The Philadelphia Eagles have bigger problems than a three-game losing streak.
Jalen Hurts questioned the commitment of his teammates following a stunning 20-17 loss at Seattle on Monday night.
Darius Slay praised his own performance but said the rest of the defense stunk after a 33-13 loss at Dallas last week.
First-year defensive coordinator Sean Desai was stripped of his play-calling duties after 13 games. Fans and some in the media are calling for the same for first-year offensive coordinator Brian Johnson because a talented group has underachieved.
After a 10-1 start, the Eagles have crashed. And, they’re not handling adversity well considering some of the finger-pointing and blame-shifting.
Getting whipped by the 49ers (11-3) and Cowboys (10-4) provided a reality check after two impressive wins over Kansas City and Buffalo. The Eagles were in control in Seattle for most of the game until Drew Lock turned into Drew Brees and led an improbable, 92-yard touchdown drive in the final two minutes.
Hurts, who played through an illness, threw two interceptions in the fourth quarter and hasn’t often looked this season like the QB who finished second in NFL MVP voting and had a stellar game in the Super Bowl loss to the Chiefs.
“I’ve been talking about execution all year, being on the same page, everyone being on the same page,” Hurts said following Monday’s loss. “We didn’t execute. I don’t think we’re all, we’re committed enough. Just got to turn it around. You know, it’s a challenge that we have to embrace. Just continue to see it through.”
Hurts is an excellent team leader. He chooses his words carefully. He’s calculated. Calling out his teammates wasn’t a slip-up in the heat of the moment. He was intentional. Obviously, Hurts sees something he doesn’t like whether it’s on the practice field, in team meetings or inside the locker room.
How the rest of the team responds will determine whether the Eagles can get back to contention for the Super Bowl.
The road isn’t going to be easy because San Francisco would have to collapse to lose the No. 1 seed. But the Eagles have a chance to regroup after a brutal six-game stretch and still have an inside track on winning the NFC East.
Philadelphia faces Tommy DeVito and the New York Giants (5-9) on Christmas Day and once again in the final week and the Arizona Cardinals (3-11) in between. Hurts knows they have to improve to go deep in the playoffs.
“It’s a matter of being on the same page,” Hurts said. “It takes everyone being all-in, in all aspects. And it starts with me. There’s multiple opportunities out there. In the end, there’s just not another way you’d have it. The trust that we have in one another, how much we communicate as players. … We just have to be better; I have to be better. Minimize the mistakes, the penalties, the mental errors. Play team football and it starts with me leading that. We’ve lost games because I can be better. That will change everything, and I accept that.”
Not so fast
The Buffalo Bills aren’t finished after all.
They have gone from being a major disappointment to being the team nobody wants to face in the playoffs. After beating the Chiefs in Kansas City thanks to Kadarius Toney’s offside penalty, the Bills routed the Cowboys 31-10.
At 8-6, their path to the playoffs is complex. But, they could be in position to play for the AFC East title in Week 18 if they beat the Chargers (5-9) on the road this Saturday and the Patriots (3-11) at home next week.
One loss by the Dolphins (10-4) either to Dallas or Baltimore in the next two games coupled with Buffalo winning twice suddenly makes the final game of the regular season in Miami a winner-take-the-division matchup.
That was an unlikely scenario for Josh Allen and Co. just a few weeks ago.