The Coaching Staff Jalen Hurts Malpractice has jeopardized the entire season
by John Kincade
It’s not 20/20 hindsight when you talked about it all season long and we’re tweeting about it during the game before the Jalen Hurts shoulder injury happened. It’s not second guessing when you wonder why the star running back who had a monster game the week before didn’t get a touch until 6 minutes before halftime on Sunday. It’s common sense to wonder why as a coaching staff you decided to put the star asset at risk so often when it was not necessary to defeat a 3 win football team. All of the questions, griping and anger is well earned by Shane Steichen and Nick Sirianni. It’s the first time in 2022 where they seem to have lost their way. That is why they deserve the heat, temporarily, but also deserve your support. Hopefully this is just a bump in the road and a valuable lesson for the future.
Let us get a few points straight on the situation;
– A well placed source has told me the following. There is absolutely no reason to assume that Jalen Hurts is done for the regular season based on his shoulder strain. Any reporting or assumptions to the contrary are not based in fact. That does not mean that if presented with the opportunity to rest him for the final 2 games if they defeat Dallas is an option that they won’t take it.
– I was also told that IF the Dallas game was necessary to clinch the playoffs, division title or the top seed in the NFC that he would have been under strong consideration to play while still a bit banged up.
Here is what annoys me most about the Hurts injury. It was completely avoidable. The Eagles have the best run blocking offensive line in the NFL, yet they refused to employ it against the Bears who were one of the worst teams against the run in the league. It was brutally cold and windy. You had the physical advantage. You decided to go with a riskier game plan of deep passing on a windy day and riskier RPO’s for your QB. Fir those that say, it’s on Hurts in those RPO situations to not run the ball as much I offer you this. It’s the coaches that call the RPO to begin with. They didn’t have to. They chose to. It was tactical arrogance and it cost them a valuable asset.
Do you know how many teams needed to go heavy RPO vs the Bears in order to defeat them? The answer is NONE of the previous ten teams that beat them. The coaching staff will need to answer for why they felt the best solution to winning was the most dangerous.
So in summary, I believe it is VERY likely if they lose at Dallas that Jalen Hurts will start the January 1st game vs the Saints. If they defeat Dallas behind Gardner Minshew they will then decide how much if any playing time they want to get Jalen in the final 2 games. Thankfully the 13-1 record gives them breathing room. Unfortunately instead of cruising into the playoffs the Eagles coaching staff created their own adversity. That is certainly an odd choice and worthy of any critique coming their way. Just remember, those same coaches have led them to a 13-1 mark and deserve a lot of praise for that. Everybody breathe and enjoy the holiday. Rest up Jalen, we need you in January!
