AJ Brown, Miles Sanders, Jalen Hurts all headline the Eagles’ Super Bowl contending offense, and for good reason.
Defense wins championships. The age old adage stands true in many aspects of the game today. Despite the NFLs decades long transition to an offensive based sport with benefits to having an high-powered offense rather than a stout defense, proponents of the saying still preach it to this day. The Eagles are here to change that.
As Philadelphia enters into a date with the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LVII, many people and organizations began diving deep into Philadelphia’s cross-section. Who are the Eagles at heart. You could make the argument head coach Nick Sirianni developed the perfect concoction on defense. With a unit bastioned by All-Pro defensive lineman Fletcher Cox and the likes of Darius Slay and James Bradberry.
Or you could opt for the opposite end of that spectrum– the Eagles are an offensive powerhouse.
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Spin it in whatever way you choose, you end with the same result, GM Howie Roseman built the Eagles up with an arsenal on offense. Philadelphia went all in, chips in the middle to get the optimal offensive package.
And it worked.
The team has a host of offensive players that could be the difference in Sunday’s game against the Chiefs. It’d be comical to say that they didn’t play a factor in their road to the Super Bowl. The headliner– Jalen Hurts is vying for NFL MVP after a banner season, showing the league a masterclass in what it means to be a dual threat quarterback. Hurts, a 3rd year man out of the University of Oklahoma was set to be one of the next generation of pass throwers.
A player who was meant to do more than to meddle in the pocket, Hurts attacks defenses with his arms and legs. Through the air, Hurts threw for 3,701 yards. On the ground, he proved to be a major asset– rushing for 760 yards including a 157 yard night against Green Bay.
Nick Sirianni’s RPO based offense allows Hurts to feel at home by giving the quarterback a choice and liberty to pull the ball and make magic happen with his legs. However, Hurts drew sharp criticism early in his career duet to questionable accuracy numbers and what seemed to be not the right quarterback for the Doug Pederson system. Pair that with a cynical Eagles’ fanbase and his rise to stardom was no easy feat.
“My first year here [people] probably didn’t even want [me drafted] here. It was probably one of those things. But it always handles itself,” Hurts said after Philadelphia’s 31-7 victory over the 49ers in the NFC title game.
It was clear Hurts himself wasn’t the answer to an anemic Eagles team that had just parted ways with established franchise quarterback Carson Wentz. He needed help. Slowly building through the draft, the Eagles were able to get Miles Sanders, a standout running back from local Penn State.
Sanders himself had a breakout season, 1,269 yards in the regular season rushing. An impressive feat for a fourth year back who earned his first ever Pro Bowl berth in 2022. Sanders entered Penn State as Saquon Barkley’s understudy, learning from arguably one of the best running backs of our generation and applying his lessons to the field. When the time came in 2019, Sanders stayed local, making the 3 hour trek from State College to Philadelphia where he teamed up with Hurts the following season.
It’d be hard to argue against Sanders’ productivity in a contract year. His aforementioned 1,269 yards were good for fifth in the league along with his 11 touchdowns, which were enough to place him fourth. Miles Sanders adds an element to the Eagles offense that is seldom done with rushing quarterbacks– another ground weapon.
Compared to Justin Fields or Lamar Jackson, Hurts has a shotgun in Sanders, a one-two punch unlike anything else in the league. Teams can gameplan for Hurts, but can’t account for Sanders. If they attack Sanders, Hurts takes over. It’s a prisoner’s dilemma with no escape.
Nowhere was this more evident than Philly’s Sunday night game against the Green Bay Packers in Week 12. Hurts and Sanders combined for 363 rushing yards in a dissection of the Packers’ run defense. A strong RPO and quarterback lead scheme forced the Packers to pick their poison, something which Green Bay seemed exasperated with.
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And if the defense does manage to shut down both Hurts and Sanders, in comes the aerial attack. 2021 first round pick DeVonta Smith was the first receiver to be added to the Eagles’ dream team. A standout wide receiver at the University of Alabama, he was teammates with Jalen Hurts early in his career before Hurts’ transfer to Oklahoma. The chemistry was almost immediate.
“We always talked about the possibility of us getting back together, being teammates,” Smith said in 2021 as reported by NBC Philadelphia. ”That’s great that it happened. We spoke it into existence. It happened and we’re excited.
Smith’s route running ability and speed provide a way for Philly to take the top off defenses when need be. His down the field threat is the perfect compliment to the Eagles’ top-notch running game. Play action passes are a staple of this Philadelphia offense because the threat of running with Sanders and Hurts draws linebackers and safeties in the box, allowing Hurts to utilize receivers like DeVonta Smith to get out of precarious positions. Smith’s 95 grabs place him 11th in 2022, but his 1,196 yards get him to 9th.
Yet, no matter how good Smith is, one receiver cannot carry an entire team. A carrying theme in this story– he needs help.
Then, it happened. Draft day 2022, the Eagles trade for AJ Brown. Brown was acquired from the Tennessee Titans in a deal that sent the 18th pick of the draft along with a subsequent 3rd rounder to Nashville in exchange for Brown. Brown’s brawny strength wins in dogfights off the line and jump balls. He’s been the Eagles’ go-to player whenever they need a big play.
Plus, Brown got paid. The Titans were in a bit of a bind with AJ Brown, their financial situation didn’t permit the team to give AJ Brown a big payday. No problem for the Eagles however, as they quickly inked him to a 4-year, 100 million dollar contract as soon as he got off the charter in Philadelphia.
Brown gave the Eagles versatility. Hurts’ by nature used to refuse to throw over the middle. With a shorter frame his struggles to the center of the field were proven by his 36% throw rate to that region. Only two NFL quarterbacks had fewer percentages.
As Ralph Vacchiano wrote for Fox Sports in August: “One defensive coordinator who faced him last season said it was such an obvious hole in the Eagles’ offense that his team wasn’t afraid to focus all its coverage on the edges and sidelines because they knew Hurts wasn’t likely to try to throw inside—which also helped the defense when he escaped the pocket and tried to run.”
Throwing over the middle is an art form. One that requires patience and anticipation, not the crass play style Hurts demonstrated in Tuscaloosa or Norman. However, to play in the NFL, you must be able to place the ball anywhere.
Hurts needed help.
That’s where Brown’s big frame comes into play. He wouldn’t be punished for taking massive hits, a virtue the Eagles have missed since Jordan Matthews and Alshon Jeffery.
Brown’s abilities finish off a true skill position masterpiece. Put that in tandem with the likes of Lane Johnson and Jason Kelce on the line, and you have a high-powered offense that can keep up with anybody.
The Eagles’ construction of their offense has been one of legend, with Howie Roseman being regarded as the Picasso of the NFL. Arguably the most complete offense, if not the best overall, the Eagles look to pose their might over Kansas City in the Super Bowl.
Will Hurts need more help?
