Finding fault in the Eagles' win over the Packers

When it comes to Philadelphia Eagles fans, the glass is always half empty, even after a Week 1 victory over the Green Bay Packers. Here are three things that should get their full attention before they meet the Atlanta Falcons in Week 2.

Jalen Hurts is a turnover machine

In 2022, Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott vowed to throw fewer than 10 interceptions after leading the league with 15 picks the previous season. He made good on his promise, finishing the past campaign having tossed just nine.

Hurts made no promises after throwing 15 interceptions and losing four fumbles last season but maybe he should have. On the team’s first drive of the 2024 season, he was intercepted on an ill-advised pass to a well-covered receiver in DeVonta Smith.

On the next series, Hurts fumbled away an exchange with new starting center Cam Jurgens. And in the fourth quarter he was intercepted in the end zone while trying to force the ball to A.J. Brown. Hurts also fumbled another exchange with Jurgens that was ultimately recovered by Eagles running back Saquon Barkley.

Philly’s franchise quarterback looked rusty after sitting out all of the team’s preseason games. That’s something head coach Nick Sirianni may want to reconsider next offseason.

Bryce Huff is no Haason Reddick

The Eagles thought they were getting a younger version of Reddick when they signed Huff — a 26-year-old edge-rusher — to a three-year, $56M contract in the spring. Reddick, who is currently holding out for more money with the New York Jets, led Philadelphia with 11 sacks last season while playing in 74% of the team’s defensive snaps.

Huff had 10 sacks while playing in just 45% of New York’s defensive snaps last season but came up small with one assisted tackle in 44.7% of snaps against the Packers on Friday. In the summer, new defensive coordinator Vic Fangio didn’t mince words when asked if Huff was ready to play more downs.

“I do think he has the talent to do what we want him to do,” Fangio said . “It’s just he’s got to get familiar with doing it. So, it will be a work in progress. Does he look like he can do it today? No. I do think eventually he will."

He better get busy. The Eagles should be thrilled to get a pair of sacks (and 11 solo tackles) from new inside linebacker Zach Baun but they’ll need better effort from their edge-rushers, especially Huff if they hope to win more games this year.

There’s still no No. 3 receiver

With pass-catchers like Brown and Smith on the roster, Philadelphia’s third wide receiver shouldn’t expect to see many passes but after trading a third- and two seventh-round picks to the Commanders for Jahan Dotson, the Eagles made little effort to get the ball into his hands.

Dotson, the 16th pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, played 32 snaps but saw just a single first quarter target on Friday night. Of course, Dotson has been with the team for just over two weeks but the sooner he becomes acclimated to Kellen Moore’s offense, the better the team’s offense will be.