The NFL playoffs will begin for the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, and there is a ton of pressure on Jalen Hurts and the offense to flip a switch.
Throughout the 2025 NFL season, the Eagles’ defense was by far the most dominant and consistent unit for the team. If the Eagles can maintain the same level of dominance on that side of the ball, then the sky is the limit.
But the offense simply needs to be better to take some of the pressure off the defense. Philadelphia Eagles legend Ron Jaworski laid out what he believes should be the blueprint for the Eagles against the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday.
Looking back at last year’s run for the Eagles, the team struggled on offense on a smaller scale during the regular season. They were able to reach another level in the playoffs. The key was running the ball—specifically having the ball in Jalen Hurts’ hands.
“When we got to the playoffs, it was a totally different picture,” Jaworski said on 94WIP.
“I kind of got the numbers to bear that out. If you look at the four games in the playoffs last year against Green Bay, LA, Washington, and KC, we rushed for 818 yards in four games. We threw the ball in those four games for 647 yards. Here’s the kicker: Jalen Hurts ran in those four games for 194 yards—almost 50 yards per game. We need to get Jalen involved more in the running game.”
To the public, sometimes saying the quarterback needs to run can be viewed as a knock. Hurts often finds himself criticized in that way, as many view his running as a mask for his struggles with throwing the ball. The reality is that the dual-threat factor helps keep defenses guessing and gives the Eagles better odds of taking care of the ball.
“We only turned the ball over one time, didn’t fumble the ball one time in the whole postseason,” Jaworski added. “There’s the blueprint right there. Run the ball effectively, get Jalen involved in the running game, as well as the passing, don’t turn the football over, and we win!”
The Eagles and the 49ers will kick off their win-or-go-home battle at 4:30 PM ET on Sunday.
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