Eagles-Panthers Film Review: Jalen Hurts didn’t play well but this offense has greater issues than just the quarterback

Effectively, this was a tricky one. The Carolina Panthers have been a lot better these days, so I wasn’t too stunned. The Philadelphia Eagles’ run sport was fairly easy, and I really feel like everybody has lots of questions on Jalen Hurts and the passing sport, so I’ll be specializing in that this week.

It is a lengthy one. Buckle up.

Offense

Proper, earlier than we get into all of it, only a big-picture thought. The Eagles passing sport doesn’t should be distinctive proper now. I don’t even suppose it’s attempting to be. You possibly can philosophically argue about whether or not a staff can win a Tremendous Bowl with a below-average passing sport, however proper now, this staff is just not attempting to mild it up by throwing the soccer. This staff has an elite run sport and an excellent protection. The passing sport must not get in the best way and switch the ball over. Should you take a look at Jalen Hurts, he had 30+ go makes an attempt in Weeks 1-4. For the reason that bye, he hasn’t had 30 makes an attempt as soon as. As A.J. Brown stated after the sport, it may be exhausting to get right into a rhythm if you don’t throw it very a lot. We might be important of the passing sport, and I shall be at this time, however the Eagles have gained 9 straight. Profitable is the purpose. The offense is doing sufficient to win, whether or not you prefer it or not.

Now, the movie.

It didn’t take lengthy to get into the Jalen Hurts discourse. I’ve seen this mentioned quite a bit already, so let’s give my take. I don’t come down strongly on both aspect, so I’ll weigh up each arguments. As all the time, context is essential.

The argument for throwing it to AJ Brown: AJ Brown is open when Hurts hits his again foot so he might have alerted to this. The play is a 3-level stretch idea, and the Panthers’ deep cornerback Jaycee Horn jumps the intermediate route. Hurts ought to be capable of see this by the point he hits his again foot and will throw it deep to AJ Brown. This might have been an explosive play.

The argument for the checkdown: That is the very first throw of the sport. That provides you little or no time to get into any rhythm. Hurts won’t anticipate Horn to leap the intermediate route as you’d anticipate him to remove AJ Brown deep. Hurts has been criticized for not getting by way of his reads rapidly sufficient beforehand, so he does a very good job getting by way of his progressions. A 3-level stretch play is just not designed to go to the vertical man except there may be an ‘alert,’ which I feel you possibly can argue there may be right here, however it’s not instantly apparent.

My take: I need Hurts to take the deep shot. I feel Horn is attempting to catch Hurts out, and by the point he hits his again foot, he might have made this throw. Do I feel it’s an egregious error? No. Would I like him to be a bit of bit extra aggressive? Sure. Who thought I might have written that a number of months in the past?!

I gained’t contact on the working sport a lot in any respect on this one. To summarise, the Eagles killed the Panthers’ protection by working counter again and again, with some easy zone stuff blended in often, too. This was one of the inventive calls of the evening, and I want the Eagles had Saquon Barkley on the sector as a result of I’m satisfied he scores on this one.

I’m going to be important of Hurts on this sport. I have already got been. However please, anybody who thinks the passing sport’s struggles fall solely on his shoulders is just not watching each play. So many design points on this sport had been unrelated to the play of Hurts. The Eagles tried to hit a number of deep pictures off of play-action on this sport, and almost each time, there was a problem with the Eagles’ go safety. If you end up throwing the soccer about 20-25 occasions a sport, you can not afford to have a number of performs which are blown up by unhealthy go safety. The problems in go safety occurred greater than as soon as and you may’t blame the quarterback for it.

I do know I stated I wouldn’t speak in regards to the run sport a lot, however I needed to embody this one. If anybody tells you that Saquon Barkley is barely excelling this 12 months due to the Eagles’ offensive line, present them this play. Barkley is taking part in at an unimaginable stage.

Watching the TV copy, this play seemed like an terrible play by Hurts. It’s apparent that DeVonta Smith and AJ Brown had been each vast open on the fast slant, so why didn’t he throw it? The All22 reveals you that Hurts did see Smith was open and was about to throw it straight to him. Sadly, the blitzing linebacker jumped in Hurts’ throwing window, so he needed to pull the soccer down.

