The Philadelphia Eagles are one of the hottest teams in the NFL. On Sunday, they extended their winning streak to nine games and officially clinched a spot in the playoffs for the fourth straight season. Running back Saquon Barkley also set the franchise’s single-season record for rushing yards, with Eric Dickerson’s NFL record still in reach.
But not everyone is happy in Philadelphia after the Eagles (11-2) eked out a 22-16 win over the Carolina Panthers (3-10) at home. In fact, A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith — one of the top receiver tandems in the league — were visibly frustrated with the passing game after the win.
When asked what the Eagles need to improve on, Brown answered with one word: “Passing.”
Brown finished with four catches for 43 yards and threw his helmet once after a three-and-out. The three-time Pro Bowler, who recorded 1,456 total receiving yards in 2023, has topped 100 yards in a single game just four times this year.
Smith added that their biggest problem was “being on the same page.”
On Sunday, Smith had four catches for 37 yards and a touchdown. Coming off back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons, the 2020 Heisman Trophy winner has totaled just 553 receiving yards through 13 games.
Quarterback Jalen Hurts went 14-of-21 passing for 108 yards and took four sacks. He has not thrown more than 200 yards in a game since a Week 11 win over the Washington Commanders.
“I play my role in how we execute,” Hurts said. “But ultimately it’s about what position we put ourselves in. It’s not my choice.”
One person who might agree with him is head coach Nick Sirianni.
“I think that’s fair that the questions are about our pass game right now,” Sirianni told reporters Sunday.
So where does the blame belong: with Sirianni, offensive coordinator Kellen Moore, the offensive line or Hurts?
The hosts of FS1’s “The Facility” think the answer is Hurts.
Longtime NFL quarterback Chase Daniel broke down several plays from Sunday’s game that showed Brown open, including once in the end zone, and Hurts not throwing him the ball.
“You’ve got to get A.J. Brown involved,” Daniel said. “A.J. Brown is not involved enough.”
Former Eagles linebacker Emmanuel Acho agreed with Daniel’s sentiment.
“Jalen Hurts is a top-three winner in the game of football,” Acho said. “But he is not an incredibly efficient passer.”
“A.J. Brown’s frustration, it is a huge deal. Number one, shoutout to A.J. Brown because he’s bit his tongue for weeks now.”
Acho then asked co-host James Jones, a Super Bowl-winning receiver with the Green Bay Packers, where Brown ranks among current wideouts in the NFL.
“Top five and he’s not five,” Jones answered.
“If A.J. Brown’s a top-five receiver, why in the world does he rank 43rd in targets a game at 6.6?” Acho continued.
“Furthermore, let me dismantle this misnomer that it’s because of Saquon Barkley that A.J. Brown ain’t eating. Everybody can eat,” Acho added before comparing the Eagles to the Lions and Ravens.
The Eagles lead the NFL in carries (473), while the Lions (423) and Ravens (407) aren’t far behind. Those two teams greatly outpace the Eagles in passing touchdowns and yards, though. Baltimore and Detroit rank in the top five in the NFL in both categories; Philadelphia is No. 23 in passing touchdowns and No. 31 in passing yards.
“If A.J. weren’t frustrated, he wouldn’t be human and he wouldn’t be a competitor. I understand that the Eagles are winning and A.J. wants to win. But as a competitor, you also want to help your team to win.”
Next Sunday, the Eagles might have to throw the ball when they host the Pittsburgh Steelers (10-3) in an in-state showdown. Through Week 14, the Pittsburgh defense ranks fourth in the league in rushing yards allowed but just 18th in passing yards. The game will air at 4:25 p.m. ET on FOX, with Kevin Burkhardt and Tom Brady on the call.
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