Eagles stars downplay meeting after loss: Crisis on offense?

Eagles Stars Address Internal Conversation After Loss

Amidst an offensive performance below expectations, Eagles stars Saquon Barkley and Jalen Hurts confirmed they had a conversation with A.J. Brown earlier in the week. Both players downplayed the meeting, dismissing any hint of tension. Barkley described the meeting as positive, emphasizing that it was not the typical player meeting where “everything gets out of control.”

I felt that conversation should stay between us, but the focus was on the team, and I think that was a good thing. It definitely wasn’t like a players-only meeting. When you hear ‘players-only meeting,’ it’s like everything goes haywire. It was nothing like that. We’re teammates, we’re all friends, we were just conversing.

Saquon Barkley

The 21-17 home defeat to the Denver Broncos marked another lackluster performance for Brown, who finished with five receptions for only 43 yards. The receiver, a three-time Pro Bowl selection, was targeted with eight Hurts passes, but failed to surpass 50 yards for the fourth time in five games this season. Barkley also had a minimal impact, running for 30 yards on just six carries, his lowest total in a single game since the 2021 season. The Associated Press Offensive Player of the Year reiterated that he wished the meeting hadn’t become a topic of conversation.

Personally, I wish that wasn’t out there, to be honest. But people saw us conversing and it got out. I don’t think we should make too much of it… We have conversations all the time. In that instance, it was the three of us. But I talk to DeVonta Smith, Smith talks to A.J., and Lane Johnson talks to Jordan Mailata. We should all be talking, you know? But I know people will try to make more of it than it is, but it’s not. And I don’t really want to talk about it too much.

Saquon Barkley

Hurts also downplayed the meeting, stating that it was “really just teammates being teammates”.

It’s just us talking about the collective, talking about taking ownership of what we can, and talking about how we move forward as a team so that we continue to find ways to win games.

Jalen Hurts

Despite their star-studded offense, which sent four players to the Pro Bowl last season, the Eagles enter Week 6 with the NFL’s 30th-ranked offense. Philadelphia also ranks 31st in the league in passing offense. Brown was not in the Eagles’ locker room on Tuesday during the period when players spoke with reporters. Barkley and Hurts noted that they were happy the Eagles have a quick turnaround this week with Thursday night’s road game against the New York Giants. Barkley, who spent the first six years of his career in New York, said that the “Eagles’ main focus is on the Giants,” while Hurts added: “Thank God it’s a short week.”