Sports The Philadelphia Eagles are one in every of basically the most up as a lot as now groups within the NFL. On Sunday, they prolonged their winning jog to 9 video games and formally clinched a space within the playoffs for the fourth straight season. Running lend a hand Saquon Barkley also pickle the franchise’s single-season file for speeding yards, with Eric Dickerson’s NFL file smooth in reach.
But no longer each person is at ease in Philadelphia after the Eagles (11-2) eked out a 22-16 obtain over the Carolina Panthers (3-10) at dwelling. Essentially, A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith — one in every of the discontinue receiver tandems within the league — were visibly pissed off with the passing sport after the obtain.
When asked what the Eagles wish to toughen on, Brown answered with one note: “Passing.”
Brown done with four catches for 43 yards and threw his helmet once after a 3-and-out. The three-time Pro Bowler, who recorded 1,456 total receiving yards in 2023, has topped 100 yards in a single sport proper four times this yr.
Smith added that their largest disclose changed into once “being on the identical page.”
On Sunday, Smith had four catches for 37 yards and a touchdown. Coming off lend a hand-to-lend a hand 1,000-yard seasons, the 2020 Heisman Trophy winner has totaled proper 553 receiving yards by scheme of 13 video games.
Quarterback Jalen Hurts went 14-of-21 passing for 108 yards and took four sacks. He has no longer thrown larger than 200 yards in a sport since a Week 11 obtain over the Washington Commanders.
“I play my position in how we make,” Hurts mentioned. “But within the smash it is about what situation we save ourselves in. It be no longer my more than a couple of.”
One individual that would possibly per chance per chance accept as true with him is head coach Reduce Sirianni.
“I mediate that is glowing that the questions are about our crawl sport honest now,” Sirianni told journalists Sunday.
So the build does the blame belong: with Sirianni, offensive coordinator Kellen Moore, the offensive line or Hurts?
The hosts of FS1’s “The Facility” mediate the answer is Hurts.
Longtime NFL quarterback Lunge Daniel broke down numerous performs from Sunday’s sport that showed Brown initiating, including once within the stop zone, and Hurts no longer throwing him the ball.
“You have to net A.J. Brown piquant,” Daniel mentioned. “A.J. Brown is no longer piquant ample.”
Primitive Eagles linebacker Emmanuel Acho agreed with Daniel’s sentiment.
“Jalen Hurts is a top-three winner within the game of football,” Acho mentioned. “But he’s no longer an incredibly efficient passer.”
“A.J. Brown’s frustration, it is a colossal deal. No 1, shoutout to A.J. Brown on yarn of he’s bit his tongue for weeks now.”
Acho then asked co-host James Jones, a Wide Bowl-winning receiver with the Green Bay Packers, the build Brown ranks amongst fresh wideouts within the NFL.
“Top 5 and he’s no longer 5,” Jones answered.
“If A.J. Brown’s a top-5 receiver, why on this planet does he tainted Forty third in targets a sport at 6.6?” Acho persisted.
“Furthermore, let me dismantle this misnomer that it is on yarn of of Saquon Barkley that A.J. Brown ain’t eating. Each person can eat,” Acho added sooner than evaluating the Eagles to the Lions and Ravens.
The Eagles lead the NFL in carries (473), whereas the Lions (423) and Ravens (407) don’t seem like some distance within the lend a hand of. Those two groups very a lot outpace the Eagles in passing touchdowns and yards, though. Baltimore and Detroit tainted within the discontinue 5 within the NFL in both lessons; Philadelphia is No. 23 in passing touchdowns and No. 31 in passing yards.
“If A.J. weren’t pissed off, he wouldn’t be human and he wouldn’t be a competitor. I save that the Eagles are winning and A.J. needs to acquire. But as a competitor, you furthermore mght are attempting to succor your crew to acquire.”
Subsequent Sunday, the Eagles would possibly per chance per chance wish to throw the ball after they host the Pittsburgh Steelers (10-3) in an in-dispute showdown. By Week 14, the Pittsburgh defense ranks fourth within the league in speeding yards allowed but proper 18th in passing yards. The sport will air at 4:25 p.m. ET on FOX, with Kevin Burkhardt and Tom Brady on the call.
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