The Philadelphia Eagles collapsed Monday night, letting a road win slip through their fingers as Seattle Seahawks backup quarterback Drew Lock drove 92 yards for the game-winning score in the final minute, leading to a third-straight loss for the defending NFC champs.
Following the 20-17 defeat, the third consecutive time the offense was held under 20 points, a subdued Jalen Hurts pointed to the lack of execution and overall commitment of the club.
"I've been talking about execution all year, being on the same page, everyone being on the same page," he said following Monday's loss. "We didn't execute. I don't think we're, we're all, we're committed enough. Just got to turn it around. You know, it's a challenge that we have to embrace. Just continue to see it through."
Asked what he meant by not being committed, Hurts responded: "Commitment. I don't have a dictionary on me now. ... I don't know how else to say that."
The 25-year-old quarterback can play coy, but as the son of a coach who has played in big programs his entire life, he knows how his words will be interpreted. It's a message. Perhaps first and foremost to himself.
"Everyone has their role in it. It starts with me," he said. "We've got to pick ourselves out of this. ... We have to make an internal change in how we attack things. How we come to work every day. It starts with the little things, how committed we are to doing what we're doing. And it all starts with me, the quarterback. It's a challenge I'm embracing. As challenging as these times are, I still see light at the end of the tunnel. Just a matter of believing."
Hurts was held to 143 passing yards and he throwing two fourth-quarter interceptions, including forcing a deep shot on the last possession when a field goal would have tied the contest. The QB added 82 rushing yards and two rushing scores, but on balance, the Eagles offense was a malaise with Hurts playing through illness.
"It's a matter of being on the same page," Hurts said after the game. "It takes everyone being all in, in all aspects. And it starts with me. There's multiple opportunities out there. In the end, there's just not another way you'd have it. The trust that we have in one another, how much we communicate as players. ... We just have to be better; I have to be better. Minimize the mistakes, the penalties, the mental errors. Play team football and it starts with me leading that. We've lost games because I can be better. That will change everything, and I accept that."
The Eagles offense is far too talented to play as inconsistent as they have in recent weeks. Getting blasted by the 49ers and Cowboys was bad. Being stymied by a Seahawks defense that had been rolled over this season? Worse.
"You can point the finger at whatever," he said. "I didn't do a good enough job."
For the bulk of the season, the Eagles have been off in one form or another. One week, the defense is getting torched. Next, the offense can't find the on-button. For the early part of the season, Nick Sirianni's club made it work. The last three weeks, the inconsistencies have bitten them.
Philly still controls the fate of the NFC East, and while Sunday's loss hurts their shot at the No. 1 seed, their goals remain in front of them with games against the New York Giants, Arizona Cardinals and Giants again to close the campaign.
