After a gut-wrenching 22-19 overtime loss to the Los Angeles Chargers, the Philadelphia Eagles find themselves in a familiar, frustrating spot - undone by the little things that continue to snowball into big problems. And this time, center Cam Jurgens’ postgame comments added a new layer to the conversation.
When asked about the team’s ongoing penalty issues, Jurgens didn’t sugarcoat it. He pointed to practice, saying the Eagles haven’t been “clean enough” during the week. Naturally, that raised some eyebrows and sparked debate about whether the coaching staff is doing enough to address these recurring mistakes.
But Jurgens later clarified his remarks on SportsRadio 94 WIP, walking back any notion that the staff isn’t holding players accountable. His message was more about execution than blame.
“I’m not saying it’s sloppy, sloppy, sloppy,” Jurgens explained. “But if we’re not clean in the game, then we weren’t clean enough during the week.
That’s where it starts - walkthroughs, practice, the details. We’ve got to be sharper.”
And he’s not wrong. The Eagles are now fifth in the NFL in penalties with 97 through 13 games, and fourth in penalty yardage with 818.
That’s not just a stat - it’s a symptom of a team that hasn’t tightened the screws on the fundamentals. Whether it’s false starts, holding calls, or miscommunications, these are the kinds of mistakes that stall drives and swing momentum.
The offensive line, which has traditionally been a strength in Philly, hasn’t been immune. Communication and continuity - two things that are supposed to be second nature by December - have been inconsistent.
Against the Chargers, the Eagles were flagged six times. That’s not a disaster on paper, but the timing and impact of those penalties were killers.
One in particular - a second-quarter holding call on Jordan Mailata - wiped a touchdown off the board. That one stung.
And that’s been the theme lately. The Eagles aren’t getting blown out.
They’re beating themselves in the margins. The kind of self-inflicted wounds you expect to see in Week 3, not Week 13.
By now, these should be cleaned up. Instead, they’re baked into the team’s identity.
So here’s the real question: Can the Eagles win games in spite of these mistakes? Right now, the answer feels like a shaky no.
Not with four games left and a playoff race tightening. The margin for error is shrinking, and unless something clicks - quickly - this talented roster could find itself watching January football from the couch.
This team has the talent. The question is whether they can get out of their own way long enough to use it.