Stunning Jalen Hurts revelation shows just how broken the Eagles are

The Dallas Cowboys’ shocking playoff loss in January did a lot to distract from one of the most spectacular collapses in recent NFL history. After starting the season 10-1 and looking like a formidable Super Bowl contender, the Eagles lost six of their final seven games.

That stretch included getting blown out by the 49ers and Cowboys. They ceded the NFC East to Dallas and they were so broken that they were considered a dead-team walking going into the postseason. Sure enough, they went out without a whimper against the Buccaneers in the first round.

It’s difficult to remember a collapse of a similar magnitude. While the Eagles’ defense couldn’t stop a nosebleed, their previously-elite offense lost all of its momentum. Jalen Hurts was out of sync with his receivers and threw five interceptions in the final four games.

The Eagles’ made wholesale changes to their coaching staff this offseason, including hiring former Cowboys offensive coordinator Kellen Moore to the same position. That could make all the difference, but a stunning revelation about Hurts suggests Philly is beyond saving.

Jalen Hurts confiding in fired Giants DC Wink Martindale is hiarlious for Cowboys fans

According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler and Tim McManus, Hurts reached out to former Giants defensive coordinator Wink Martindale after the 2023 regular season. Martindale had already been fired by the Giants and Hurts was desperate for answers on how to fix the Eagles’ fractured offense.

“I’ve been doing this for 40 years, and it’s the first time I’ve had an opposing quarterback call me up,” said Martindale. “I thought it was pretty cool that the guy called. It shows you what kind of pro he really is. He’s just looking at every angle that he can to get better.”

Martindale apparently told Hurts that the Eagles weren’t “committed to the run.” From Weeks 12 to 16, Hurts averaged 32.8 pass attempts per game. That has not been Philadelphia’s identity since Hurts became the full-time starter in 2021. The Eagles’ one-dimensional offense made it easy for Martindale — and seemingly other defensive coordinators — to slow Hurts and Co. down.

The Giants shocked the Eagles in Week 18. A week earlier, Philadelphia blew a 21-6 halftime lead against the three-win Cardinals. A win in either game would have given them the NFC East crown. Meanwhile, the Cowboys took care of business against the Lions and Commanders to steal the division.

Eagles fans will spin this report as a testament to Hurts’ character, but it is more damning than anything else. The fact Hurts reached out to a rival coordinator seemingly days after he was fired shows that he and Nick Sirianni were out of answers. Are we to assume the kinks have been rectified?

Kellen Moore has overseen elite offenses in his career as a play-caller. However, it’s asking a lot for him to navigate an offense that crumbled last year at the first sight of adversity, and a head coach and quarterback who don’t appear to be on the same page.