The NFL Report: Jalen Hurts out with Blood Clot + Lance Zierlein Joins the Show

Jalen Hurts is out, but the question is, for how long? Coming up on the NFL Report, we have the latest from Philadelphia on the most recent in a long list of Eagles issues. This one pretty serious. We have two great quarterbacks. We have two marquee franchises. Do we get another primetime shootout Sunday night? A Green Bay-Dallas primetime preview?

And your daily dose of Jameis. I guarantee you, it'll make you smile. Promise. It's next on the NFL Report. Welcome to another edition, a let's get it week six edition of the NFL report will presented by nationwide. It is good to be back from our studios in Los Angeles. My name is Andrew Siciliano.

Who's up?

Who's down? Thursday night football in Denver. Lanzer line joins us shortly with that. We begin, however, with what is news to me. Our latest headlines and there is a lot of news today out of Philadelphia. The short version is Jalen Hurts is out this week. The long version. There is no public timetable for his return. He has what the Eagles are calling a A superficial blood clot in his calf. The team made the announcement today. Hurts showed up on the injury report this past Friday in London as a full participant with a calf injury. He played Sunday. Wednesday said the injury was a unique experience.

And then today, the Eagles midday hit send on a press release saying... Jalen's okay, but he has this issue and we don't know when he's coming back. Zach Berman has covered the Eagles for years and does it in a fantastic way for the athletic. Zach, any idea how long he's going to be out?

It's a good question and it's one I would be disingenuous if I gave you an answer to because I still think they're in the process of figuring that out. They're in the process of figuring out what the best course of action is, what the best treatment is.

It's not the type of thing where It's a sprained ankle or.

A twisted knee, and you have precedent for it. It's fairly unprecedented or fairly unique in its approach. So the short answer is no. And talking to players in the locker room today, they didn't know either. They just knew it was going to be Tanner McKee on Sunday.

Yeah, blood clots are serious. This is not a one-week thing where you're like, oh, no, he's fine next week. It's indefinite, and indefinite could be any number of weeks here. You mentioned Tanner McKee. He is the new number one. He has had a shot twice over the last couple of years in the final game of the season when the Eagles were arresting starters. But they do need another quarterback.

Is Andy Dalton still a possibility?

Andy Dalton was obviously here during the summer. They released him last week after demoting him for Tanner McKee.

You would think it's a possibility.

Cole Payton, though, their fifth-round pick, as of now, he would be their backup quarterback this week.

So there have been some. the last couple of years that have wondered aloud, I wonder what Tanner McKee would look like in this offense. So he gets his shot now, mid-season, not week 18 when it means nothing, but he gets his shot, Zach, without Saquon Barkley, Devontae Smith. The backfield is just a disaster. What kind of shot is this?

Well, it's a meaningful game because, as you referenced, his previous starts came in Week 18. So it's a game of significance, which is different.

But it's a tough spot for Tanner.

And I'll be honest with you, Tanner McKee is someone who two years ago looked really good. He entered the game in Week 17, helped the Eagles win the NFC East in the second half of that game through two touchdowns. on four passes, and he was a good fit in the Eagles' previous offensive scheme. He struggled this summer in competition with Andy Dalton, did not win that competition, but he does have a good arm.

He's a good processor.

He's more used to this offense than he was, let's say, six weeks ago or three months ago, but we'll see who he's playing with or more specifically without. He's down at least three day ones starting offensive linemen. Their starting wide receivers are dealing with injuries. You mentioned Saquon Barkley.

He wasn't at practice today for the second consecutive day. So there could be as many as six backups in the starting lineup in this game. I snicker there because he's used to playing with reserves in Week 18. He's playing with half of the reserves this week in Week 6.

There's symmetry here. His OC, Sean Mannion, was in the same position. He twice started the final game of the season for the Rams when they were arresting Jared Goff for the postseason. That was his basic starting experience in the NFL, and now he's calling plays for Tanner McKee, who is in the same position. It's always a what if, because obviously we know the discourse around Jalen Hurts. What if Tanner McKee plays well?

You never know, right?

And it's something we've seen in Philadelphia before. Howie Roseman would tell you that no organization has benefited more from a backup quarterback than the Eagles. I mean, there's a Lombardi trophy in this complex I'm in right now because.

Of Nick Foles. So you never know.

Tanner McKee is someone, too, who there is credibility within this locker room, within the huddle.

I was talking to Jordan Mailata, the Eagles' left tackle today.

