Crossing Broad
The Eagles currently sit 31st in the National Football League in passing yards. Through two games, Jalen Hurts has thrown for 253 and zero touchdowns.
Those two games resulted in two wins. You know, the stat that 10 years ago everybody thought was the most important stat in sports.
Do you know which team through two weeks leads the league in passing yards? That’s the New York Giants, with 579. Russell Wilson MVP szn? Not likely when the Giants are 0-2.
How can that be? Do you think those talking heads and fans can wrap their head around the team leading the league in passing yards as of Thursday, September 18th, is 0-2? Or do you think that because the Eagles are just so good, this is the angle to take to drum up interest because it’s so different from what other good teams are doing?
This isn’t a new conversation in this city. Last year, many people didn’t think the Eagles could win with Hurts’ pedestrian passing numbers. They did. They won a lot of games that way, actually.
Many people think A.J. Brown is a powder keg ready to explode because he hasn’t gotten the ball much the first two games. In fact, it sounds a lot like people want Brown to explode, despite him saying that yes, he wants the ball, every offensive player does, but that winning trumps all.
Do any of these people remember what Brown said last year?
“We’re not in it for feelings. We’re not in it trying to hold everybody’s hand. … We’re trying to hold up a Lombardi Trophy. That’s the end goal. So who cares if [the public] wants to spin it and perceive me as a bad guy, that I’m throwing somebody under the bus, who cares? It’s about what we’re trying to do at the end.”
What about his teammate, who people also are zoning in on to see if any outburst occurs?
“I don’t think we see him as a bad guy, we see him as a leader,” [DeVonta] Smith said when asked about Brown’s comments on playing that role. “He has a ‘C’ on his chest for a [reason]. He has every right to hold people accountable.”
Ah, holding people accountable. Even when things are going good in terms of wins, because as we all watch this team, we know there are things in which they can improve; even during the winning streak last season, and through the first two games this year. Isn’t that exactly what we all wanted?
Do you know how long we’ve been waiting for a wide receiver – hell, any skilled offensive player – to have a mindset like that? Do you know how the media and fans would turn on Brown in the drop of a hat if he were making a huge outward display of being unhappy that he’s not getting the ball as much as he wants? Reading a book on the sidelines is his way...
