| Savior. Savior. Savior. There you go, I’ve used the word. Let’s not hear it mentioned again between now and the end of this column. Why? Because this piece is about Jalen Hurts and the Philadelphia Eagles and the time is not now to start throwing out the careless (and somewhat biblical) term that typically comes at one of these franchise moments. The ‘s’ word gets hot-potatoed around frequently in the National Football League but never more so than at the precise intersection when one quarterback (in this case Carson Wentz) gets relieved of his duties and another (Hurts) is given a handshake – or an elbow bump – is shunted into the driver’s seat, then receives a look that begs: “please help us.” It’s just a word, and in this case, it’s nonsense. Teams that are bad, a category that the Eagles fit squarely into at present, don’t need “saving” by one individual. They need to get better. |
Prospects of an improved immediate future for Philadelphia aren’t best served by wishful dreams that Hurts will somehow conjure solo miracles, but that he can be a little more dynamic and much more accurate than his predecessor and inject an energy that is significantly less beaten-down. If he holds his nerve, greets the challenge and if that promise is accompanied by better play-calling, improved organizational decision-making and a more cohesive spirit, the Eagles will have a chance to write a new story that is decisively less grim than the current tale of horror and woe. That’s not a knight in shining armor, it’s being part of a process. They know all about processes in Philly, right 76ers fans? Should we trust this one? With reports swirling that head coach Doug Pederson is on the toastiest of hotseats, was there any other way? “This may be the only decision that could possibly save Pederson’s job,” former first team All-Pro Eagles running back Brian Westbrook said, on FS1’s First Things First. “It also could be one of the only things to save face in the locker room. |
“Wentz has not played very well at all. He has looked confused at times, not understanding where to get the ball to. When he has guys open, he has been hesitant to pull the trigger. That’s just not very good quarterbacking.” Pederson said this week that his motive in switching things up was to “get the team over the hump, to try to get everybody playing better,” with the Eagles’ faint hopes in the NFC East race having probably dwindled beyond repair. Hurts’ installation manages to be a mixture of desperation and common sense and with any such move, there is a lot that needs to be answered. The 3-8-1 Eagles’ Sunday clash with the NFC-best New Orleans Saints (4:25 p.m. ET on FOX) will start to serve that purpose. According to FOX Bet, the Saints are currently listed as 6.5-point favorites heading into Sunday’s matchup in Philadelphia. However, there is a lot to fix beyond one change in personnel. The narrative that the locker room is divided on how much blame should go to Wentz and what must be apportioned to the coaching staff prevails. |
“This more comes down to a failure of pretty much every position, including the coaches, to facilitate a functioning offense,” center Jason Kelce told reporters. “That’s the biggest story here, not that Jalen Hurts was picked and there was some sort of internal battle and struggle going on with Carson Wentz. I don’t buy that.” The apparent best-case scenario of Hurts shining bright would create issues of its own. There is a punitive cap hit to be swallowed on account of Wentz’s contract. He can’t be cut without extraordinary fiscal penalty, meaning that either a trade at a time when his stock has plummeted or having him ride the bench while making $34.7 million are the main, unappetizing options. Then there is this weekend’s reality that Pederson could scarcely have chosen a more difficult game for a 22-year-old to make his first NFL start, despite Hurts performing well in relief of Wentz towards the end of last week’s 30-16 defeat to the Green Bay Packers. The Saints have won nine straight while conceding just 44 combined points in their last five outings, highlighted by signature shutdowns of the Atlanta Falcons (twice) and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. |
“This is a terrible opponent to have your first start for a rookie,” Westbrook added. “Against a team that held Matt Ryan and Tom Brady. It is a tough situation. But sometimes you do get a spark from a young guy.” That’s the word. Spark. That’s what the Eagles need. Not a savi…, ahem – a transformative magic worker – but someone who simply can come in and do a better job than what came before him. That’s the barometer, that’s the requirement. That’s the beginning. And that, as Hurts takes the first steps towards proving he belongs in one of the toughest jobs in sports, should be the expectation. |
Here’s what others have said … Louis Riddick, ESPN: “This is a tough assignment for Jalen Hurts. This is like ice skating up hill. I wish him well because I love Jalen Hurts’ story. But I’ll tell you this … Baring something unforeseen, this game could get ugly. I would be shocked if it doesn’t. He could really be in a situation where he is under siege over and over and over again.” Jalen Reagor, Philadelphia Eagles Wide Receiver: “He’s a very funny guy. I mean, he’s a very laid-back guy, like myself. “We click. We kind of share the same kind of personality. We joke a lot. A lot of people don’t really know about the things we do outside of football because we’re pretty laid-back guys. We like to chill. He’s a pretty good guy. He really doesn’t do too much. He’s about his business, about his work. And I’m pretty confident in him.” Michael Vick, FOX Sports: “Jalen provides a spark. The team needs a spark. Not just the offense, but the defense too. At some point, you can eventually lose the locker room. Give this team a chance. Let them go out there and let it all hang out. Give them a reason to believe.” |
 “Obstacles are what you see when you take your eye off the goal.” — Vince Lombardi |
