PHILADELPHIA—The Eagles insist they are focused on Week 15 and the impending visit of the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday, and that Brandon Graham’s mispronounced words earlier this week have put out the fire.
We’ll see soon enough if that distraction didn’t leave any traces of any glowing embers when kick-off takes place at. 16:25
Saquon Barkley grew up less than 100 miles from his former home of the Giants, MetLife Stadium, and the Eagles’ home, Lincoln Financial Field. He learned this week that noise doesn’t take long to travel.
“I’ve been part Philly, part New York,” the Eagles running back said. “Something has to happen. Has to have some kind of entertainment but at the end of the day the only thing that matters is what we think in this dressing room, how we function in this dressing room.
“Our job is to come in here and answer questions, but with respect to what you say, the narratives or the narrative created by the media in general doesn’t matter if we believe in this locker room. There’s a reason we’re 11-2 and won nine in a row and we’ve got a tough opponent coming in, and we’ll try to do the same thing.”
Receiver AJ Brown had a role in setting the fire. After last week’s win over the Panthers, he said the passing game didn’t hold up its end of the bargain on offense. He wasn’t wrong. Some, like Graham, believed Brown was pointing the finger at quarterback Jalen Hurts.
Graham said Brown and Hurts’ friendship was not as strong as it was before Brown arrived in a trade in 2022. Brown and Hurts said their relationship was good. Maybe it’s not what it was before they became teammates, but it’s good enough to keep winning.
“We’re not in it for emotion,” Brown said. “We’re not in it to hold everybody’s hands. We’re going out here and trying to do a job and hold everybody accountable. … We’re trying to hold up the Lombardi Trophy. That’s the end goal. Who cares if they want to spin it and perceive me as the bad guy? I’m throwing someone under the bus? It’s about what we’re trying to do at the end.”
Expect the Eagles to do what they can against the Steelers to get Hurts into a rhythm in the passing game, whether it’s some quick easy throws, leaning to Brown or DeVonta Smith, freeing up Barkley and Kenny Gainwell for some short throws, and a tight screen or two to Grant Calcaterra.
“Just finding that rhythm,” Hurts said when asked what he can do better on his end to fix. “A rhythm thing is important. It takes a collective group in how we approach things, what we do and how we attack people and ultimately know my job and do my job.”
Brown said it wasn’t all on Hurts.
“It was protection, it picked up a block,” he said. “It was maybe reads on Jalen’s part. It was maybe we got open quicker, where we needed to be. It’s a timing thing. Not saying the sky is falling with our passing game. But it’s something to create awareness of, to focus on , to get better at the moment we have I was a little frustrated.
Added left tackle Jordan Mailata: “People want to blame everything on Jalen but the blame shouldn’t be put on him. Are we giving him enough time to read through? Are the receivers getting open? It’s a collective effort. And then you look from like the coaching is the scheme good? You know, there’s a number of reasons why our passing game isn’t as good as it was, but we’re working on it and I’m excited for this week.”
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