Eagles’ Jalen Hurts Addresses Pre-Snap Penalties Following Tough Loss to Dallas
The Philadelphia Eagles found themselves grappling with a frustrating trend on Sunday, as they succumbed to the Dallas Cowboys in a tightly contested 24-21 match. At the heart of the defeat were numerous pre-snap penalties, an issue that has become increasingly prevalent under head coach Nick Sirianni. The Eagles committed a season-high 14 penalties during the game, a statistic that raised alarms among both players and coaches.
Breaking Down the Penalties
Offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo highlighted a specific moment that encapsulated the team’s struggles. Early in the third quarter, a promising 20-yard completion from quarterback Jalen Hurts to tight end Dallas Goedert was nullified due to an illegal formation penalty.
“In the second half, we came out, we went empty, we got a completion, and then we had an illegal formation on an explosive,” Patullo explained. “When you have a penalty on an explosive play, which flips the field for us, now all of a sudden, you’re behind the sticks.”
This misstep was a microcosm of the overarching issue, with Patullo emphasizing the need for better focus from the entire unit. “We have to do a better job as a staff and as a whole unit in general with this stuff of just continuously pressing onto this issue,” he remarked.
Hurts’ Call for Collective Responsibility
Hurts echoed his coordinator’s concerns, pointing out that the problem isn’t isolated to any single player. “I think it is a collective thing. It’s not one individual. It’s not one person,” he stated, underscoring the shared responsibility among teammates.
As the leader on the field, Hurts is advocating for a heightened attention to detail. “You see it showing up in different spots, all phases, everybody is having a little of those shortcomings,” he noted. “So how I try to influence that is by setting the right example, making sure I’m on my Ps and Qs and doing the things I can do because anything I say, it only goes so far.”
Leading by Example
Hurts understands the importance of leading by example, aiming to inspire his teammates to follow suit. “Then I want to be able to have everyone echoing the same things of ‘hey, it’s about the details, it’s about our focus, it’s about executing so we can have energy and great emotion and enthusiasm in what we do,” he added.
Despite the growing concerns regarding the Eagles’ offensive efficiency, Hurts remains optimistic. “Just gotta give more,” he said, emphasizing the need for everyone to elevate their performance. “Everything demands more, and so we all have to take that next step and raise our level of play, raise our level of focus. Continue to press forward.”
As the Eagles look to rebound from this defeat, Hurts reassures fans and teammates alike, “It’ll come, it’ll come. We have to press forward. We just have to press forward.”
