LONDON — Sitting here in Heathrow Airport, I’ve been reading the online commentary about the Eagles’ 19-17 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Most of the blame has been placed on Eagles coach Nick Sirianni for making a poor decision on the game-losing kickoff.
Sirianni instructed his team to kick the ball in bounds, and the Jaguars made the Eagles pay with a 53-yard kickoff return. Jaguars kicker Cam Little knocked down a game-winner from 57 yards with one second left on the clock.
Those who are not blaming Sirianni are pointing the finger at Hurts.
During the Eagles’ three-game losing streak, Hurts played poorly in the first two losses, and he struggled in the second half of Sunday’s loss against the Jaguars.
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Hurts led the Eagles on a go-ahead field goal drive with eight seconds left, but it was the only scoring drive the offense managed in the second half.
Hurts’ on-field performance has been scrutinized. He’s also being questioned for not challenging the Eagles’ poor in-game management.
Some people are unhappy with Hurts because they believe he blamed Sirianni. But plenty of people are defending him, too.
“Ultimately, that’s not my place,” Hurts said after the game about not running out more of the clock on offense. “Again, that’s not my place. We’re prepared, and I’m prepared as the quarterback to not worry about those things. So I’m honoring the play call, and honoring the things that are coming in the game.
“When I’m up at night, yeah, I think about, ‘Should I have said something or should I have took a step back and said wait’? But ultimately, there’s a commitment to that and going out there and executing.”
Hurts completed 21 of 40 passes against the Jaguars for 220 yards and one touchdown. He said after the game that his play was not good enough.
He missed a touchdown pass to wide receiver Dontayvion Wicks and a few other throws.
Hurts carried the Eagles to their first two victories of the season. But over the last three weeks, his inefficiency as a passer and as a runner has hurt the offense at times.
Hurts has been popular among the Eagles’ fanbase for many years. He’s won Super Bowl MVP and led the team to their best moments in franchise history.
But over the last few months, Hurts has become a polarizing player among the fanbase.
Some people believe he’s a great quarterback held back by poor coaching, while other people believe he’s a big part of the problem.
Whether Hurts or Sirianni is more at fault is a matter of debate. They both need to step up, or the Eagles won’t turn their season around.
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