As the Eagles look for ‘solutions,’ here are four to get Jalen Hurts back on track

“Solutions” has been Nick Sirianni’s word of the week.

The Eagles head coach used it relentlessly in news conferences and interviews, almost like a deflector shield for all the questions he faced about his slumping team’s slide.

During a portion of Monday’s media availability, when responding to a reporter, Sirianni deployed “solutions” three times in less than a minute.

» READ MORE: Jeff McLane’s keys to Eagles vs. Vikings in Week 7: What you need to know and a prediction

“We’re in the business of finding solutions,” he said, before adding moments later:

“We’re all about finding solutions.”

Just in case anybody wasn’t getting the point, he punctuated his remarks with:

“Finding solutions, that’s what we’re in the business of.”

For certain, Sirianni’s full-blown “solutions” mode was deliberate.

He credited legendary NFL coach Bill Parcells for inspiring the messaging, which, on the heels of two deflating losses, was this:

There would be no finger-pointing inside the NovaCare Complex; problem-solving would be the Eagles’ only way out of their current rut.

“You’re always working on identifying your issues, your strengths, and working to get better from it,” said Sirianni. “That’s what we do.”

Of all the areas where the Eagles have not been strong enough lately, the quarterback position ranks right at the top.

Jalen Hurts, while assuredly not the team’s only issue, needs to reclaim the form he’s played with for most of his tenure in Philadelphia.

As analyzed on the latest episode of unCovering the Birds, and in the spirit of Sirianni’s buzzword blitz, here are four “solutions” to getting last year’s Super Bowl MVP back on track.

There is much that has been ailing the Eagles’ run game:

The blocking, in particular the interior of the offensive line and the tight ends, hasn’t been as consistent, and defenses have focused more on stopping Saquon Barkley on the ground. Yes, opponents have picked up on some of the Eagles’ tendencies, but Hurts not being as much of a factor in the run game looms larger.

Through six games, Hurts has run the ball on designed non-Tush Push plays only eight times for an average of 1.3 times a game. Compare that figure to Hurts’ first four seasons during the Sirianni era, when he averaged 3.3 designed runs a game. The difference may be only 2.0 designed runs per game, but that’s still nearly 40% less.

» READ MORE: Eagles vs. Vikings: Everything you need to know about the Birds’ Week 7 matchup against Carson Wentz

In three of the Eagles’ six games this year, Hurts has had no designed runs.

Compared to his previous 70 games, there were only five times he had no designed runs.

Overall, there’s been a gradual decrease in Hurts’ designed runs.

In 2021, his average was 4.7 per game. In 2022, it was 3.7. Hurts’ designed runs dropped all the way down to 2.1 in 2023, but in 2024, there was a jump back up to 3.1.

The run-pass options (RPOs) and zone read plays have also been an issue. Hurts has mostly passed the ball or handed off to Barkley instead of keeping it himself.

But even if Hurts were to run just a few times a game, opponents would be forced to defend all 11 Eagles on offense.

This season, the Eagles are barely doing it.

Each season with the Eagles, Hurts has been given more sway with the offense, especially after center Jason Kelce retired two years ago.

Cam Jurgens, Kelce’s replacement, is capable of calling out protections, and does so based on opposing defensive alignments. But Hurts has final say.

» READ MORE: Eagles vs. Vikings predictions: Our writers pick a winner for Week 7

His protection has been mostly solid against traditional four-man rushes, but, against the blitz, it’s been inconsistent.

Hurts is blitzed second-most among NFL quarterbacks, and overall, he has improved against extra rushers.

He and the Eagles, however, are seeing the most simulated four- and three-man pressures in the NFL. Often, they haven’t had answers to beat them.

There is no question Hurts can be great with his arm, but when the Eagles have emphasized him in the passing game, he’s shown over time that it’s not a strength. In particular, Hurts has struggled in the intermediate part of the field.

Making throws within structure — meaning how a play was drawn up to be implemented — has been part of the problem.

There have been many examples of Hurts looking off open targets this season, especially over the last month or so. He seems to speed up his process in the drop back world, and ends up leaving food on the table.

Hurts, of course, can throw the deep ball as well as anyone, but this season, there’s been an impediment:

Defenses are playing more zone vs. the Eagles, compounding Hurts’ ineffectiveness in the intermediate passing game.

» READ MORE: The Eagles offense has made turnarounds after breaks before. Can they do it again?

Here’s some evidence:

Only 17 of Hurts’ 172 pass attempts have traveled 10-19 air yards this season, less than 10% of the time and well below the league rate of 22%. Hurts has always been on the lower side in that range, but, in the previous four seasons, he still made intermediate throws on 18.4% of his attempts. That’s a much higher number, relatively speaking.

Have Sirianni and offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo overcompensated in their game planning because Hurts isn’t as comfortable living in the intermediate world?

“It’s always going to come down to, ‘Did we help them make plays? Did we get our percentage as coaches, and did we execute?’” Sirianni said.

The percentages in the Eagles’ drop-back pass game aren’t good. They’re 26th in expected points added per drop and 21st in success rate.

Hurts bears responsibility for those numbers, but he’s not alone.

Hurts and the offense need to speed up their pre-snap operation, plain and simple.

The Eagles have had by far the most snaps in the NFL with less than five seconds on the play clock.

Moving slowly is a perilous exercise. It allows defenses to get set and pick up offensive keys, while also making it easier for them to disguise coverages.

For the offense, taking it slow pre-snap results in less time for preparation, from getting set to reading a defense.

The Eagles in the Sirianni era have traditionally been slow in their pre-snap operation, yet, in spite of this deficiency, they went to two Super Bowls, including last year’s championship run.

» READ MORE: As the Eagles cycle through cornerbacks, they head to Minnesota to face Isaiah Rodgers, one who got away

The onus ultimately falls on the play-calling operation. Perhaps Hurts is taking too long in the huddle after getting the play call, and subsequently figuring out what to do.

There aren’t any easy solutions.

“The goal is to go out there and win,” said Sirianni, “and the beauty about it is we find ways to win in different ways.”

The Vikings will likely make it difficult for the Eagles to enact any changes made over the mini-bye. They boast a high volume of zone coverages, blitzes, simulated pressures, and late shifts in pre-snap disguise.

As his brief yet successful history has shown, Hurts seems to always perform his best when he’s faced the most doubt or the lights are brightest.

One thing is certain: The Eagles need some solutions for their quarterback to take. The season may depend on it.