Sep 14, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley (26) celebrates after quarterback Jalen Hurts (not pictured) scored a touchdown against the Kansas City Chiefs during the fourth quarter of the game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images
The Philadelphia Eagles are grappling with their performance after a significant 21-17 loss to the Denver Broncos on October 8, 2023, which dropped their record to 4-1. Following the defeat, a private meeting took place involving quarterback Jalen Hurts, wide receiver A.J. Brown, and running back Saquon Barkley. According to Jimmy Kempski of The Philly Voice, the discussion was described as “long” and “positive,” lasting a couple of hours.
During a press briefing on Tuesday, both Hurts and Barkley confirmed that the conversation aimed to address various concerns surrounding the Eagles’ offense. Barkley clarified that despite rumors of turmoil, the focus of the meeting was solely on team improvement. “When you hear ‘players-only meetings,’ all hell is breaking loose. It wasn’t that at all. But we’re all teammates. We’re all friends. We were just having a conversation,” Barkley stated, as reported by Johnny McGonigal of PennLive.
Addressing Offensive Frustrations
Frustrations concerning the team’s offensive production have been evident, especially from Brown. On October 4, Dianna Russini from The Athletic reported that both Brown and fellow receiver DeVonta Smith expressed dissatisfaction with their performance this season. Hurts elaborated on their private meeting, stating, “It was just talking about the collective, about us taking ownership for what we can, and talking about how we move forward as a team so we can continue to find ways to win games.”
As they prepare for their upcoming game against the New York Giants on October 12, 2023, the Eagles find themselves struggling statistically. They rank 30th in the league with an average of just 261.6 total yards per game, according to ESPN stats. In the first five weeks of the season, Brown has recorded 19 receptions for 194 receiving yards and one touchdown, while Barkley has the fourth-most carries in the league at 83, yet ranks 22nd with 267 rushing yards.
Looking Ahead to the Giants Game
Barkley emphasized the importance of their collective effort and mindset going forward. “I don’t think it’s that conversation. I think it’s the work that we put in. Sometimes it just doesn’t hit right away. I know it hasn’t shown in a consistent way throughout the first five games. But there have been sparks. There have been halves… We just got to continue to have more halves playing at a high level,” he said.
As of Wednesday morning, ESPN BET lists the Eagles as 6.5-point road favorites against the Giants, who currently hold a record of 1-4. A victory over their NFC East rival could bolster the team’s morale and set a positive tone for the upcoming weeks as they strive to regain their offensive momentum.