Let’s get nerdy for a second. That is an instance of a design subject, in my view. Smith and AJ Brown each run slants at a really related depth. If Hurts hits his again foot and realizes he can’t get it to AJ Brown, the place else ought to he go together with the soccer? AJ Brown has already made his break. If AJ Brown was working a deeper slant or a deep in, Hurts might doubtlessly reset his ft and make the throw. However there’s nowhere else for Hurts to go as soon as the linebacker takes away the throwing window.

Right here’s one other design subject. It’s not a ‘unhealthy’ play; I simply don’t see a lot creativity for a third and seven. Do we’d like Johnny Wilson on the market? Does this passing play stretch the protection horizontally in addition to vertically? Are there receivers crossing one another to attempt to trigger site visitors and doubtlessly make it simpler for one in every of them to separate? It’s mainly a deep shot to AJ Brown, which is properly lined (for all of the speak round AJ Brown this week, it’s honest to level out that the Panthers’ protection lined him very properly at occasions), after which a bunch of isolation routes the place nobody will get open. AJ Brown ought to be the reply towards man protection, however a number of weeks in the past, everybody was moaning that the Eagles had been taking these low-percentage pictures to AJ Brown down the sector on third down! He isn’t actually open right here. This may be a low-percentage throw.

Blame the quarterback all you need, however there is not quite a bit he can do right here on third and seven apart from throw it as much as AJ. This idea isn’t good vs. zone protection. The go safety is unbelievable, and Wilson finally uncovers, however he drifts in the direction of the soccer, whereas Hurts throws this ball up the sector. The minor particulars matter. I’d wish to see the receiver the Eagles spent a third spherical choose on get this opportunity to win on third down.

What was I saying earlier about points in go safety when working play-action? These things can’t occur on a staff that doesn’t throw the soccer quite a bit. Damaging performs kill this offense as a result of a run-first offense won’t succeed if the quarterback is sacked regularly. Fortunately, Jalen Hurts bails out the offense with a ridiculous scramble. If we’re going to present all of the adverse Hurts performs, now we have to be honest and say that he bailed the offense out a number of occasions, too.

It is a bizarre one to take a look at. It appears fairly clear that Hurts ought to throw it to AJ Brown on the slant as a result of he’s vast open, however his drop doesn’t time up with that route, which means that DeVonta Smith could possibly be the first learn right here. I’ll be sincere: I’m joyful to interrupt down performs and attempt to touch upon what I see, however I’m going to wrestle to be too important when the Eagles run a profitable play and rating a landing. There’s different stuff that I’m worrying about, not this one. I am not sure what else so as to add with out being within the room and figuring out how that is coached.

That is one the place I want to see Hurts be aggressive. It is a powerful throw to AJ Brown, however he might make it. AJ Brown is an elite receiver who ought to be given possibilities to win even in shut man-to-man protection. Nonetheless, from a design perspective, as soon as once more, I’m struggling. Nothing else is open after Hurts decides to not throw it to AJ Brown. I’m not sure why Johnny Wilson is left into block for thus lengthy, however by the point he releases out, Hurts has already left the pocket. The timing feels off. Regardless of being important of the timing, that is an instance the place you might be important of Hurts for not being aggressive sufficient.

I’m additionally sick of the 2nd learn being a deep comeback. The comeback is on the identical stage as AJ Brown’s route and it’s a timing throw, which makes it so troublesome for Hurts to get again to this as soon as he turns down AJ Brown. Once more, I feel he ought to rip this to AJ Brown. Nonetheless, I nonetheless have points with the design.

The Eagles have had lots of success working Mesh over the previous few weeks, and the Panthers had been prepared. The Panthers’ secondary performed properly, and it’s a must to credit score them and criticize the Eagles. You would argue that the bottom dig is open right here, however when has Hurts ever been in a position to rip the ball bottom on a dig? Is {that a} route that performs to his strengths? It’s additionally sluggish to develop, and by the point the dig uncovers, Hurts is already beneath stress. As soon as once more, it’s one other design that looks like Hurts has nowhere else to go as soon as his main learn is just not open. The Mesh level on this play additionally feels bizarre. The 2 receivers crossing ought to be actually shut collectively to create site visitors, however they aren’t right here. AJ Brown finally ends up working again right into a defender with outdoors leverage. I’d just like the Eagles to provide AJ the pliability to cross the center of the sector, relying on the leverage of the defensive again. The Panthers got here ready.

