Analyst Suggests Bold Tanner McKee Test to Diagnose Eagles’ Offensive Problems
The defending champion Philadelphia Eagles are sitting at 8–2 after Sunday night’s 16–9 win over the Detroit Lions, which is an impressive feat considering the drama that has been following the team around like Pigpen’s perpetual cloud of dirt.
Star wideout A.J. Brown has been at the center of the storm. In discussing the offense’s inconsistency, Brown has been more than a tad blunt about his side of the ball not playing up to the defensive effort the Eagles have shown. There are also rumblings about quarterback Jalen Hurts and his role in Philly’s current offensive stagnation.
Statistically, this season has brought one of the least-dynamic Eagles attacks of the Hurts–Nick Sirianni era. Through Week 11, Philadelphia is averaging 23.4 points per game (that’s ranked 16th in the NFL) and just 300.1 yards per game, which is ranked 25th in the league. The passing game has sagged to 184.9 yards per contest (28th), with the offense converting only 33.9% of its third downs (that’s ranked 29th in the league).
A huge issue, several prominent reporters say, is how Hurts is running the offense and how his teammates feel about it.
Hurts’ Leadership of Eagles Offense Is Frustrating Players, Report Says
The Athletic’s Dianna Russini reported that “multiple offensive players have grown frustrated with Jalen Hurts’ approach this season, particularly against zone coverage.” According to Russini, the belief is that Hurts has become too reliant on checkdowns or he scrambles when bigger plays are arguably available downfield.
Longtime Eagles reporter Derrick Gunn added more smoke on Monday, saying “a lot of people in that organization are frustrated with the quarterback situation right now,” comparing Philly’s current QB vibe to the late-Carson Wentz years, also suggesting the Eagles’ coaching staff see Hurts drifting from the weekly plan once games begin.
“He plays ‘his game,'” Gunn said about Hurts, adding:
“It’s frustrating, in a lot of ways, to the coaching staff. And to the players. Extremely frustrating to the players. Because when they look at the film, the next day or a few days later, they see what’s available out there and what should’ve happened, and it didn’t happen, that’s frustrating to them as well.”
BGN Floats Idea of Starting Tanner McKee Over Jalen Hurts to Gauge Offensive Struggles
GettyIf the Philadelphia Eagles started backup quarterback Tanner McKee over Jalen Hurts for a few games, it would provide a telling assessment of the team’s offensive struggles.
Hurts has thrown for 1,995 yards with 16 touchdowns and just one interception, posting a 59.5 QBR through 10 games. The Eagles rank 10th in yards per pass attempt (7.4) and own the league’s lowest interception rate. But the passing volume is surprisingly low at 26.9 attempts per game, which is ranked 31st in the NFL.
Brandon Lee Gowton of Bleeding Green floated an intriguing — if not wholly unrealistic — scenario that might help the team determine whether Hurts is the problem on offense, or whether it’s the coaching staff, their system and/or playcalls.
“I’m not saying the Eagles should or will bench Hurts for Tanner McKee because that obviously just isn’t going to happen,” Gowan wrote on November 17. “But it would be pretty fascinating to see what the offense would look like for a game or two without Hurts, would it not? If it continues to be so out of sync, we can clearly point to the coaching staff being the major problem. If it looks a whole lot smoother, however, that might force reconsideration.”
Gowton has a point. As he noted, benching Hurts isn’t something the NFC-leading Eagles are going to do. Barring injury, Hurts is QB1 and it’ll stay that way. But it
This is all hypothetical, and Hurts has undoubtedly earned his starting job. But subbing out Hurts for McKee would certainly help provide an answer as to where the problem is rooted in Philly.
Steelers' Darnell Washington Makes History After Brutal Run Against Bengals: 'You Have Infamy'
The Pittsburgh Steelers are no stranger to Kyle Brandt's Angry Run award, but it usually goes to a running back, typically Jaylen Warren , or previously, when he was on the roster, Najee Harris. In Week 11 against the Cincinnati Bengals, someone made history, and it was not a running back. It was the 6'7", probably 300-pound tight end, Darnell Washington.
During the game, Washington delivered a 31-yard catch and run and bulldozed through the Bengals’ defense. He was a one-man wrecking crew as he overpowered any defender brave enough to try and tackle him. His domination quickly became the talk of the game and left fans in awe of his size, strength, and determination.
For the first time ever, Brandt did not have any other finalists for the award. Washington was finalist 1, 2, and 3. His historic performance against the Bengals will live on in football fans’ memories forever, a moment that changed the way people view the Angry Run award. For Steeler Nation, the 2025 season has finally been the year of Washington.
"That is Darnell doing Darnell things, way too big of a dude to be running like that," Brandt said. "So I have got Darnell Washington from the Steelers and there it is again. That is the third finalist as Darnell Washington runs over a dude... This was the Godfather trilogy of runs, except he stuck the landing on part three."
Not only was it crazy that a tight end was being nominated for the award, he completely stole any running back's chance of even being considered for the Angry Run award.
That just shows how dominant Washington’s run truly was on Sunday. Every defender in his path was left in awe. His performance will be remembered as one of the most unstoppable plays of the 2025 season.
"A play of three acts," Brandt said. "A play of violence, a tragedy, but also a comedy at the same time. This thing's going to the Steel City. Darnell Washington, you have made history. You have infamy, and you have the scepter. It's going back to where it belongs after an all-time Angry Run. New York, an all-time Angry Run. Boom. See you next week."
Steelers fans have been waiting to see this kind of performance from Washington ever since he was drafted 93rd overall by Pittsburgh in the 2023 NFL Draft.
Steelers' Darnell Washington Is Tight End 1
Coming out of Georgia, he was known as an elite blocking tight end, but Sunday showed the full extent of his rare combination of speed, size, and sheer strength. When used properly, Washington can be one of the most unique and dominant tight ends in the league.
His historic run against the Bengals was a glimpse of his true potential and a reminder of why Steelers fans are so excited about his future. It seems that Washington has now clearly passed tight ends Pat Freiermuth and Jonnu Smith to become the current number one tight end for the Steelers. The Steelers have three elite tight ends on their roster. Now it's up to Offensive Coordinator Arthur Smith to continue to find out how to use them properly.
Steelers fans, when you saw Darnell Washington bulldozing through Bengals defenders and making those jaw-dropping plays, what was going through your mind in that moment? How did it feel to see him dominate like that on the field?
