The Linc – Jalen Hurts isn’t using the middle of the field

Philadelphia Eagles news and links for 10/16/21.

Let’s get to the Philadelphia Eagles links …

Are the Eagles any closer to knowing what they have in quarterback Jalen Hurts? – ESPN
Hurts has come up short on a number of his deep balls — he’s completed 11.5% of his throws that have traveled 20-plus yards, which ranks 17th in the NFL — and rarely uses the middle of the field. The 6-foot-1 Hurts has thrown 3% (6 of 208) of his pass attempts between the hashes, the lowest rate of any QB this season (minimum 50 attempts), according to ESPN Stats & Information research.

How Jalen Hurts must improve his game — and how the Eagles can help – TouchdownWire
Right now, Hurts is living outside the numbers in the passing game. But there are opportunities for him to attack the middle of the field, and we have walked through a bunch from last night alone. If and when he starts attacking between the hashmarks, defenses will have to adjust to him, and that will open up opportunities all over the field. Until then, defenses can sit on the outside stuff until he proves he can attack the middle.

Saying goodbye to Zach Ertz – BGN
I will always think about Cris Collinsworth being a little cry baby loser when Ertz scored that game-winning, LIFE-ALTERING touchdown against the Patriots to give the Birds a 38-33 lead they would never relinquish. In a moment where I should’ve been celebrating one of the pinnacles of my existence, I had to listen to him cry his eyes out about that touchdown not being a catch and nervously wait out the review process. You know what, Cris? Ertz had the best hands of any Eagles player I’ve watched. He caught it. Of course Ertz caught it. He caught everything in 2017.

Above the Nest with Raichele #29: What went wrong against Tampa Bay? + Zach Ertz traded to Cardinals – BGN Radio
Raichele Privette recaps the disappointing Week 6 loss to the Bucs and runs through the recent trends that continue to be a concern for the Eagles. She also touches on the recent news that veteran tight end Zach Ertz has been traded to the Arizona Cardinals.

An early look at Eagles’ 2022 QB options: Draft, trade could offer upgrade if Jalen Hurts doesn’t improve – CBS Sports
Russell Wilson: The Seahawks won’t just give him up, but his reps have openly weighed a change of scenery. If Seattle misses the playoffs and enters a quasi-rebuild in 2022, who knows? Yes, he’s 33 and will be coming off an injury, but he remains one of the game’s most poised play-makers. The Eagles have also been open about their affinity for him coming out of Wisconsin.

Why Roseman couldn’t stop talking about Tyree Jackson after Ertz trade – NBCSP
The Eagles really like Tyree Jackson. That became clear on Friday when the Eagles general manager talked about the trade of Zach Ertz and, aside from mentioning the obvious, Dallas Goedert, also kept talking about Jackson. “Then you talk about our young guys, and I think what changed a little for us was the surprise of camp,” Roseman said, “and it was just camp because we didn’t see it in the preseason games, was Tyree (Jackson) and just seeing how he’s working to get back and the skills that he has in his body. We want to make sure that we’re going into next year knowing as much as we could. If he’s going to look like he did during training camp, like, that’s going to be a player for us. But he’s got to show it in games. And this is an opportunity for him to come back and for us to see that. We don’t think that’s just a shot in the dark. We think this guy’s got some traits.”

Clay Martin’s intervention during live play isn’t uncommon, but definitely looked unusual – PFT
Although a quarterback qualifies as “defenseless” following a change in possession, he’s not immune from being hit, legally or illegally. And there’s no provision in the rules allowing a football referee to act like a boxing referee, breaking up a scrum and sending the fighters to their neutral corners during the live action. That said, multiple sources tell PFT that it’s common for officials to step between players away from the action. It’s known as “preventive officiating.” The goal is to prevent trouble, if possible. It makes sense, on the surface. But should that be the way it goes? Should a referee do anything between the snap and the whistle, other than blowing the whistle or throwing a flag? if Barnett was going to illegally hit Brady after the change in possession, that’s Barnett’s prerogative. He’d then be subject to a penalty, a fine, maybe a suspension. Regardless, the officials should be bystanders during the play, not peacemakers. The break-it-up function should only kick in, if at all, after a play ends.

Zach Ertz is finally an Arizona Cardinals – Revenge Of The Birds
This trade works for both sides as the Cardinals had a void to fill after Max Williams suffered a season-ending knee injury versus the 49ers. The Eagles need a young talented corner and reportedly were high on Gowan. A part of a struggling Eagles offense, Ertz walks into one of the league’s more efficient offenses. Ertz is not the player he once was years ago, but he is more than capable to win underneath coverage. Factor in the spacing Kliff’s offense creates, he will have ample room to roam between the hashes. Ertz is a more than capable route runner against linebackers and some safeties. He adds another weapon for Kyler Murray in the redzone. As he did for Hurts last night versus the Buccaneers.

Confidence poll: Fans’ belief in Giants plummets after loss to Dallas – Big Blue View
After a lopsided Week 5 loss to the Dallas Cowboys, confidence in the New York Giants has plummeted amongst voters in the weekly ‘SB Nation Reacts’ poll. Confidence dipped from Week 5, when 49 percent of our voters felt good about the team following its only victory of the season, to 26 percent after the loss to Dallas.

Colts Fans’ Confidence in Team Dips After Loss to Ravens – Stampede Blue
Now sitting at 1-4 on the season, the Colts are going to have to prove to everyone that they’re capable of rebounding from a tough loss and try to string together multiple wins over the next several weeks. For a team with high playoff aspirations and very little margin for error, making drastic improvements and closing out games, even against some of the NFL’s more dysfunctional franchises, is a must. Monday’s loss left a bitter taste in the players’ mouths, and if Indy’s going to get things trending in a more positive direction, they need to start by beating the Texans on Sunday.

Dolphins officially activate Tua; Ford and Merritt elevated to 53-man roster – The Phinsider
The Miami Dolphins made it official today when the team activated quarterback Tua Tagovailoa to the 53-man roster.

The investigation into the Washington Football Team is digging up more and more dirt – SB Nation
The focus of the last week when it came to the NFL’s investigation into the Washington Football Team had been Jon Gruden’s emails to former president Bruce Allen, eventually leading to the resignation of the Raiders coach. However, now more details are emerging of correspondence that ran through Allen’s account as the league investigates sexual harassment complaints filed by former employees. These new details involve the NFL itself. On Thursday night the New York Times published a third story about the details emerging in the NFL probe, and this centered on executive Jeff Pash. The NFL general counsel, it makes sense that the league’s legal representation would be in contact with Allen over the years, but the nature of their conversations were far beyond ordinary.

NFL Reacts #11: Zach Ertz Trade, Pick 3, Nick Chubb is Out, and Kickers in Fantasy – The SB Nation NFL Show
Welcome to another edition of NFL Reacts! Stephen Serda, Justis Mosqueda, and Kate Magdziuk discuss the fantasy impact of the Zach Ertz trade to the Arizona Cardinals. The Eagles really needing to start running the football is an unexpected narrative of the NFL season. The Chiefs and Washington match-up have tons of fantasy plays, and we dive into our weekly ‘pick 3’ to build your daily lineups. We need to have a debate about kickers in your fantasy leagues, and the NFL MVP is wide open right now.

…

Social Media Information:

BGN Facebook Page: Click here to like our page

BGN Twitter: Follow @BleedingGreen

BGN Instagram: Follow @BleedingGreenInsta

BGN Manager: Brandon Lee Gowton: Follow @BrandonGowton

BGN Radio Twitter: Follow @BGN_Radio

BGN Cameo: Click here for a personalized video message