Why Rich Is “Genuinely Concerned” for the 2-2 Philadelphia Eagles

Rich is usually the guy telling Eagles fans to relax. Not this week.

"I always come here and say I preach patience," Rich said Monday, "but right now I am genuinely concerned. They are hurt. They are banged up. They are not the same."

The alarm starts with what keeps happening after halftime. For the second straight game, Philadelphia's offense disappeared in the second half, and against the Rams it was shut out entirely after the break. Rich reminded everyone what happened the week before in Chicago on Monday night, and then pointed at Jalen Hurts. "Hurts just totally disappeared, and this offense totally disappeared after halftime. Shut out after halftime. Shut out. Nothing."

The final line for Hurts was 93 yards and two touchdowns, both caught by Darius Cooper. A good day for anyone with Cooper on a fantasy roster. But look at who was not on the field. No DeVonta Smith. No Dallas Goedert. No A.J. Brown. And Saquon Barkley went down in the first series. Rich's point was that nobody in Philadelphia is going to cry the Eagles a river over the injuries. "It never happens. Never happens."

After the game, Hurts was asked what went wrong after halftime, and his answer did not change no matter how the question was phrased. "Poor execution," he said. Asked about the third downs, especially against the blitz: "Poor execution. I don't think there's any other way to put it." The numbers back him up. When the Rams blitzed, Hurts was 4 of 14 for 28 yards with a sack.

The injuries go beyond the skill positions. Landon Dickerson is out. Lane Johnson did not play due to what was described as a personal matter, and there is chatter that he might never play again. The studio was careful with that one, unsure it was even fair to throw out, and Rich said the show is hoping that whatever kept Johnson out, he is fine.

Still, the reality is stark. "The line is not the same, and the roster is not the same," Rich said. "And pointing the finger at Jalen Hurts is still the same." Add a new offensive coordinator still getting his system going, and a pass rush that has dropped off even with the same coordinator on defense, and the picture gets murkier.

That is why this week feels different. Rich believes in the roster. He believes in the general manager. He believes in a head coach who wins more than not, and in a team that loves adversity. "They just soak it in and breathe it like it's oxygen," he said. But that faith is running into an injury report.

He tried to apply his own one-month rule. He has been telling everyone that the 2-2 Patriots and 2-2 Lions deserve patience, that it is just one month, that everybody should take a breath. He offered Philadelphia the same courtesy, and then added the caveat: "But new coordinator on offense and no points after halftime, two straight weeks."

The schedule does not offer much relief. Next up is Jacksonville in London, and if the Eagles cannot pack Barkley for that trip, Rich warned, "that is going to be another ugly one." Then Carolina comes to town, and if the Panthers team that just beat the Lions shows up, that is no gimme either. After that comes Dallas.

"You're going to pick them against Jacksonville, Carolina, or Dallas the next three weeks?" Rich asked. The answer in the studio was not exactly a vote of confidence. London is a tough trip because things get weird over there, just ask the Commanders. And as for Dallas, the Cowboys "got to love this dysfunction."