Eagles' Nick Sirianni, Jalen Hurts drawing internal criticism over disconnect, per reports

Eagles’ Nick Sirianni, Jalen Hurts drawing internal criticism over disconnect, per reports

The Eagles can postpone big-picture questions about their 2023 collapse by simply beating the Buccaneers on Monday night.  Until then, however, all eyes are on the struggles of a team that’s lost five of its last six despite starting 10-1. And internal criticism hasn’t escaped the pairing of coach Nick Sirianni and quarterback Jalen Hurts, according to multiple reports.

Publicly, Hurts and other key Eagles players, including receiver A.J. Brown and left tackle Jordan Mailata, have backed Sirianni during Philadelphia’s slide, defending his passion for the game and locker-room connection. But “sideline spats have carried over to tension” inside team facilities, ESPN reported Monday, where Hurts in particular has been “disappointed” by a “disconnect between the (offensive) visions” of himself, Sirianni and first-time coordinator Brian Johnson.

The Eagles finished the regular season with a top-10 offense in yards and points, but their production hasn’t been nearly as seamless as it was during a 2022 Super Bowl bid, with Hurts also totaling more than twice as many turnovers (20) as he did during his MVP-level breakout. Johnson, who replaced Shane Steichen after the latter took a head coaching job with the Colts, has struggled to “fit his own philosophy” of maximizing Hurts and the offense “within (a) … structure belonging to Sirianni,” per ESPN, muddying the play-calling chain of command down the stretch.

On top of that, some Eagles players also wish Hurts would “open himself up a little more” during times of trouble, according to The Philadelphia Inquirer. Many, including receiver DeVonta Smith and longtime pass rusher Brandon Graham, have championed Hurts’ authenticity; the QB is notorious for his stoicism, which registers positively when the team is winning. Still others, like return specialist Britain Covey, have admitted Hurts’ personality can “be a little bit intimidating,” potentially adding to team tension.

And that’s to say nothing of the Eagles’ defense, which has ranked among the NFL’s worst since an abrupt, unprecedented staffing shakeup in December, when Sirianni stripped new coordinator Sean Desai of play-calling duties, installing assistant Matt Patricia — the former Patriots defensive coordinator and Lions head coach — as the new man in charge on that side of the ball.

On paper, the Eagles have still been one of the NFL’s best contenders under Sirianni and Hurts, making the playoffs in three straight seasons with a combined 34-17 record since 2021. But Monday’s result against the Buccaneers could go a long way in informing what changes team owner Jeffrey Lurie looks to implement after such a tumultuous ride.