A Somber Start for the Philadelphia Eagles in 2023
The atmosphere in the Philadelphia Eagles locker room was heavy with disappointment. For a team determined to turn the page on a forgettable 2023, the season's beginning has proven challenging. The Eagles, who had the lead with less than two minutes remaining, ultimately fell short, losing to the Atlanta Falcons 22-21. This marks yet another instance where victory slipped through their fingers as the clock wound down.
Philadelphia leads the league with the highest number of losses in the final two minutes of the fourth quarter since the beginning of last season. Including this latest loss, they now have four such gut-wrenching defeats. Three of these occurred last year, contributing significantly to their downward spiral after a promising 10-1 start.
Despite the painful loss to the Falcons, the words spoken in the locker room reflected resolve and determination. Jalen Hurts emerged as the primary voice in the wake of the defeat, urging his teammates to maintain their focus and resilience.
Locker Room Reactions
"[We have to] keep pressing forward. Keep your head up at the end of the day. We have to intensely control the controllables," said Hurts, emphasizing the need for the team to focus on what they can influence.
The post-game scene was one where the players had to take ownership of their performance. "Jalen led everything. No coach said a word. It's a player-led team at the end of the day. We know what we did was on us. We made mistakes, offense and defense. It's gonna take everybody," remarked Reed Blankenship, highlighting the accountability permeating through the team.
Adding to their woes, Darius Slay, who allowed the game-winning touchdown to Drake London in the final minute, shared his thoughts on the path forward. "We have to continue to keep going. It's only Week 2. We have a lot of ball left. We have a lot of games left, so we have to stay focused and lock in and learn from our mistakes and build off this. Even though it's a loss we have to figure out what we have to do better," Slay said.
Slay's sentiment captures the essence of the challenge before the Eagles. With numerous games left in the season, there remains ample opportunity for growth and improvement. However, the team must address the recurring issues that have plagued their recent performances.
Fixing the Issues
Hurts, who consoled Saquon Barkley after a crucial third-down drop triggered the collapse, spoke extensively about learning from these experiences. "It's a matter of if you can learn from it. I think that's the perspective that I have on this, whether it is good, bad, or indifferent, we're going to learn from our goal out there to go out there and play dominant football and win football games and do enough to win the game," Hurts explained. He stressed the importance of growth and taking lessons from both triumph and adversity to ultimately better themselves.
It's evident that winning is paramount in the minds of the players. "Ultimately to better ourselves. Better ourselves in growth and learning from these moments. And so in the end, winning is the only thing that matters. And to win, you have to continue to learn. You have to continue to grow. And I think this team will continue to do that," added Hurts, reinforcing the team's commitment to evolving and overcoming their struggles.
While the Eagles' beginning to this season has not been ideal, the voices in the locker room reflect a collective determination to rise above their setbacks. With Hurts leading the charge and an apparent understanding of the need for player accountability, the Eagles have the pieces in place to recalibrate and push forward.
As Week 2 of the season concludes, the Philadelphia Eagles have demonstrated that the resolve to succeed still burns within them. With a season’s worth of games left to play, the journey to redemption is still very much within their grasp.