Jalen Hurts' passing game limitations have fallen short of what Eagles need

PHILADELPHIA -- The conversation over the Eagles' offensive struggles seems to stretch in a dozen directions without focusing enough on the man with the ball in his hands, Jalen Hurts.

It's understandable if his résumé clouds the fact he has been part of the problem. He's a highly accomplished 27-year-old quarterback who has already collected a world championship, two Super Bowl appearances, two Pro Bowl nods and a Super Bowl MVP.

He is a force inside the walls of the NovaCare Complex, channeling his inner Nick Saban (Hurts' former college coach at Alabama) to push the standard for excellence ever higher. And just think of how those expectations have soared for a franchise that recently climbed above .500 for the first time in 92 years: There wasn't much fanfare over the fact the Eagles rattled off 18 consecutive wins in games Hurts started and finished dating back to last September, yet there has been a fair amount of panic and hair-pulling over two losses that marked their first losing streak since the 2023 season.

His achievements and organizational impact are above debate. But so far this season, Hurts has fallen short of what the Eagles have needed.

There was little doubt coming into the season that Saquon Barkley was going to draw heavy attention from opposing defenses after his historic 2024 campaign, and that has proven out, with Barkley running into stacked boxes (8-plus defenders) 30% of the time compared to 21% last season, per NFL Next Gen Stats. Barkley has been limited to 54.2 yards per game after averaging an astounding 125.3 YPG in 2024. More has fallen on the shoulders of Hurts and the passing game, with Hurts averaging 29 pass attempts per game compared to 24 last season.

The uptick in opportunity has not led to satisfactory production. The Eagles rank 29th in passing yards (179.2 per game). Hurts has been average in QBR (14th, 60.8%) and completion percentage (15th, 68%) and below average in yards per attempt (22nd, 6.8%) and EPA per dropback (21st, 15.9%). He has been sacked 18 times -- the third most in the NFL -- and oversees an offense that leads the league in three-and-outs with 22.

He is normally money in high-leverage situations, and that largely remains true this season, as evidenced in part by Philly's league-leading 87.5% red zone success rate. There has also been some blemishes, including a pair of misfires on critical throws in last week's 34-17 loss to the Giants that helped turn the tide in New York's favor.

"I got to be better. I take ownership for it. A lot of autonomy, a lot of opportunity with the ball in my hands and given those situations, I have to be wiser and more detailed with it," Hurts said ahead of Sunday's matchup against the Minnesota Vikings (1:00 p.m. ET, Fox). "Always looking inward first."

That autonomy, per Eagles coach Nick Sirianni, includes helping set protections and changing plays or routes at the line of scrimmage.

"You're good with that because he's right a lot of times of what he's seeing," Sirianni said.

Hurts' ownership of the offense has grown over his four-plus years at the helm and certainly has not gone backwards after outdueling Kansas City's Patrick Mahomes on the biggest stage, complete with a 46-yard "dagger" to DeVonta Smith as part of his sterling three-touchdown performance. He said in December of that season that "the offense is going to look how Jalen Hurts wants it to look."

He has shown that he can put the offense on his back as a passer in critical moments. What he still needs to prove is that he can do it for sustained stretches.

The Eagles started off the 2024 season planning on being a more balanced attack but shifted to a Barkley-centric approach after a 2-2 start in which Hurts committed seven turnovers.

Hurts' pass attempts per game plummeted from 33 to 22.5 on average after the team's Week 5 bye and he threw one interception the rest of the way. The Eagles went on to dominate on the back of a top-tier defense and running game, which was fueled in part by Hurts' 630 yards and 14 touchdowns on the ground.

A slowed rushing game this season has changed the calculus for the Eagles. Defenses are finding success with zone coverage featuring two-high safety shells, particularly when it comes to limiting the big play. Seven of Hurts' eight touchdown passes this season are against man, per ESPN Research. It's the same story for his career, with just 28 of his 93 touchdown passes coming against zone. There are pressures built off of those coverages that have proven effective, including defensive back blitzes -- nobody has faced more DB blitzes (22.5% of dropbacks) than Hurts, and it's a factor in his sizable sack total.

He is not maximizing the skill sets of his formidable receiver duo. A.J. Brown, who ranks 47th in receiving yards (274) through six games while Smith (321 yards) ranks 32nd. This group has dealt with frustrations in the pass game spanning multiple seasons and various coordinators, with the common denominator being Hurts.

Asked why the offense is still working to get on the same page this season despite being together for some time now as a group, Hurts said: "I think it's like having all the same ingredients but having a different chef in the kitchen. I think that's kind of what it's been for us over the years." The new cook this season is offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo, the fifth playcaller Hurts has had in the pros.

It's right to factor in the learning curve that comes with having yet another OC and certainly Patullo needs to wear some of the responsibility for the offense underperforming. But one of the benefits of promoting Patullo was the system would largely stay in place, making for a smoother transition. And it should be noted that other NFL QBs have dealt with changes to the offensive staff, such as Baker Mayfield in Tampa Bay, Jared Goff in Detroit and Dak Prescott in Dallas, and all are performing at a high level.

There's a new coordinator, the offensive line has been banged up and the defense has been more giving -- and all of that plays a role in why the Eagles have been outgained in every game so far.

But few quarterbacks are blessed with tackles such as Lane Johnson and Jordan Mailata and have a skill group that rises to the talent level of Brown, Smith, Dallas Goedert and Barkley and yet most have been more productive through the air.

Hurts has shown growth every season he has been in the league. He has improved against the blitz overall, has held his interceptions to single digits in all but one season (2023) and has engineered nine game-winning drives over the past two-plus seasons. This season, he is third among qualified QBs in TD/INT ratio (8.0) and has the fourth best off-target percentage (10.2%) in the league.

It's mostly good, and his approach has led to a remarkable 50-22 record as a starter. But as Hurts has said about leadership in the past, each year requires a different version of yourself. And this season, because of all the different circumstances, what is required is that he elevates his game as a passer.

It's never a good idea to bet against Hurts, but it's fair to say he hasn't gotten there yet. He'll need to in order for the Eagles to accomplish what they want to accomplish.