Jalen Hurts is the easy scapegoat for the Eagles' offensive issues during the 2025 NFL season. But he's the least to blame for the biggest Super Bowl 59-winning hangover to cloud Philadelphia's chances to repeat.
Hurts has been a more efficient quarterback despite the breakdown around him, that's gone from dysfunction to implosion. His play should be commended for not having the same kind of support from the play-calling, traditional running game, blockers and key receivers. That's left Hurts stuck trying to manufacture production with his arm and legs, with a focus on not turning over the ball.
The scoring is down. The yardage is down. The winning is down. Here's looking at the six Eagles who deserve the most heat for their breakdown:
MORE: Updated NFL playoff picture after Week 14 results
Kevin Patullo
Why blame the offensive coordinator?
First off, those Eagles fans who participated in vandalizing Patullo's home and property are an embarrassment. Second, replacing a brilliant offensive mind such as Moore is difficult. That said, it's OK to criticize Patullo not having the same kind of dynamic creativity to give the Eagles the outstanding balance, diversity and explosiveness they had last season.
There's been little adjustment to go from sticking with a struggling and being more aggressive with the pass-happiness. There's some predictability in plays and personnel usage, with opponents facing an offense that's much easier to defense than it was last season. Patullo has been on the Eagles' staff for a while (since 2021) so maybe it was expected to not have a fresh perspective, which helped Moore during his lone season in Philadelphia. The Eagles will likely need to go outside the building to rev up their offense again.
Saquon Barkley
Eric Hartline-Imagn Images
Why blame the running back?
Barkley had insane volume and production last season. Through 20 games, including Super Bowl 59, he had 482 touches, or an average of more than 24 per game. He averaged 5.7 yards per carry over 436 attempts.
This season, going into Week 14, he's seeing 19 touches per game, averaging only 3.7 yards per carry and 4.3 yards per touch, down from 6.0. It's clear the wear and tear on Barkley, 28, has taken its toll on the follow-up to his career first year in Philadelphia.
The big runs are gone, too. He had 17 rushes of 20 or more yards in 2024. In 2025, he's had only 4 so far. He also isn't getting the same kind of boost from the interior blocking.
Landon Dickerson and Tyler Steen
Why blame the guards?
The Eagles have had backup interior lineman Brett Toth play a lot at center to fill in for Cam Jurgens, but both have been solid, anchoring the middle and snapping to Hurts. Jordan Mailata remains an athletic rock at left tackle, while Lane Johnson has battled through injury to hold strong at right tackle.
But Dickerson and Steen have the weakest links, which has hurt Barkley plenty in the between-tackles running game. The lack of a reliable running game when Hurts isn't adding scrambles for chunks has led to a more one-dimensional offense in terms of effective production.
A.J. Brown
Why blame the wide receiver?
Brown is getting hot with some back-to-back big games against the Eagles and Bears, combining for 18 catches for 242 yards and 3 TDs. But those games were still losses and Brown, in his other 9 games, has a total of 457 yards and 3 TDs.
He's still getting fine target volume, averaging 7.9 per game, a slight increase from last season when he played in only 13 regular-season games. But his yards per reception, with the Eagles not calling to push the ball downfield as well, have fallen to 12.5 after posting 16.1 in 2024.
Beyond that, Brown has added some unnecessary extra drama through the media, social or otherwise. The visible frustration has just to led more finger-pointing vs. The Eagles coming together as champions to find real solutions.
Nick Sirianni
Why blame the head coach?
The Eagles have a messy house with plenty of key figures not doing the necessary offensive chores. Sirianni, their offensive-minded leader, should be taking more control of his system over Patullo to the point by taking over the actual play-calling. When there's a coordinator disconnect, it's up to the coach to get control.
Sirianni has proved himself as a terrific motivator with a Super Bowl ring and two NFC championships to his credit. He has won bigger out of the gate than any coach in NFL history. Now Sirianni is drawing comparisons to the last Super Bowl-winning coach in Philadelphia, Doug Pederson, who had a quick fallout when his offense got stale with questionable personnel and scheme calls.
The Eagles, despite the offensive woes, are 8-4 after 12 games. They are in terrific shape to repeat in the NFC East and contend for another NFC title. Sirianni in the big picture is still leading his team well, with close wins over good teams. The defense also has had its share of unexpected toggling issues vs. Run and pass.
There's still time for Sirianni to help his team get it all together on offense, but like Hurts, he can't be exempt from drop in production.