The Eagles made their fans clutch their Yuenglings, muttering like they were stuck in Jersey traffic. Then—boom—spark, flame, and the whole thing ignited. But before the sky lit up, someone had to yell at the guy holding the lighter.
Cameras caught Jalen Hurts in a fiery, animated exchange with OC Kevin Patullo and RB coach Jemal Singleton. The image sparked immediate speculation. Did the franchise quarterback take over the controls?
On Monday, head coach Nick Sirianni directly addressed the rumors. He firmly shut down the idea of a play-calling coup. “Kevin called the plays yesterday in that second half,” Sirianni stated. However, he was quick to highlight Hurts’ vital role.
“But make no mistake about it, Jalen does a great job of communicating,” Sirianni added. "Jalen sees the field really, really well. He can come back and tell you what happened without even looking at the picture, and then you look at the picture and it’s like, 'Yeah, that’s exactly what happened.'" This wasn't a denial of Hurts' influence but a clarification of the chain of command. Meanwhile, the stat sheet tells a tale of two completely different games.
The first half was historically bad. The Eagles managed a mere 33 total yards. And they found themselves in a 26-7 hole. The second half was a breathtaking explosion. The offense piled up 255 yards, and the team scored 26 points. Besides, Hurts’ transformation was remarkable.
Hurts threw for 209 yards and three touchdowns after halftime. He started connecting with his star receivers downfield. A.J. Brown, silent for two weeks, erupted for 109 second-half yards. The comeback was a testament to pure talent overcoming a sluggish start.
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After the game, Hurts didn’t mince words. He identified a troubling mindset. “We gotta get out of this 'play not to lose,'" Hurts told Pam Oliver. "We gotta come out aggressive and play our game. You saw our game in the second half.” This was a clear message to the coaching staff. His teammate A.J. Brown echoed the sentiment with a powerful demand.
"Let your killers do their thing and play fast and play aggressive," Brown said. Now, Sirianni’s press conference was a masterclass in managing hierarchy.
He affirmed Patullo’s authority while praising Hurts’ football IQ. “You trust the ones that are telling you what they see, and Jalen does a really good job of telling us that,” Sirianni said. This balance is crucial for a team with Super Bowl aspirations.
Sirianni just stamped Patullo’s authority, yet everyone heard the squeal when Hurts grabbed the wheel. If the offensive coordinator keeps the hammer down, Philly flies. If he pumps the brakes, the quarterback’s glare will be back—only louder.
The victory was secured by a legendary defensive play. Jordan Davis blocked a field goal and returned it for a touchdown as time expired. It was a win snatched from the jaws of defeat. The team’s resilience is undeniable. Yet, the path was fraught with self-created obstacles.
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As Jimmy Johnson once said, “Treat a person as he is, and he will remain as he is. Treat him as he could be, and he will become what he should be.” On Sunday night, Hurts perhaps treated Patullo like the play-caller the Eagles need, not the one they feared.