On a brisk afternoon at Lincoln Financial Field, the Philadelphia Eagles provided their fans with a spectacle of gritty perseverance as they eked out a 22-16 victory over the Carolina Panthers. This triumph extended the Eagles' winning streak to an impressive nine games, a feat that solidifies their stance as one of the most resilient teams in the league this season.
The final score does little to illustrate the underlying triumph of will over technical precision in Philadelphia’s game. The Eagles asserted their dominance on the ground, amassing 209 rushing yards. This ground game prowess was starkly contrasted by their challenges in the air, as they managed only 83 net passing yards against a Carolina defense that hasn’t exactly set the bar high—ranked 24th in pass yardage allowed and 27th in net yards per pass attempt.
The Passing Puzzle
Quarterback Jalen Hurts found himself grappling with the inefficiencies in the air attack. Despite achieving a total of 108 passing yards with an average of 5.1 yards per attempt, Hurts ruminates at the bottom of the league in passing yards among quarterbacks with two starts in the past couple of matches. The young quarterback’s struggles are especially pronounced on deeper throws, completing just two of six attempts on passes that traveled more than 10 air yards, saddled with a passer rating of 59.0 in such scenarios.
Veteran insight from teammate A.J. Brown struck a chord with the team’s offensive struggles: "Passing. What we did today is not good enough. It won't help us."
DeVonta Smith chimed in with a similar perspective, "I think we can do a lot better. Pass game we can be a lot better... We didn't play up to our standard." Such admissions reflect a culture within the Eagles’ locker room that faces its challenges head-on, aiming to enhance proficiency rather than rest on their laurels.
Grounded Leadership: Hurts’ Perspective
Despite these aerial hardships, Hurts' leadership remains unfaltering. He contributed five total touchdowns over the past two games—three through the air and two on the ground. His performance over a demanding nine-game stretch includes a passer rating of 113.7, ranking fourth in the league, and showcases his adaptability and resilience.
“Winning is the main thing,” insists Hurts. His focus remains unwaveringly on team success rather than individual accolades or statistics. Expounding on the broader goal, Hurts noted, "It isn't about solving anything. Everybody has a reason to want more. It's a fair desire of being in fullness to where we can be because we've done it before. Just got to build, got to progress. Have to find a way to come together and synch as a unit and play complementary ball."
The Road Ahead
The struggle for aerial supremacy remains a pressing concern, a sentiment echoed by left tackle Jordan Mailata. As an ensemble, the Eagles aim to humble themselves before progress, acknowledging shortcomings and focusing on accountability. "We have to put our pride aside and take coaching. That is the form of accountability we harp on a lot. So that's what we have to do. We have to put our pride aside, admit your mistake, learn from it, and don't repeat it. And learn from others' mistakes," articulated Mailata, underlying a philosophy of learning and improving as a collective.
The road to smoothing out their passing issues poses a formidable challenge, yet the Eagles' resilience and dedication to improvement impart hope to their supporters. As the team seeks to refine their coordination and technical skill, their current nine-game winning streak serves as both a testament to their tenacity and a foundation on which they look to build a formidable bid for the postseason.