Eagles-Panthers Movie Assessment: Jalen Hurts didn’t play properly however this offense has higher points than simply the quarterback

Nicely, this was a troublesome one. The Carolina Panthers have been a lot better currently, so I wasn’t too stunned. The Philadelphia Eagles’ run recreation was fairly easy, and I really feel like everybody has plenty of questions on Jalen Hurts and the passing recreation, 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 recreation doesn’t have to be distinctive proper now. I don’t even suppose it’s making an attempt to be. You’ll be able to philosophically argue about whether or not a staff can win a Tremendous Bowl with a below-average passing recreation, however proper now, this staff will not be making an attempt to mild it up by throwing the soccer. This staff has an elite run recreation and an impressive protection. The passing recreation must not get in the best way and switch the ball over. When you have a look at Jalen Hurts, he had 30+ go makes an attempt in Weeks 1-4. Because the bye, he hasn’t had 30 makes an attempt as soon as. As A.J. Brown mentioned after the sport, it may be onerous to get right into a rhythm while you don’t throw it very a lot. We may be vital of the passing recreation, and I can be right now, however the Eagles have received 9 straight. Successful is the goal. 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 rather a lot already, so let’s give my take. I don’t come down strongly on both facet, so I’ll weigh up each arguments. As at all times, 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 his reads shortly sufficient beforehand, so he does a great job getting by his progressions. A 3-level stretch play will not be 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, but it surely’s not instantly apparent.

My take: I would like Hurts to take the deep shot. I feel Horn is making an attempt 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 slightly bit extra aggressive? Sure. Who thought I’d have written that just a few months in the past?!

I received’t contact on the working recreation a lot in any respect on this one. To summarise, the Eagles killed the Panthers’ protection by working counter over and over, with some easy zone stuff combined in often, too. This was one of the crucial inventive calls of the night time, 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 vital of Hurts on this recreation. I have already got been. However please, anybody who thinks the passing recreation’s struggles fall solely on his shoulders will not be watching each play. So many design points on this recreation have been unrelated to the play of Hurts. The Eagles tried to hit just a few deep pictures off of play-action on this recreation, and practically each time, there was a problem with the Eagles’ go safety. When you find yourself throwing the soccer about 20-25 instances a recreation, you can not afford to have a number of performs which might be blown up by dangerous 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 mentioned I wouldn’t discuss in regards to the run recreation 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 enjoying at an unimaginable stage.

Watching the TV copy, this play regarded like an terrible play by Hurts. It’s apparent that DeVonta Smith and AJ Brown have been each broad open on the fast slant, so why didn’t he throw it? The All22 exhibits 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 situation, 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 along 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 toes 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 situation. It’s not a ‘dangerous’ play; I simply don’t see a lot creativity for a third and seven. Do we want 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 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 coated (for all of the discuss round AJ Brown this week, it’s truthful to level out that the Panthers’ protection coated him very properly at instances), after which a bunch of isolation routes the place nobody will get open. AJ Brown ought to be the reply towards man protection, however just a few weeks in the past, everybody was moaning that the Eagles have been taking these low-percentage pictures to AJ Brown down the sector on third down! He isn’t actually open right here. This could be a low-percentage throw.

Blame the quarterback all you need, however there is not rather a lot 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 improbable, and Wilson ultimately uncovers, however he drifts in direction of the soccer, whereas Hurts throws this ball up the sector. The minor particulars matter. I’d prefer to see the receiver the Eagles spent a third spherical decide on get this opportunity to win on third down.

What was I saying earlier about points in go safety when working play-action? These items can’t occur on a staff that doesn’t throw the soccer rather a lot. Destructive performs kill this offense as a result of a run-first offense won’t succeed if the quarterback is sacked steadily. Fortunately, Jalen Hurts bails out the offense with a ridiculous scramble. If we’re going to present all of the adverse Hurts performs, we’ve to be truthful and say that he bailed the offense out just a few instances, 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 broad open, however his drop doesn’t time up with that route, which means that DeVonta Smith might be the first learn right here. I’ll be trustworthy: I’m glad to interrupt down performs and attempt to touch upon what I see, however I’m going to battle to be too vital 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 uncertain what else so as to add with out being within the room and realizing how that is coached.

That is one the place I wish 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 probabilities to win even in shut man-to-man protection. Nevertheless, 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 uncertain why Johnny Wilson is left into block for therefore lengthy, however by the point he releases out, Hurts has already left the pocket. The timing feels off. Regardless of being vital of the timing, that is an instance the place you may be vital 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 tough 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. Nevertheless, I nonetheless have points with the design.

The Eagles have had plenty of success working Mesh over the previous few weeks, and the Panthers have been prepared. The Panthers’ secondary performed properly, and it’s important to credit score them and criticize the Eagles. You can argue that the bottom dig is open right here, however when has Hurts ever been capable of 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 underneath strain. As soon as once more, it’s one other design that seems like Hurts has nowhere else to go as soon as his main learn will not be open. The Mesh level on this play additionally feels bizarre. The 2 receivers crossing ought to be actually shut collectively to create visitors, however they aren’t right here. AJ Brown finally ends up working again right into a defender with exterior leverage. I’d just like the Eagles to offer AJ the flexibleness 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 wished to submit this as a result of I feel the Eagles’ passing recreation will not be profiting from how good the working recreation is. They need to be working extra stuff from related appears to make the most of the working recreation. I’ll get into what I imply in a while. Right here’s an excellent 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 traditional instance of an offense not ready. The Eagles name 3 vertical routes on 2nd and a couple of to attempt to take a deep shot down the sector. That’s tremendous. However you may’t run this when the cornerback comes on a blitz. There needs to be a scorching route right here. A sight adjustment. You might be giving the quarterback no likelihood 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 crucial on 2nd and a couple of. I’m all for being extra aggressive. This was not the precise time for that.

I’m certain I’ll get criticism for not being vital 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 cellular quarterback within the fashionable NFL who can create when the play breaks down, and that is an instance of Hurts simply making a play. It may not be a 35-yard go down the sector, but it surely counts for a similar.

This play is hilarious. We now have all gone full circle once we are all going mad at Hurts for eliminating his reads too early. Enjoying quarterback is difficult. On the sport’s first play, I criticized Hurts for processing issues too shortly. Typically, if a quarterback is making an attempt to hurry up their course of (which has been a criticism of Hurts prior to now), then they will begin processing issues too shortly. I feel he eliminates his reads too shortly right here and will keep to the left facet, 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.

Although he completely ought to have thrown it to the skin, 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 midst of the sector. That is the kind of play that we ought to be enthusiastic about! That is an space of his recreation that he’s been missing. Nevertheless, 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 onerous to be extremely vital after I see the quarterback throwing touchdowns. As I mentioned earlier, I’ve different points to fret about. However I don’t know what he’s right here.

I’m going to speak about this much more as will probably 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 recreation. The Eagles’ passing recreation doesn’t make the most of how dominant the run recreation is. It’s bizarre.

Even the nice performs don’t work greater than as soon as, although. I’m undecided why AJ Brown doesn’t run this route correctly. It’s slightly 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 healthier than taking the sack (2nd-and-19).

Let’s finish right here. It is a pretty throw and catch. It’s slightly 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 seems like nothing is straightforward for the Eagles within the passing recreation. Every little thing shouldn’t have to be this tough.

TLDR: the passing recreation will not be 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 straightforward responsible one particular person for the issues with the passing recreation.

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

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