Eagles' Coach Acknowledges 'Moments Where We Haven't Been Good Enough' In Passing Game

An impotent passing game hasn't hurt the Eagles yet but the realization it could is something the team is aware of.

Nick Sirianni meets with reporters before practice on Dec. 11, 2024. / John McMullen/Eagles On SI

PHILADELPHIA - Perceived personal issues that may or may not really exist are deflecting from the real problem in Philadelphia, a suddenly impotent passing game that has mustered 226 gross yards over the past two weeks.

The camouflage of interpersonal communication, along with a nine-game winning streak, a historic running game, and the NFL’s No. 1 defense have somehow convinced a sleeping public in the Delaware Valley to say ‘So What?’ in relation to a passing attack in the same conversation with the New Englands, the New York Giants, and Tennessees of the world.

In theory, having a superstar running back, perhaps the game’s top offensive line, and a top-tier receiving tandem should be enough to expect more. However, the sum hasn’t been greater or even equal to its parts.

When head coach Nick Sirianni got around to the on-the-field stuff on Wednesday before practice he again acknowledged the obvious.  

“Do we all have things to get better at?” Sirianni asked rhetorically. “In the passing game, yeah, I think that's obvious. I think that's what we've been talking about. We all have things we have to get better at, coaches [and] players. This is why this is the greatest team sport there is. It takes everybody. It takes every single person being together. Every single person for the success to happen.”

The outlier on offense, though, has been quarterback Jalen Hurts, whose tendency to be hesitant unless things go off-schedule seems to be worsening as the season goes on.

"There is so much talk because I know, I got to get ready to talk to you guys and hear all the talk,” Sirianni said of Hurts. “...At the end of the day, the thing that doesn't get said enough about Jalen Hurts is he's what? 45-19 over the past four years. That's pretty darn special.”

That said, Sirianni did stipulate things have been missing at times in the passing game.

“It's not a one person thing and so we're all working to get better and we've had moments of being good. We've had some moments of not needing it. We've had moments we're we haven't be good enough,” said Sirianni. “All those things are true.”

To date, the moments of being good and not needing the passing game have overwhelmed the moments that haven’t been good enough to the tune of an 11-2 start.

Unfortunately, the moments that haven’t been good enough have highlighted the potential Achilles heel of a contender and revealed a point of stress for the better competition to come down the road.

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