Right here’s one other instance of Counter. I needed to submit this as a result of I feel the Eagles’ passing sport is just not making the most of how good the working sport is. They need to be working extra stuff from related appears to reap the benefits of the working sport. I’ll get into what I imply afterward. Right here’s a terrific instance of Counter Bash the place Hurts mobility helps Barkley.

The Eagles have been excellent towards the blitz this 12 months. Worryingly, they weren’t good on this one.

It is a basic instance of an offense not ready. The Eagles name 3 vertical routes on 2nd and a pair of to try to take a deep shot down the sector. That’s advantageous. However you may’t run this when the cornerback comes on a blitz. There needs to be a sizzling route right here. A sight adjustment. You might be giving the quarterback no probability to succeed right here. That is actually poor design, and the Eagles as soon as once more screw up in go safety. This isn’t mandatory on 2nd and a pair of. I’m all for being extra aggressive. This was not the fitting time for that.

I’m certain I’ll get criticism for not being important sufficient of Hurts. I’m not saying he performed properly—he didn’t. However this offense has higher points than simply the quarterback’s play.

I’ve criticized Hurts for being too passive, however right here he turns down the checkdown, which he most likely ought to take, and bails for a 35-yard achieve to get the primary down on third and 10. I’m an enormous believer that you simply want a cell quarterback within the trendy NFL who can create when the play breaks down, and that is an instance of Hurts simply making a play. It won’t be a 35-yard go down the sector, however it counts for a similar.

This play is hilarious. We’ve all gone full circle after we are all going mad at Hurts for eliminating his reads too early. Taking part in quarterback is tough. On the sport’s first play, I criticized Hurts for processing issues too rapidly. Generally, if a quarterback is attempting to hurry up their course of (which has been a criticism of Hurts prior to now), then they’ll begin processing issues too rapidly. I feel he eliminates his reads too rapidly right here and may keep to the left aspect, the place AJ Brown is open once more. I can solely assume that he thinks the protection will go off these routes or he merely has to throw it to AJ Brown. However this could completely be thrown to AJ Brown or DeVonta Smith right here. I don’t know why he doesn’t throw this.

Even if he completely ought to have thrown it to the surface, I can’t lie. It’s refreshing to see Hurts get again to the center of the sector and hit the tight finish in the course of the sector. That is the kind of play that we ought to be enthusiastic about! That is an space of his sport that he’s been missing. Nonetheless, as a result of he turns down the open receiver, this play feels adverse. What an odd world we reside in.

Personally, I discover it too exhausting to be extremely important after I see the quarterback throwing touchdowns. As I stated earlier, I’ve different points to fret about. However I don’t know what he’s taking a look at right here.

I’m going to speak about this much more as it is going to be my Idea of the Week as a result of I feel there’s a lot extra the Eagles might run off the counter run sport. The Eagles’ passing sport doesn’t reap the benefits of how dominant the run sport is. It’s bizarre.

Even the great performs don’t work greater than as soon as, although. I’m unsure why AJ Brown doesn’t run this route correctly. It’s a bit of odd. Hurts ought to simply throw the ball away right here and can’t take this sack. That is dumb. He ought to know that throwing the ball away and receiving an ineligible man down-the-field penalty (1st-and-15) is best than taking the sack (2nd-and-19).

Let’s finish right here. It is a pretty throw and catch. It’s a bit of infuriating how usually the Eagles run comebacks, however I don’t thoughts doing it when you may isolate AJ Brown one-on-one by lining up alone because the X-iso. It simply looks like nothing is simple for the Eagles within the passing sport. The whole lot shouldn’t should be this difficult.

TLDR: the passing sport is just not ok. Hurts wasn’t ok. However he was not the one cause. There are such a lot of issues that may get higher. It’s too simple in charge one particular person for the failings with the passing sport.

Excellent news: the Eagles have the expertise to show this round. Maintain the religion within the passing sport. This was the worst sport throwing the soccer shortly, however hopefully, it’s the catalyst for enhancing this offense.

Thanks for studying! I’d love to listen to your ideas, so be happy to remark beneath and ask any questions. Should you loved this piece, you’ll find extra of my work and podcast right here.