Eagles Chase NFC East Title, Gannon Returns to Philly
PHILADELPHIA — – Jalen Hurts understood the optics of the Eagles looking down and up after the win that put them over the NFC East title. Coach Nick Sirianni argued with the players. Hurts had the kind of private conversations with teammates in his locker that weren’t usually seen in public unless Philadelphia was losing. Heck, the Eagles even told their fans to shut up because the offense wasn’t hearing calls at the line of scrimmage. A.J. Brown had six carries for 80 yards, but seemed visibly frustrated during the game and refused to speak to reporters afterward. Winning should cure all ills—except Philly, it seems.
Yet thanks to all the anonymous staring and bad body language — and even worse play at times in a three-game losing streak — the Eagles can clinch a second straight season with a win over Arizona on Sunday. . (3-12) if Dallas loses or ties Detroit on Saturday. If not, the Eagles can still win the division by beating the Cardinals and then the New York Giants, who they beat on Monday to end the skid. And that was it, Hurts insisted. Winning is fun,andquot; Hurts said.
Everybody likes it.andquot; The Eagles are still in the hunt for the top seed in the NFC, although the top seed in the conference and at least one playoff game at home is more at stake. Hurts, last season’s MVP runner-up, took criticism for strong Philadelphia and two-half woes that included a losing streak, an admirable yet strained comeback streak and a last-game loss. giants Philadelphia led the Giants 20–3 at halftime, but needed cornerback Kelee Ringo and #039’s end zone interception in the final seconds to secure the victory.
Each contestant processes and channels different emotions differently, Hurts said. andquot;How we channel it as a team, when we do it together, when we’re on the same page, that and that is important.andquot; Hurts is tied for the NFL lead with 18 (13 interceptions, including a pick-6 against the Giants and five fumbles), but his 15 sacks are still the QB record. andquot;We just want to grow through these experiences,andquot; Hurts said andquot;the lessons we’ve learned over the last month and channeling them in the right way so we can be successful as a team and who we call on the field.
Sirianni says the team is having fun after the wins. He noted, however, that the franchise has set a high standard for those wins — like a dominant performance last year that included an upset of the 49ers in the NFC Championship Game. The Eagles are not after 14-22. scoring no game by eight points in beating Miami in October. No wonder Sirianni was hot on the sidelines.
That balance exists because it’s hard to win in the NFL and you have to enjoy it and have that balance: joy and determination to improve. You can have both, Sirianni said. andquot;I think it definitely starts with me, to be honest. There were moments in this game where I felt like I was too tight on the touchline and needed to be better about it. I have to do a better job. If I’m going to ask the players themselves to do a better job, I have to do a better job myself, and I definitely felt that about myself.
WELCOME BACK?
Arizona coach Jonathan Gannon took over for the Eaglesand#039; loss in the Super Bowl — then the former defensive coordinator tarnished his reputation by leaving Philly. Gannon refused to answer questions after the Eagles blew a double-digit lead against Kansas City, leaving players like James Bradberry out to dry, and his Super Bowl preparation was called into question when it was revealed he was studying for the interview. with Arizona. The Cardinals said they self-reported that general manager Monti Ossenfort spoke to Gannon by phone in the days after the NFC Championship Game, when contact is not allowed under the NFL’s tampering rules. Gannon, who coached the Eagles for two years, was hired by the Cardinals two days after the Super Bowl. The Eagles later demoted defensive coordinator successor Sean Desai and relinquished the play calling to Matt Patricia. The matter was resolved when the teams agreed to trade 2023 third-round draft picks. The Cardinals also received Philadelphia’s 2024 fifth-round pick. andquot;There were a lot of special moments last year and 2021, and Jonathan Gannon was a big part of that,andquot; Sirianni said. andquot;Every time he thanks me for the opportunity to be here, I always thank him in return because his service to this team and the special things we did when he was here as defensive coordinator was enough for me tenfold.andquot; Sirianni said he never suspected Gannon’s head was anywhere else in the Super Bowl. Gannon brushed off questions about a return to Philly, saying it’s just “the next game on the schedule.” MURRAYAND#039;S SEASON Quarterback Kyler Murray and his return from a knee injury did not change the Cardinalsand#039; season, but it was still encouraging as they look ahead to 2024. Murray missed about 11 months after tearing the ACL in his right knee in 2022. He returned on Nov. 12 and led the game in rushing against the Falcons. Arizona is 2-4 with Murray under center, and the two-time Pro Bowl selection has thrown for 1,305 yards, six touchdowns and four interceptions and rushed for 187 yards and three touchdowns. Murray signed a five-year, $230.5 million contract in 2022 that could keep him in the desert until 2028.
Leave a Reply