The Philadelphia Eagles are desperately trying to figure out what is ailing their offense, and it has been an all-hands-on-deck effort. Star quarterback Jalen Hurts has taken the matter into his own hands since the loss to the Broncos on Sunday, doing everything he can to get to the bottom of Philadelphia's offensive struggles.
On Tuesday, Hurts revealed that he has reached out to his former college coach, Nick Saban, for advice, as reported by PHLY Sports' EJ Smith. The two reportedly discussed "winning the fourth quarter," which Hurts described as, "We had a conversation and caught up a little bit. It's always good to get good direction from him and hear his voice and his perspective."
This came on the heels of the players-only meeting between Saquon Barkley, AJ Brown, and Hurts on Monday.
Jalen Hurts' Conversation with Nick Saban Raises Questions
On paper, there is absolutely nothing wrong with Hurts looking for answers anywhere he could find them in a time of struggle. He clearly identified a weakness, which is late-game offense, and took it upon himself to fix it. This is understandable, considering that the Eagles have scored the second-fewest points per game in fourth quarters (3.8) in the NFL through five weeks, after leading the league in that category last season. If anything, this demonstrates accountability and is a great sign of leadership.
In practice, however, it raises questions about the Eagles' coaching staff. The fact that Hurts is turning to his teammates and Nick Saban over Kevin Patullo and Nick Sirianni is not a good sign for the relationship between Hurts and the coaches. The star signal-caller is seemingly relying on external sources to help him get over the hump rather than his coaching staff.
This doesn't mean that Sirianni has lost or is losing the team. It is perfectly normal for a player like Hurts to reach out to a former coach, especially if they are one of the greatest minds in football like Saban. The iconic former Alabama head coach knows Hurts very well from their time together, which led to a historic freshman season for Hurts. Under Saban, Hurts broke a ton of school records, including breaking the single-season touchdown record and most rushing yards by a QB. Even though his time in Alabama didn't end on a high note, with Hurts transferring to Oklahoma after losing his starting spot to Tua Tagovailoa, the respect he has for Saban is clear.
If the Eagles bounce back against the Giants in Week 6 and the offense looks like its 2024 self, no harm, no foul. Let's hope that the conversation with Saban gives Hurts the answers he was looking for. Otherwise, Kevin Patullo will really have to ramp up his efforts to save his job.