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NFC Notes: Jalen Hurts, Nick Sirianni, Malik Nabers, Commanders, Eagles, Giants

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Commanders

Eagles

  • According to ESPN’s Tim McManus, Eagles HC Nick Sirianni and QB Jalen Hurts had a strained relationship last year and that was a big part of the team’s collapse down the stretch. One source called the relationship “fractured” while another told McManus a disconnect in offensive visions was at the root of the problem, including a lack of respect for Sirianni’s schematic abilities.
  • McManus notes the Eagles promoted QB coach Brian Johnson, who has known Hurts for years, to offensive coordinator to replace Shane Steichen, but the two weren’t able to evolve the scheme as much as they wanted, including giving more control and authority to Hurts, because Sirianni’s philosophical approach to the offense was “if it’s not broke, don’t fix it.”
  • Added a team source to McManus: “When Brian got [promoted], I think he thought, ‘I could do the thing that I’ve wanted to do.’ That didn’t fly as much with Nick.”
  • One of the things Johnson and Hurts wanted to do was open up the middle of the field more with intermediate throws, feeling the offense was too reliant on vertical shots and RPOs, but that did not end up happening. 
  • McManus reports Sirianni was more hands-on with the offense than he was with Steichen and would overrule him for certain play-calls. Some offensive players didn’t know for sure who was calling the plays in January. 
  • Hurts also, inadvertently or purposely, stirred the pot after minicamp this offseason. McManus writes Hurts was asked, “What have you noticed about Nick being open-minded to change up the offense like he has? What does that say about him?” and responded: “Um. [pause, short closed-mouth laugh] I mean, that’s a great question. I don’t know that I know the answer to it.”
  • Team sources told McManus things were off inside the building even before the end-of-year slide: “Even when we were 10-1, everyone was walking around like their dog died. All year, instead of having fun playing, it was like, ‘Oh my gosh, we lost the Super Bowl.’”
  • Others told McManus there are inherent personality conflicts between Hurts and Sirianni, with the quarterback reserved and willing to internalize conflict while Sirianni is brash and embraces it. One source said: “There was never a moment last year where they were operating in a healthy relationship.” 
  • Another added the dynamic between the two does not work one-on-one and requires a third party to be present. Sirianni started holding individual meetings with Hurts, which McManus points out isn’t unusual for head coaches and quarterbacks, but he added those didn’t provide the expected results. 
  • McManus mentions there was a meeting between Sirianni and Johnson and Hurts during which the coaches urged Hurts to open up more to teammates. One source said: “I just think they sensed the vibe was off overall…”It’s not his personality to make demands.”
  • Hurts also would go off script from time to time, including an interception that helped doom the Eagles in a late-season loss to the Eagles. Hurts deviated from the plan and threw deep when the team just needed an intermediate completion. A source told McManus: “What was taught was not necessarily what was relayed in the moment. He wanted to add to it, like, ‘It’s not quite enough, let me add to this.’”
  • A team source thought it was an example of how Hurts didn’t trust Sirianni and the offense. They added: “Jalen doesn’t give Nick enough credit. A lot of what we do well does stem from Nick.”
  • Two other team sources chimed in that Hurts fell into playing “hero ball” too often, and the other added: “He was trying to prove he was worth $250 million every throw.”
  • Frustrated with the success of blitz-heavy defenses against the Eagles offense, Hurts sought the counsel of Giants DC Wink Martindale before Philadelphia’s playoff game against the Buccaneers, per McManus: “I’ve been doing this for 40 years, and it’s the first time I’ve had an opposing quarterback call me up. I thought it was pretty cool that the guy called. It shows you what kind of pro he really is. He’s just looking at every angle that he can to get better…It was very effective and he knew it, and he just wanted to know why we did certain things that we did. Then he went to work on that.”
  • However, a team source told McManus Sirianni made it a point in a big team meeting during the spring to take full responsibility for the way last season ended, adding it was clear Sirianni was trying to accept accountability: “He took full responsibility, that he felt he let the team down and didn’t do a good enough job of empowering the players. It was passionate and from the heart.”
  • A source close to Hurts added there’s hope new OC Kellen Moore can “bridge the gap” between Hurts and Sirianni, and both men have tried to meet in the middle to address the problem. McManus adds Sirianni has been more hands-off so far, including with Hurts, and seems committed to giving Moore run of the offense. 
  • Sirianni told reporters that he spoke to the team before training camp, accepted the blame for last season’s shortcomings, and held himself accountable while asking his players to do the same. (John Clark)
  • According to Brooks Kubena of The Athletic, Eagles S C.J. Gardner-Johnson is not practicing Tuesday with a shoulder injury but it’s not believed to be a long-term concern. 
  • Philadelphia OC Kellen Moore noted they “still have time” for RG Tyler Steen to prepare for the season coming off an ankle injury. (Kubena)

Giants

Giants WR Malik Nabers talked about what caused a fight between himself and Lions S Kerby Joseph that led to both teams being fined.

“It’s hot. We’re competing,” Nabers said, via GiantsWire.com. “Stuff like that is going to happen. It’s football at the end of the day.”

“He did, but I’m not going to repeat it,” Nabers said when asked if Joseph commented to him.

Nabers tapped Lions CB Terrion Arnold on the helmet after Arnold broke up a pass intended for Nabers, which may have been interpreted a certain way by Joseph.

“That’s the competitor in me and Arnold, we talk almost every day about just competing, how great we want to be,” Nabers explained. “So, it’s nothing against him. He’s my brother, so I’m going to give him the work he needs. He’s going to give me the work I need. But I was just tapping him on the helmet, good play. That’s all it was. And that was that…I got nice, good work from these guys at Detroit. Just some great work of not going against your teammates. You get to go against somebody else. Having that mindset of getting back into that football mentality, was great. Like I said, I can compete with these guys in the league. That was just the main thing. Just going against somebody else before the season starts. Let’s see what I need to work on. Getting my plays down. That’s really about it. Just continue to be me. That’s all I can say is I have talks with myself, ‘Just continue to be me.’”

“At the end of the day, it’s all about me. It’s not even about them,” Nabers concluded. “It’s about what I do when the ball is in the air and what I do about having that mindset of catching the ball, getting as many yards as I can, helping my team win. So, what the defense got going on, it doesn’t look at me.”

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