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PHILADELPHIA — After a Super Bowl season and a deep MVP push, Jalen Hurts was certain to find new tests this season.
So the Eagles’ quarterback has, with Eagles offensive coordinator Brian Johnson acknowledging that opposing coaches have been testing him with schemes that hadn’t shown up in game film.
Jason Kelce even recently offered a word for it: Chaos.
“I think those guys have done a great job presenting looks that haven’t been on tape – looks that have been un-scouted — and trying to find new ways to challenge us as an offense,” Johnson said Wednesday. “That’s one of the things that we talked about, that defenses were going to try to adjust to what we’re doing. And you kind of see the evolution from ’21 to ’22 to ’23 of what focal points defenses use to try to take away from us offensively.”
The coordinators in New England tried, and the Eagles ran up a 25-spot. The coordinators in Minnesota tried, and the Eagles scored 34 points.
Challenges faced.
Challenges met?
“I was just really proud of the guys for being able to adjust on the fly really, really quickly,” Johnson said, “and find a way to manipulate that and attack and use it to our advantage.”
While it’s early, Eagles opponents have focused on blunting Hurts’ running. Through two games, the quarterback is averaging 3.4 yards per carry, down from 4.6 last season and 5.6 in 2021.
“We just haven’t hit very many explosives with our running plays,” Johnson said. “If you go back and watch the tape, it’s really, really close. We just have to continue to strive to be better in all areas and continue to try to put our guys in the perfect situation.”
In the meantime, Hurts will have to continue to adjust in his adjusting.
“I think Jalen is just continuing to progress,” Johnson said. “He’s starting to see some different things defensively, and just finding ways to adjust to the play.”
Next up, the Buccaneers, Monday night at 7:15 in Tampa, and coach Todd Bowles, known for his defensive stylings.
“Well, they have great players,” Johnson said. “Coach Bowles does a great job of putting those guys in position to make plays and create big plays and to create tackles for losses. So just like any other week in the NFL, it’s going to be quite the battle.”
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After running for a career-high 175 yards and a touchdown against Minnesota in his home debut in his hometown, St. Joseph’s Prep product D’Andre Swift was chosen as the NFC Offensive Player of the Week.
“He showed vision and explosiveness,” Nick Sirianni said. “I thought the offensive line did a phenomenal job of pushing them off the ball. I was really pleased that he protected the ball. Protecting the football is not an easy thing.”
Swift, who likewise credited his offensive line, averaged 6.3 yards on 28 carries. He ranks third in the NFL with 178 rushing yards.
“D’Andre is an explosive player and an explosive playmaker,” Johnson said. “He had really, really good vision. He did a great job staying square. All the guys in that room are excellent football players, and it was great to see D’Andre come out and have such a huge performance in the home opener back in Philly for him. I was really excited for his performance.”
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Among the reasons former New York Jet Braden Mann was hired to replace Arryn Siposs as the Eagles’ punter was his three years of experience with upper East Coast weather.
“He’s done it in this league for a few years,” special teams coach Michael Clay said. “It’s always nice knowing that he wasn’t coming from a different climate. It’s tough playing in the Northeast in the wintertime, especially MetLife Stadium.”
Clay is confident Mann can connect with long snapper Rick Lovato and Jake Elliott as his holder.
“Obviously, he has done it before,” Clay said. “He has worked with Jake in the offseason. And it all starts with Rick. If Rick is throwing a pearl back there every time, it makes the holder’s and kicker’s job a lot easier. He is the catalyst for the operation. So as long as Rick stays who Rick is and be on point, it should be pretty seamless.”
• • •
With the Eagles about to face Bowles, a Temple grad, defensive coordinator Sean Desai had a story to share.
“I’ve met him a couple times,” said Desai, a former Temple assistant. “He’s awesome. I have so much respect for him obviously as a head coach and even as defensive mind and defensive coach.
“We did a Temple coaching clinic a couple years ago,” he added, smiling. “One of my contacts there said they will be juiced up about me. At that point, I was a quality control coach in Chicago. So I go and show up and I’m sandwiched between Todd Bowles and Bruce Arians. I am like, ‘There is no way people came to see me over here.’ But Coach does an awesome job. I have a lot of respect for him.”
• • •
With Avonte Maddox sent to injured reserve with a torn pectoral muscle, returner Britain Covey was promoted to the active roster. University of Toledo product Bryant Koback, a running back who went through the Minnesota and Seattle camps, was added to the practice squad.
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