And he spoke about the confidence he has in Tanner from being with Tanner before, that the high energy Tanner brings. And it's a different type of personality than Jalen Hurts, who's more kind of the calm, cool, collected, to use the terms that Jordan Mailata used. So we'll see what happens. Frankly, the Eagles can't look beyond one week here. They've lost three in a row. It's the first losing record they've had since the 2021 season. They just need to win a game, and then they can figure out everything else thereafter.

It's against the Carolina Panthers. Mylotta, as you tweeted, said this has been, he said, last week was a week from H-E double hockey sticks. And now this. He spoke too soon, he said. Yes, he spoke too soon. Zach Berman from The Athletic with the Eagles. Appreciate you, Zach. We continue here on the NFL Report, and we do so with more quarterback news. Looks like Baker Mayfield is going to miss another game for the Buccaneers.

O.C.

Zach Robinson says Mayfield is, quote, Just not quite ready to practice. He has a thumb injury. It's his right hand, his throwing hand. So get ready for Jalen Daniels making his third straight start. Beat the Cowboys last week in primetime. Bucks at home this week against the Steelers. In Chicago, far more positive for Caleb Williams. Once again, a full participant Thursday. He has missed the last three Bears games, who, oh, by the way, are in Atlanta Sunday. They get the Falcons.

Do not know before you start asking. Do not know if I'm playing yet. Have to go through a bunch of medical protocols. Obviously have to get out there and practice. Do the stress test thing that obviously you do when you're trying to come back from injury or serious injury.

Caleb, what would you say was the injury?

What would you tell us was the injury?

It was a hamstring tear and a pretty serious one.

Did they give you a grade?

Yeah, we got a grade, but I wouldn't say it's deserved to be put out there after all the false ones, so. Next question.

Caleb Williams not showing you his hamstring report card. We can show you, however, Sam Darnold, Drew Locke, the Seahawks quarterbacks in the building in Denver getting ready to face the Broncos. There is Jackson Smith and Jigba who leads the NFL in touchdown receptions from those two quarterbacks, Seahawks and the Broncos. Let's get a primetime preview presented by Nationwide here on the NFL report. And for that, we welcome it. NFL.com's Lance Zerline. Lance, great to see you.

Let's talk to the other quarterback, Bo Nix, who on the podium this week seemed like, honestly, like it was a therapy session. Like, what is good play? What is bad play? First quarter versus fourth quarter, letting it rip versus confidence and lack of confidence. Like, what do you need to see from Bo Nix in the first half tonight that gives you faith he's the guy?

Yeah, he needs to come out with an attacking mindset. What's happened.

So he has 190 yards passing or less in three of his last five games. And what's happened to him is that it's the same thing I saw in college. There were different instances during college where he turned in to check down Charlie, and he was just comfortable taking the short throw. They aren't good enough to incrementally move down the field with 14 and 15 play drives.

They've got to hit explosives in Denver.

Sean Payton's taking over the play calling, so Davis Webb, The former offense coordinator is no longer the problem. They've kind of turned their attention to Bo Nix, and he's got to look down the field and be a more explosive quarterback and be a more aggressive quarterback. That's the big problem right now that Denver faces and Bo Nix faces. Now, for Seattle, they've got to run the football. It's an offensive line that is really poor when it comes to yards before contact. Their running backs are taking contact. in less than one yard. So in less than one yard of gained, they're already getting contact. It's one of the worst numbers in the NFL. So what are you going to do? Well, Denver's got a bunch of guys out

in the secondary, so you'd think.

Throw the ball, throw the ball, throw the ball.

But more than likely, Denver will protect that backup secondary that's playing right now, which means lighter boxes. It's a Denver running game, run defense that's, you know, they're fourth from last in the NFL right now.

So I think Seattle has to continue.

To try and establish the run, and the passing game will take care of itself. So run the football today, and for Denver, you've got to go get explosives from Bo Nix.

As they're playing in Denver tonight without Sertan and without Talanoa Hufanga. But Riley Moss is up. He had been questionable. At least some sense of normalcy there in the Denver secondary. Thank you, Lance Zerline. Let's move on here to Baltimore for the second consecutive day. Lamar Jackson officially did not practice. Remember, he did not play in Week 5 with the ankle injury.

Tyler Huntley was the Ravens quarterback. They won it overtime in Atlanta. What does that mean for Sunday? Who knows, but it is an AFC North battle this week with the Ravens taking on the Browns. That game is in Cleveland. Last year, the Ravens swept... the Browns, but that was John Harbaugh's staff. This is Jesse Minter's staff facing Deshaun Watson, who is 2-0 as a Browns starter against the Ravens.

