The Philadelphia Eagles are coming off a shocking home loss to the Arizona Cardinals that few predicted. The Eagles’ defeat was exacerbated by the Cardinals’ offense, which shredded the team’s defense both on the ground and in the air.
Coach Nick Sirianni’s team allowed three touchdown passes to Kyler Murray and 128 yards and a touchdown to Cardinals running back James Conner.
Outside of the organization, there is a lack of confidence as a result of the difficult loss. NFL analyst Brian Baldinger annihilated Eagles d-lineman Jordan Davis. AJ Brown, an Eagles star and recent Pro Bowl selection, addressed rumors of a feud with his head coach. 
With the Eagles in disarray, many of their NFC opponents are sharpening their swords in preparation for a playoff run.
If you are a Philadelphia Eagles fan, here are three reasons to be concerned:
1. Rising Competition- After appearing to be the favorite for much of the season, the Eagles are now tied with the Dallas Cowboys in the NFC East and need a win and a Dallas loss or tie to win the division.
The Lions and Cowboys put on an incredible show last week, the 49ers have been fantastic all season, and even the Los Angeles Rams appear to be playoff contenders
If the Eagles don’t finish the week strong with a convincing win over the Giants on the road this week, there may be cause for concern.
2. The Scoreboard Doesn’t Lie- With an 11-5 record, the Eagles have won six more games than they have lost.
However, they have only outscored their opponents by 22 points this season, 423 to 401. That’s a long way from a Super Bowl title and more indicative of a.500 or barely above.500 team. It also speaks to the difficulties the Eagles have faced at times this season.
Meanwhile, the Cowboys and 49ers have each outscored their opponents by nearly 200 points this season, and the Detroit Lions have outscored their opponents by roughly twice as much as the Eagles have.
All of this suggests that the Eagles’ reign as NFC champion may be in jeopardy once more.
3. Hurts’ Ceiling- Has Jalen Hurts reached his peak as a top-tier NFL quarterback, or is the Super Bowl champion picking his spots and conserving energy for a postseason run?
Hurts was efficient against the Cardinals, completing 18-of-23 passes for 167 yards and three touchdowns.
It was insufficient to win the game against Murray’s team. Murray displayed his explosive passing skills, outdueling Hurts and leading the team to victory behind a strong rushing attack.
Murray is a talented player, but this type of outcome should not occur at this point in the season for any serious Super Bowl contender, and it is exactly what happened to Hurts and the Eagles.
Hurts is still one of the best quarterbacks in the NFC, but based on the Eagles’ overall record, it’s difficult to say with any certainty that he is playing better than Dak Prescott, Brock Purdy, or even Matthew Stafford heading into the playoffs. Hurts has the ability to outperform those players, but he must do so consistently.
Hurts is surrounded by a slew of weapons, including Brown and D’Andre Swift. The time has come for the astute former Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback to take things to the next level. Hurts has more than doubled his interceptions from last season (14 to 6) while rushing for 160 fewer yards.
If the Eagles are to reach their full potential, he must improve his decision-making and make more big plays.
Otherwise, those second and third gears that he requires to lead the Eagles to victory may not be available by the time the second round of the playoffs arrives. It’s a scenario that could derail the Eagles’ quest to return to the biggest stage in football this postseason.
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