Eagles’ Hurts and Barkley Commit to Improving After Loss to Falcons

In a gripping encounter between the Philadelphia Eagles and Atlanta Falcons, Saquon Barkley took significant responsibility for his team’s narrow Week 2 defeat, which ended with a score of 22-21. The running back expressed disappointment over a critical drop in the final minutes of the game, while quarterback Jalen Hurts pledged to learn from the experience.

The decisive moment came with just 1:42 left on the clock when Barkley dropped a pass that could have secured the win for the Eagles. Following the match, Barkley candidly admitted to reporters, “I dropped the ball. I let my team down. Shouldn’t have put the defense in that position. Make that catch and the game’s over.”

At that moment, the Eagles were leading 18-15 and positioned just 10 yards from a potential touchdown that could have clinched the victory.

The play unfolded on a third-and-three situation, with Hurts initially faking a pitch to Barkley before rolling out to throw a pass to him in the right flat. Barkley was primed for the catch and had a clear path ahead, but the ball slipped through his fingertips and fell to the ground. The Eagles were left settling for a 28-yard field goal from Jake Elliott, which concluded their drive.

What followed was a swift response from Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins, who quickly led his team down the field, completing a six-play, 70-yard drive. He capped it off with a seven-yard touchdown pass to Drake London, giving the Falcons a lead with just 38 seconds remaining.

With the game on the line, Hurts threw an interception on the very next drive, effectively sealing the Eagles’ fate. Falcons safety Jessie Bates III made the interception, which punctuated their comeback.

In the loss, Barkley compiled 116 yards from scrimmage on 26 touches, while Hurts completed 22 of 30 passes for 183 yards with one touchdown and an interception. Additionally, Hurts contributed significantly on the ground with 85 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown.

Barkley took the defeat in stride, emphasizing the need for growth. “I could sit here and complain and be upset about it, or I could be a professional athlete and go back to the drawing board and take the lick and move on and get better from it,” Barkley elaborated. He recognized the nature of the game, noting, “I’ve made that play multiple times. I’ve missed that play before too. It happens. It’s part of the game. I’ve just got to be better.” He accepted blame and made a promise to his teammates to improve. “I let my team down; I gotta man up to it,” he stated. “I got to own, which I’m doing.”

The game saw six lead changes throughout its course, which only highlighted the competitive spirit of both teams. Both the Eagles and Falcons recorded 22 first downs, while the Falcons slightly outgained the Eagles with 385 total yards to their 365. Notably, the Eagles faced challenges with discipline, committing nine penalties as opposed to just three by the Falcons, despite holding a time-of-possession advantage of over 15 minutes.

Eagles coach Nick Sirianni reflected on the game, acknowledging that the loss could not be attributed to one individual or moment. “They made a couple more plays than we did down the stretch,” he commented. “It’s never just one play, never just that play, because all the plays equal up to the win or to the loss.” This sentiment echoed across the team as they prepared to regroup.

Looking ahead, the Falcons, now even at 1-1, will host the Kansas City Chiefs, currently 2-0, for a Sunday night matchup. The Eagles, also at 1-1, will travel to New Orleans to face the Saints, who hold a 2-0 record, in their next game.