Jalen Hurts shared that he had “great moments” with Philadelphia Eagles coach Nick Sirianni during their meetings over the bye week, which aimed to help the .500 team get back in the NFC playoff race. Did they just become best friends?
Probably not. There’s unlikely to be any karate in the garage, but it was important to show that the coach and his quarterback are aligned after speculation about issues in their relationship and Sirianni being on the hot seat.
Hurts, who has the second-most turnovers in the NFL with seven, admitted during training camp that there was some tension in the locker room last season when the team fell from a 10-1 start to a wild-card loss. Sirianni, who led the Eagles to the Super Bowl in 2022, was not very complimentary about Hurts during camp, saying, “Jalen and I’s relationship is good.”
Now with the Eagles at 2-2 and an easier schedule ahead, starting Sunday against the struggling Cleveland Browns (1-4), Hurts said he had “one of the most efficient bye weeks” of his career, putting in the effort needed to get the Eagles back on track.
“We’re the two leaders of the team,” Hurts said. “I’m happy and fortunate that we were able to come together in harmony and have the same goal in mind, trying to get this thing right.
I got a ton of confidence in him, a ton of confidence in what he brings and everything he’s been able to accomplish. Just continue to press on, on that.
Everybody goes through different moments, and everybody experiences adversity, but we’ve experienced different levels of adversity together. We’re excited for what’s to come.”
The next challenge might be the easiest one. BetMGM Sportsbook has the Eagles as 9.5-point favorites against the Browns.
Yes, the Eagles have underperformed, but the first four teams they face after the bye are even worse.
Cleveland, the New York Giants, Cincinnati, and Jacksonville have a combined record of 5-15, suggesting that if the Eagles can get healthy—injured receivers A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith are expected to return—fix their turnover issues, and take advantage of weaker teams, their season could be saved.
The Eagles seem like Super Bowl contenders compared to the situation in Cleveland.
Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson has recently resolved a civil lawsuit against him for claims of sexual assault and battery. His legal troubles have overshadowed some of the worst performances by any starting quarterback in the NFL in years.
