After weeks and weeks of ridicule, it looks like the Eagles offense has now found their identity under offensive coordinator Brian Johnson. Much was made about the lack of production from the offense during the first couple of weeks of the 2023 season. It seems though that even while going through their growing pains, Jalen Hurts and Brian Johnson have found their balance but are yet to be a finished product.
Hurts struggled for the better part of the first half of the season with turnovers and holding onto the ball way too long. It was reminiscent of the offense that we once saw under Head Coach Doug Pederson after the big Super Bowl win. The routes were taking long to develop and the ball wasn’t being distributed to all of their playmakers.
From my perspective, it looks like Johnson has heavily focused on developing the passing game as opposed to relying on the run game which the Eagles are infamously known for. With the run game taking a back seat we’ve seen a dip in yards per carry number but we’ve seen a rise in the pass game.
Over the last three games, Jalen Hurts has passed for 805 yards, 8 passing touchdowns, and only one interception. He does have three fumbles over the last three games but the QB and OC have found a way to get the ball out Hurts’ hands faster. Which is going to be key to keeping him healthy this season.
The Eagles offense is back??
For those who don’t believe that this offense is progressing in the right direction, here are some numbers to ease your panic. Brian Johnson’s offense currently ranks third in total yards, first in first downs, second in points scored, and is ranked seventh in both passing and rushing yards. That doesn’t sound like an offense that many people need to worry about.
Another food for thought, the Eagles offense is putting up these kinds of numbers while not putting together a complete game as of yet. There have been moments where they had to rely on the run game as the passing game struggled. Lately, it has been the opposite where now the passing game is flourishing but the running game is struggling.
Jalen Hurts has jumped back into the MVP talks with his play over the last several weeks. Hurts has returned to form and has been accurately hitting his playmakers even with the questionable knee injury. If the Eagles QB continues this level of play for the rest of the season then the Eagles could end up back in the Super Bowl but they’ll need their offensive line to limit the amount of pressures that they’ve been giving up as of late.
Brian Johnson and Jalen Hurts are weathering the storm while still winning which isn’t usually the case in the NFL. But the fact of the matter is that the good teams always find a way to win and that’s what the Eagles are. A damn good team.
AP Photo/Matt Rourke
