The Eagles are in free fall, now riding a three-game losing streak into the most important time of the season, after a 22-19 overtime loss to the Los Angeles Chargers on Monday night at SoFi Stadium.
The Eagles fell to 8-5 and should still win the NFC East, with four games left against three teams (Las Vegas, Buffalo and Washington) that have a combined 14-24 record. But that appears all the Eagles will win this season, if this offensive fog continues.
This is a team destined for an early playoff exit—and the scary part is that a Super Bowl-winning coaching staff has no idea how to fix the problems that plague this team.
Jalen Hurts was not good. He was late getting the ball out of his hands. He missed open receivers. He simply did not see the field. Hurts, it seems, has lost confidence in himself, completing 21 of 40 for 240 yards, throwing a career-high four interceptions, with a career-high five turnovers.
Hurts was seeing ghosts in powder blue. The Chargers loaded up the line of scrimmage, sometimes attacking Hurts, sometimes peeling off into coverage. Hurts appeared thoroughly confused.
Hurts is clearly not getting the proper guidance he should be from head coach Nick Sirianni or offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo. What is even more troubling is that fault may not be entirely on Sirianni and Patullo. Plays are being called and designed, where receivers are open and Hurts is not seeing them.
Even the shouts will ring loud from the mountain top, Sirianni would never think—nor should he think—about benching Hurts.
The overtime loss wasted a fine effort from the defense, which sacked Chargers’ quarterback Justin Herbert, playing with screws and a plate in his non-throwing left hand, seven times for minus-33 yards, with strong games from Byron Young, playing in place of the injured Jalen Carter, Reed Blankenship and Jordan Davis.
Saquon Barkley also showed a burst of 2024 with a 52-yard touchdown run, and ran for 122 yards, averaging 6.1 yards a carry. But the Eagles abandoned the run in overtime.
There was plenty of good, some bad, and a mound of ugly in the Eagles 22-19 overtime Monday night to the Los Angeles Chargers.
DeVonta Smith’s 28-yard reception down the middle of the field on a third-and-16 to the Chargers’ 47 in overtime.
Edge rusher Jaelan Phillips taking down Kimani Vidal for a one-yard loss with 5:46 to play on a first-and-10 at the Chargers’ 25.
Jordan Davis’ seven-yard sack with 4:28 to play on a third-and-seven at the Chargers’ 28. Davis finished with six tackles, 1.5 sacks, and two tackles for losses.
Saquon Barkley’s 52-yard touchdown run on the first play of the fourth quarter. The Eagles’ offensive line got out on the play, led by Fred Johnson, Jordan Mailata, and real key blocks by Dallas Goedert kicking out Los Angeles cornerback Ben St-Juste, and Darius Cooper taking out safety RJ Mickens. Mailata actually got away with a hold on the play, clearly grabbing Chargers’ linebacker Khalil Mack. Barkley finished with 122 yards on 20 carries, averaging 6.1 yards a carry.
Linebacker Zack Baun and Davis combining to take down Justin Herbert for a nine-yard sack with 2:06 left in the third quarter on second-and-13 at the Chargers’ 13.
Defensive tackle Byron Young’s three-yard sack of Justin Herbert at the Eagles’ 16 on the Chargers’ first drive of the second half. Young, playing in place of the injured Jalen Carter, played great, making eight tackles, and had 1.5 sacks.
Safety Reed Blankenship coming up to stop Kimani Vidal for a four-yard loss on a first-and-goal at the Eagles’ 13 on the Chargers’ first drive of the second half. Blankenship had a team-high eight tackles, with a team-high six solo tackles.
Adoree Jackson’s interception with seven seconds left in the first half, which after the Chargers’ personal foul call, put the Eagles at the Chargers’ 30. The Eagles blew it, when Jake Elliott missed a 48-yard field goal as time expired in the first half.
A.J. Brown’s 22-yard reception on the Eagles’ third drive, putting them at the Chargers’ 29. Brown’s third-quarter 26-yard reception set up an Elliott 54-yard field goal with 3:22 to play in the third quarter. Brown later came up with a 19-yard reception with 2:33 to play on a second-and-10 to the Chargers’ 25.
Linebacker Nakobe Dean breaking through to rush Herbert on the Chargers’ second drive, forcing an incompletion on third-and-15. Dean causing the fumble by sacking Herbert after Hurts’ second interception, recovered by Byron Young at the Eagles’ 42 with 4:30 left in the first half. The Eagles got a Jake Elliott 30-yard field goal from the turnover.
Saquon Barkley on the Eagles’ second drive, which resulted in a Jake Elliott 41-yard field goal. Barkley started the series with runs of 19 and 10 yards.
Dallas Goedert’s nine-yard reception on third-and-nine at the Eagles’ 43 on the Eagles’ first drive of the game. It converted a third down, and was an encouraging start that quickly sagged with the fresh set of downs. Goedert came back for another big reception on a third-and-12 with a 13-yard catch to the Chargers’ 25, where the drive began to stall.
Jalyx Hunt finished with 2.5 sacksand eight tackles.
Elliott missing the 48-yarder on the last play of the first half.
Left guard Landon Dockerson limping off the field with just over two minutes left in the first half.
Right guard Tyler Steen getting flagged for holding on first-and-10
The Eagles’ opening drive. It started well with the third-down conversion, but quickly sent bad with conservative, dink-and-dunk short routes and the nine-yard sack by Chargers’ linebacker Odafe Oweh on third-and-four at the Eagles’ 40.
AJ Brown’s drop right through his hands on the first play of the game.
Hurts throwing four interceptions and turning the ball over a career-high five times. Two of the four interceptions were deflected passes.
Center Cam Jurgens holding call, which wiped out Hurts’ 18-yard scramble, forcing the Eagles into a third-and-16 in overtime.
Hurts missing Brown on the second play of overtime, sailing a pass on a second-and-six from the Eagles’ 34.
Herbert leading the Chargers with 66 yards rushing, including numerous times when the Eagles completely forgot about him, like his 12-yard run on the first play in overtime. Herbert’s legs helped lead the Chargers to a 22-19 lead with 6:24 left in overtime.
Hurts’ high pass to A.J. Brown, which should have been caught, with 11:03 left to play, and bounced off Brown’s hands and into the arms of the Chargers’ Cam Hart. It was Hurts’ third interception, which was more in one game than Hurts had thrown in his previous 12 games (2) combined. It led to Cameron Dicker’s third field goal and 16-16 tie with 7:26 to play.
Ojomo getting called for leverage on the Chargers’ 36-yard field goal attempt on the Chargers’ first drive of the second half.
Left tackle Jordan Mailata called for holding with 1:04 left in the first half, making a second-and-goal from the two, and second-and-goal from the 12. The penalty gutted the drive.
The Eagles’ first half offense. Hurtsthrew two interceptions, and the Eagles turned the ball over a total of three times. Over the last two games, Hurts has thrown three interceptions. In the Eagles’ first 11 games, he threw one.
Defensive end Moro Ojomo jumping offsides on the Cooper DeJean interception on the Chargers’ second drive.
The Chargers first drive. They made it look easy, slicing through the Eagles for 80 yards over six plays, averaging 13.3 yards a play. On the six-play drive, the Chargers only faced one third down, with plays for 60, and 11 yards. The Eagles surrendering a 60-yard screen pass to Kimani Vidal on the Chargers first drive on a third-and-seven to the Eagles’ 17, before Zack Baun finally caught up to him. It was the longest touch of Vidal’s two-year career, and it set up Los Angeles’ first score.
