To start candidly, I’ve been almost radio silent this season. Sometimes you just got to step back and admire greatness (or focus on your college work as a first semester freshman). And great is an understatement for these 2022 birds. The Eagles are 13-3 with a chance to earn the one seed for the first time since a certain improbable super bowl run!
Wait, we haven’t locked it up yet? Were we not one game away at 13-1 just a few weeks ago? What the heck happened? Why is Philly neck and neck with San Fran and Dallas (blech) for homefield advantage? Where are the panic alarms people!?
Calm Down!!
While it seems simplistic and amateur to blame a skid on one player (or lack of a player), that might just be the case. This team misses their MVP caliber quarterback in the worst way. Jalen Hurts’ abilities and repour with the offense can not easily be replaced. Gardner Minshew is an all-pro in likability, but looked absolutely lost in the Dallas and New Orleans game. The former 6th round pick does nothing well as a quarterback. All the accusations that detractors threw at Hurts these past off seasons (he has a noodle arm, he panics in clean pockets, he is inaccurate, etc.) were seen in his backup these past two weeks. Nothing deflates holiday cheer more than watching Minshew stare down his first read just for Marshon Lattimore to jump the route and take it to the house.
There were plenty of positives in each of these games. A defense without Josh Sweat, CJ Gardner-Johnson and Avonte Maddox only allowed 13 points vs. the Saints, tightening up the holes from the 40 point drubbing by the Cowboys. Devonta Smith and AJ Brown have provided superhuman efforts to give Minshew respectable stat lines. The run game has still looked damn good, even with Miles Sanders banged up. The coaching has made worthwhile adjustments at halftime to try and plug up their weaknesses (more of a nod to Gannon than Steichen oddly enough).
It’s really all been the deficiencies of our favorite Uncle Rico impersonator. But this team is getting healthier in time for the playoffs. The lifeblood of this team in Lane Johnson will be back for the playoffs. Key defensive pieces are coming off of IR. We have one win left, let’s get it!
…Uh Oh…
That last tweet is a little scary. In a do or die game versus New York on Sunday, the Eagles need their MVP QB at full strength. While reports have been positive, this lack of commitment should send alarm bells throughout the city of Philadelphia.
People are not talking enough about the nature of this injury. This is a sprain in his throwing shoulder. If Hurts is rushed back, his mechanics more than likely will be thrown off. He will undoubtedly be more careful and conservative. He will think twice before releasing the deep bombs. I am concerned we may see a shell of Jalen Hurts on Sunday if he does play. With the Giants being wishy washy with how much time their starters play, it’s a scary thought to think #10 may have to trot back out there if Jalen can’t go.
This opens up the floodgates for nightmare scenarios. We will make the playoffs regardless, but a loss to big blue gives us the 5 seed, aka a second date with Tampa Bay. We all remember what happened last time the Eagles trotted into Tampa for the playoffs with a sore Jalen Hurts. Plus, Lane Johnson probably also would not be ready for wildcard weekend, meaning Shaq Barrett and the Tampa front seven could have their way with Jack Driscoll. Even if Jalen does play on Sunday, Kayvon Thibodeaux has emerged as a star, and I have little confidence that a tackle not named Lane Johnson can slow him down.
The only way I will stop panicking is if Jalen plays on Sunday, looks 100 percent and wins by 20. Any other result will have me nervous as hell. Go birds, and as always, Dallas sucks.
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Jish Sokolsky is a featured writer at The Birds Blitz. For more from Jish, check out his archive and read through our Eagles articles for the latest news about the Birds.
