Eagles' X-Factor vs. Packers, and it's not Jalen Hurts

01/08/2025 12:54 AM

It’s less than a week to go before the Philadelphia Eagles take on the Green Bay Packers in a two-versus-six Super Wildcard Weekend showdown, and even Nick Sirianni isn’t sure who will be under center for his team at Lincoln Financial Field.

That’s right, in his first media session since beating the New York Giants in Week 18, Sirianni let it be known that he still has no new information for reporters about QB1’s status, with his ability to return on Sunday becoming more and more uncertain with each passing day.

And yet, in a beautiful twist of fate, the Eagles might actually be okay if Hurts isn’t able to go for one more week, thanks in no small part to the strength of the roster built around him.

Now sure, the idea of any team not having their starting quarterback for a single elimination playoff game is no laughing matter, as the Packers may also learn, depending on how Jordan Love is able to bounce back from his own Week 18 injury. Still, if the last two weeks – and really, the last two months – have shown fans anything, it’s that the Eagles are a team loaded up with interesting players who can win in interesting ways. They’ve beaten opposing teams through the air, on the ground, and even on special teams, and whether they play a certified Pro Bowler who can dash opposing teams with his legs, a local kid on his second NFL team, or a 6-foot-6 second-year pro with no real NFL experience, they’ve been able to remain competitive.

Factor in the best rushing game in the business and a starting pass catchers unit that can stand up with just about anyone, and the Eagles’ depth will be their x-factor in Week 19, regardless of who is under center.

1. Kenny Pickett and Tanner McKee proved they can run the offense

When Hurts went down against the Washington Commanders in Week 16, it felt like a disaster.

Why, oh why, had the football gods forsaken the Birds, Philadelphia fans asked. Take their truck, take their water ice, burn down the local Wawa, and zap soft pretzels out of existence Thanos-style, but a brain bruise to Hurts’ noggin? A true American tragedy that would make Tennessee Williams blush.

And yet, in quarters since, the Eagles have gotten surprisingly good play from their other quarterbacks, Kenny Pickett and Tanner McKee, with the former playing well enough to win in Week 16 and Week 17 outside of an insane Jaylen Daniels comeback and the latter turning in five incredible quarters to close out the regular season.

Do fans have their preferences? You bet, some fans like the experience and grit of the Pitt product while others believe McKee has the makings of a future NFL starting quarterback, an assertion Philadelphia media legend Reuben Frank declared after the game. But what both quarterbacks bring to the table is a clear understanding of Sirianni and Kellen Moore’s offense and enough chutzpah to play that Philadelphia style of football that has won them 82.3 percent of their games during the 2024 NFL season.

But hey, don’t just take my word for it, as Sirianni had something similar to say about his quarterback depth on Monday.

2. The Eagles feel confident in their depth

After watching his third different quarterback earn a win during the 2024 NFL season, Sirianni had to be feeling pretty good about himself, right? The Eagles had assembled a quarterbacks room that could weather injuries big and small, and through it all, the team was able to tweak their scheme on the spot to make it work.

But did Sirianni see something out of McKee in Week 18 that could make him leapfrog Pickett on the depth chart heading into the playoffs, either as a backup to Hurts or as the top option if QB1 can’t go? Well, on Monday, Sirianni was asked that question by reporters and let it be known that he feels very strongly about his depth regardless of who plays, take with that what you will.

“I have a lot of confidence in both of the guys. I think when [QB] Kenny [Pickett] has had to play, he’s played really well. When [QB] Tanner [McKee] has had to play, he’s played really well. So we’ve got a really good room. Obviously, [QB] Jalen [Hurts] has had an outstanding season. We just have a great room,” Sirianni told reporters.

“Credit to [Executive Vice President/General Manager] Howie [Roseman] and his staff for getting these guys in here. Then just a great job by these guys, taking advantage of their opportunities, and great job by [Offensive Coordinator] Kellen [Moore], [Passing Game Coordinator/Associate Head Coach] Kevin [Patullo], [Quarterbacks Coach] Doug [Nussmeier], helping these guys develop. So we feel really, really good about the room and where we are.”

Wow, that’s a lot of words to just say no, isn’t it?

On one hand, it makes sense why Sirianni would want to stick with Pickett if the Eagles have to turn to a reserve, as he’s entering a contract year and could theoretically be traded to another team in 2025 to fully turn the QB2 role over to McKee. Picket has extensive experience running offense in the NFL, and when the playoffs roll around, that could matter in the eyes of a head coach.

Then again, considering the Eagles have an MVP-caliber running back who will be chomping at the bit to get back on the field after missing out on the rushing title, does it really matter who the Eagles have under center when Saquon Barkley is controlling the tempo of the offense on the ground?

3. Saquon Barkley is rested and ready to rock

In Week 1, Saquon Barkley made his presence known by recording his first-ever 100-yard rushing game as a member of the Eagles.

Facing off against a defense that finished out the regular season with the seventh-ranked rushing unit in the NFL, Barkley gashed the Packers’ defense between the tackles, on the outside, and even contributed as a receiver, catching both balls thrown his way for 23 yards. Fans were shocked to see the Eagles’ big free agent immediately hit the ground running, and their big win in Week 1 served as a sign of things to come.

Week 19, however, is a whole new world, and as Sirianni noted on Monday, the Eagles are ready for a much more challenging foe moving forward.

“The team is different from when we played Week 1 until now. A lot of things have changed [for] both teams,” Sirianni told reporters. “So I can’t answer what they think there or how they think there. I know they’ll be paying attention to [RB] Saquon [Barkley] like everybody else that we play pays attention to him.”

While one could argue whether or not Sirianni is on the money with his assertions, as the Eagles are debatably a much better team at full strength in Week 19, whereas the Packers have largely underperformed versus expectations, one thing is undoubtedly true: Green Bay will be keying in on Barkley no matter who he plays next to in the shotgun. Fortunately, the Eagles know this is coming and will likely plan accordingly, with the pursuit of Terrell Davis’ all-time rushing record of 2,476 yards very much Barkley’s new goal. Fortunately for Barkley, Sirianni isn’t going to bench him for a game in the lead-up to the Super Bowl, so 471 more yards over four more games is doable.

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