks as a rookie. Fletcher Cox also had his fifth sack of the season, marking his 70th career sack and second straight season of five or more sacks.
NEXT STEPS
Break out “A Philly Special Christmas.” The Eagles are set for a Dec. 25 home matchup against the Giants.
