Frustrations boil over, Jason Kelce’s affinity for the Birds remains, and more from the Eagles-Bears broadcast
Cameras caught Nick Sirianni's heated reaction to a late hit in the second quarter while Jalen Hurts was visibly frustrated after backup QB Andy Dalton's interception.
Any given Monday?
On Monday, the Chicago Bears shocked the Eagles, 27-7. While the Eagles committed three turnovers, the Bears offense was near perfect behind third-string quarterback Case Keenum, who threw for 247 yards and two touchdowns. He added a rushing touchdown.
If you made the trip to the Windy City or shut the game off early, here’s what you may have missed from ESPN’s Monday Night Football broadcast:
T.J. Edwards listens in
With the Eagles trailing 20-7 late in the third quarter, Bears linebacker and former Eagle T.J. Edwards picked off quarterback Jalen Hurts on fourth-and-5. From one camera angle, it appeared that Edwards listened in on the play call:
“Up listening in to Jalen Hurts, who was going through the call at the line of scrimmage,” ESPN play-by-play commentator Joe Buck said of Edwards. “And then T.J. just backs up right in front of DeVonta Smith and gets the pick.”
Added color broadcaster Troy Aikman: “Yeah, he said, ‘You’re going to do what? Well, wait till you see what I’m going to do.’”
» READ MORE: Grading the Eagles' loss to the Chicago Bears
Cameras capture reactions from Sirianni, Hurts
The NFL has cameras everywhere, and one of them caught Eagles coach Nick Sirianni directing some choice words toward Bears linebacker D’Marco Jackson. In the second quarter, Jackson was assessed an unnecessary roughness penalty after a late hit on Hurts. The Eagles quarterback was taken out of the game to be assessed for a concussion.
“You’re a [expletive],” Sirianni said, seemingly pointing to Jackson.
Sirianni has long been criticized for his sideline behavior, which can include jarring with opposing players. In 2024, he yelled at Eagles fans following a win and later apologized.
Later on the drive, the cameras found Hurts looking longingly out of the blue medical tent while being evaluated. Soon after, backup quarterback Andy Dalton was picked off on third-and-goal. ESPN cut to Hurts, who appeared visibly frustrated. Hurts was cleared to return for the Eagles’ next drive.
“The doctors have to do their job,” Sirianni told ESPN’s Lisa Salters, a King of Prussia native, before halftime. “They got to protect these guys, and we have a hit on the sideline that they looked at, and that’s the way it goes. We got to be able to run the ball in from the 1, regardless of who’s in there. I’m bummed that Jalen wasn’t in for that. We got to take care of the ball with Andy.”
Kelce struggles to stay ‘unbiased’
Jason Kelce is in his third season as a studio analyst on ESPN’s Monday Night Countdown. Still, it has been difficult — at times — for the longtime Eagles center to shake his fandom while reporting. He made reference to this during a humorous exchange with Sirianni before Monday’s game.
“Jalen Hurts has been off to a really hot start,” Kelce said to Sirianni. “He’s playing awesome for us — for the Eagles. Should say that. Unbiased media member.”
At halftime, Kelce continued to refer to the Eagles as “we.” ESPN personality Pat McAfee took notice.
“We played really well offensively,” Kelce said. “We had opportunities. We shot ourselves in the foot, but we’ve moved the ball. We ran the ball well. Jalen Hurts is throwing the ball well. I think [with] them getting the ball coming out of half, I got a feeling they got a lot of momentum going in there.”
Added McAfee: “A lot of ‘we’ talk out of Jason for Philly. If we are the Chicago Bears, we are very pumped with how Case Keenum is operating this offense.”
“Sorry, Bears fans,” Kelce said.
Kurt Warner, Troy Aikman offer pregame praise
Last week, outside of one curious call, Drew Brees repeatedly praised Jalen Hurts while serving as the color commentator for CBS’s Eagles-Titans broadcast. On Monday Night Countdown, fellow Hall of Fame quarterbacks Kurt Warner and Troy Aikman also lauded Hurts’ play.
Warner, a Super Bowl XXXIV champion who played for the St. Louis Rams, New York Giants, and Arizona Cardinals, noted that Hurts “doesn’t get enough credit” for making the “big play in the moment.” Meanwhile, Aikman, a three-time Super Bowl champion with the Dallas Cowboys, said he was impressed with how quickly Hurts had adapted to new offensive coordinator Sean Mannion’s offense.
» READ MORE: Jalen Hurts and the Eagles took a major hit against the Bears. They have to find a way to bounce back. | Mike Sielski
“I think [the offense is] really quarterback-friendly, and I’ve seen Jalen Hurts do some things that I’ve not seen from him,” Aikman said. “And a big part of that is working the middle of the field and layering the ball in the intermediate areas over linebackers, and it just opens up so much more for these wide receivers. He’s just scratching the surface.”
But Hurts did not live up to either former quarterback’s expectations on Monday. Hurts threw for 153 yards and an interception on 16-of-25 passing. He scored the Eagles’ only touchdown on a sneak as time expired in the first half.
Earlier this year, the scenario seemed far-fetched, especially after the Eagles used a second-round draft pick on a tight end. Zach Ertz overcoming a serious injury to make a nostalgic return? It just didn’t feel like a possibility. Then rookie Eli Stowers got hurt in the preseason, and starter Dallas Goedert went down Week 2 vs. Tennessee. All of a sudden, the Eagles had a need. Now, the 35-year old Ertz has been tapped to fill it. The Inquirer's Jeff McLane explains how an unlikely reunion between Ertz and the Eagles came together, why both sides are hoping for more than a feel-good story, and which player on the roster could be affected by this move the most. Listen here.
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