Eagles notebook: Jalen Hurts on benefit of seeing unscouted looks early

[time2rock]

Eagles notebook: Jalen Hurts on benefit of seeing unscouted looks early

In the latest Eagles notebook, Jalen Hurts talks about unscouted looks, Olamide Zaccheaus is ready for his moment and more.

By Dave Zangaro • Published September 25, 2023

 

TAMPA — The Eagles had one of the highest-powered offenses in the NFL last season, led by an MVP runner-up at quarterback.

So it shouldn’t be a surprise that they’ve seen a bunch of unscouted looks early in 2023 against Bill Belichick and Brian Flores. And maybe that’s part of the reason why we’ve seen the passing offense get off to a slower start in 2023 than many expected.

"But it’ll come to a point where you can’t do anymore new looks,” Jalen Hurts said this week.

So maybe the good news is that all this chaos defenses are throwing at the Eagles will help in the long run. Jalen Hurts thinks so.

"I’m a sponge. We’re all sponges,” Hurts said. "I’m definitely a sponge and soaking in everything that I see. And so if you get me once, the plan is for you not to get me again.”

The Eagles have been able to adjust in each of their first two games and while it wasn’t necessarily always pretty, they escaped with a 2-0 record. The idea is that once they encounter something defensively for a second or third time, it’ll get easier to adjust to it. They’ll know where to go.

So just like Hurts, veteran center Jason Kelce thinks all of these unscouted looks now can help them later.

"We’re not going to see people line up and one thing and just do what they do,” Kelce said on the 94WIP Morning Show this week. "I don’t think that, that’s going to happen at all this year. I think the more we see all of these looks and these things people have looked at from either colleges or across the league and have looked to implement them to throw us off early, quite frankly, I think the better.”

Meet the Mann

The Eagles have a new punter after swapping Arryn Siposs for Braden Mann since their Week 2 win over the Vikings. With the extra few days, the Eagles thought it was the right time to make the change.

Mann, 25, this week admitted it’s been a whirlwind week for him but his new teammates, including kicker Jake Elliott, have been very welcoming.

"Jake and all the guys have been great,” Mann said. "So it’s been good to come around. I’ve been watching this team build for a few years so it’s cool to be in here and to be part of it.”

Mann said he worked out for the Eagles about a week before the season opener. So it seems like the Eagles had their options ready in case Siposs struggled. And when Siposs didn’t get off to a good start this year, they pulled the trigger.

Mann was a sixth-round pick out of Texas A&M in 2020 and was a Ray Guy Award winner in college. But that great college career hasn’t exactly translated into success in the NFL. Mann spent three years with the Jets but was cut this offseason when they brought in veteran Thomas Morstead. He then went to Pittsburgh this summer and lost a punter battle.

"Definitely been a roller coaster,” Mann said of his NFL career. "I feel like that’s the way a lot of guys’ NFL careers go. It’s definitely been a roller coaster, it’s definitely been good. Thankful for every bit of it. Just hoping to keep climbing from here.”

One of the reasons the Eagles said they really liked Mann was his success punting in the northeast, specifically in MetLife Stadium. Mann is a Houston, Texas, native and played college football at Texas A&M so going to the Jets was a bit of a weather shock. All that practice in subpar conditions hasn’t been fun but it has made him better.

Aside from punting, the other role Mann will have is as the holder for the field goal operation. Sometimes that role can be a tad overblown but Mann takes it very seriously. On the final outdoor practice this week, Mann spent extended time with special teams assistant Tyler Brown working on his holds.

"I take pride in holding,” Mann said. "I try to be spot-on with it every time. I don’t know, I really take that job very seriously because that job leads to points. There’s nothing more important than getting points. As much as punting is important, making sure that field goal is made is just as important.”

OZ gets his chance

Eagles slot receiver Quez Watkins is out for this Monday Night Football game with a hamstring injury. That means we’ll see a lot of Olamide Zaccheaus in Week 3.

"I’m really looking forward to it,” Zaccheaus said on Saturday. "Being productive on film and doing anything I can to help the team.”

Even though he’s had to be patient without a catch so far this year, Zaccheaus said he’s still been having fun and has just been waiting for his chance to make an impact.

The entire passing offense hasn’t exactly been humming early this season so it’s not too surprising that the secondary options haven’t gotten the ball much. Watkins has just 2 catches for 17 yards and Zaccheaus hasn’t been targeted in any of 42 offensive snaps.

Watkins and Zaccheaus are the Eagles’ two slot receivers but they’re very different players. Watkins is a speedier threat but Zaccheaus is shiftier.

"Yeah, I think we both bring a lot to the table,” Zaccheaus said. "We do different things. It’s just about being ready for whenever I get an opportunity and being prepared. Taking each week one step at a time and just being patient.”

Zaccheaus, 26, has his best professional season with the Falcons in 2022. He caught 40 passes for 533 yards and 3 touchdowns. Through two games last year, OZ already had 6 catches for 70 yards and a touchdown. But he’s a little more buried this year. That could change on Monday night.

"Obviously, Quez brings a type of speed that not a lot of people have,” head coach Nick Sirianni said on Saturday. "And I like what OZ brings to our offense. He brings a toughness. We trust him. He’s a savvy route runner, he has great football instincts. If it’s his turn to play this week, I’ve got a lot of faith in him that he’ll do a really good job.”

‘It was awesome’

Sirianni went to the premiere of the Kelce documentary a couple weeks ago and loved the film. But not as much as his son Jacob.

During the screening, Sirianni said Jacob leaned over to his dad and said, "This is probably the best movie I've ever seen.” Jacob Sirianni even listed the documentary as a favorite during a parent-teacher conference since then.

"I watched The Last Dance with him. I watched the Quarterback series with him,” Sirianni said. "Because he's just in this age of — the same types of things I show our players I want him to see. How many good lessons are in that?

"I love the fact that he loved it. It was a special documentary. I remember calling (passing game coordinator) Kevin Patullo on my way home like, ‘that was unbelievable.’”

One reporter jokingly suggested that maybe the younger Sirianni liked the documentary because of all the F-bombs.

"Hey, he's growing up in Philadelphia,” Sirianni joked.

https://www.nbcsportsphiladelphia.com/nfl/philadelphia-eagles/eagles-notebook-jalen-hurts-on-benefit-of-seeing-unscouted-looks-early/537341/

[UK_EaglesFan89]

I was listening to a podcast before the game (can’t remember which one it was) and they were talking about Hurts struggles this year. And the point was about how the top QBs over the last few years have all faced this after a break out year. Mahomes had a drop off, Burrows had struggles, Allen still does and they even mentioned Rodgers.

Jalen needs to be better no doubt. But  teams are giving him new looks and he’s still in the early years of his career. Right now teams are able to give him looks he hasn’t seen. But eventually they won’t have that. And if Jalen is going to be the top QB throughout his career then he’s going to adjust and improve.