Yeah, they're playmakers. You know, those guys are especially, you know, Hamilton, all-pro guy, starts, I think, year two, you know, on his way to be an all-pro. You know, those guys are playing really high-level football for that defense, and they have other guys on that defense, too, so You know, this is a great challenge for us to be able to go out there and test what we are. And, you know, we've just got to be on the same page and see what they're doing and make sure that we, you know, have those guys accounted for each and every play.

This week, Lance Deshaun Watson could not pull out the fourth quarter comeback on the road in New York against the Jets. They lost that one this week. He likely does not have a running back in his backfield that was there during training camp. Jaleel McLaughlin could be your starter. Audrick Estimay. Fresh off the Vikings practice squad could be your number two. How do they beat this Ravens defense?

Well, they're going to have to create offense. I'm not sure how it's going to happen because they're beat up on the offense. As you mentioned, the offensive line wasn't very good last week. They are really in a problem spot at the running back position. Todd Munkin's going to have to figure out how to get the.

Ball outside the tackle boxes.

Quick passing game, find ways to get extended handoffs through tunnel screens and jet sweeps. He's going to have to become very creative offensively for them to win. The other problem you have is Derrick Henry. I mean, Derrick Henry is a monster, and you are hurt down the middle. There are injuries galore along the defensive line for the Cleveland Browns. Carson Schwessinger right now is not practicing.

And you've got Derrick Henry, who's a monster. Of course, Todd.

Munkin was his play caller last year, so he knows a little something about what he does well and where he needs help. And so maybe that can help the defense a little bit. But more than likely, when you just do the math on this, it's going to be really difficult on both sides of the ball this week for the Cleveland Browns.

Yep, you mentioned Carson Schlesinger. He has yet to miss a snap this season, but he did not practice in each of the last two days. Plus, Mike Hall, Mason Graham, both also out of practice today. For the Browns. Lance Zernlein coming right back. Don't go anywhere, Lance. We continue on the NFL Report. And we continue with this question.

Can the Texans in Lance's backyard make the postseason at 1-4? Well, no one at 1-4 is making the playoffs, but you get my point. That's next on the NFL Report. You know. Sometimes, as we continue on the NFL Report, you look at numbers and you say, how is this a thing? How are the Cowboys averaging nearly 28 points a game? That's number seven of the NFL. And how are they two and three? Well, they lost in primetime last week to the Buccaneers, as bad a loss as you have seen this season. This week in primetime, they get the Packers at Lambeau. And Matt LaFleur knows slowing down Dak Prescott ain't easy.

It's a different offense than what we run, but I think it's pretty damn effective. I think Dax, an elite quarterback. And then you've got two legitimate number one receivers that they're capable of scoring on any play.

Let's look at the quarterbacks side by side. Jordan Love, a mess, a just ridiculous performance last week with the deep ball against the Bears as they carved up the Chicago secondary. These two quarterbacks land their line pretty good. Pretty darn similar. And remember when last they faced, which was a primetime game in week five in Dallas a year ago, they combined for 80 points. It was a 40-40 tie, if you remember. So the topic bar here is very Sunday morning, Lance. Not a shot at the topic bar. Which quarterback has the edge Sunday night?

I'm going to go slight edge with Jordan Love, and let me tell you why. He is 20, the Green Bay Packers are 24th in the league in scoring offense, not even 21 yards a game. They're last with a running game, producing 60 yards on the ground per game. The offensive line's not as good as what Dak Prescott has.

But you know what? Jordan Love is making it happen with explosives. Right here, that's a great example. Christian Watson and Matthew Golden are averaging 17.4 yards per catch, and they've got a total of nine touchdowns between them. That's the reason that they're 3-2 right now is because Jordan Love is taking a heavy burden on his shoulders, and he's delivering when he needs to with explosive plays.

That's been the real key here.

Dak's done a great job, but the duo that Dallas has versus the duo at wide receiver that the Green Bay Packers have, this is a fantastic matchup this week. I just want to mention them because it complements the two quarterbacks, Love and Prescott, as well.

Yeah.

Absolutely, and as for that Cowboys defense here, Christian Parker, their D.C., who had never called plays before they brought him in from Philadelphia, where he was an assistant under Vic Fangio, brought in Mike Pettin this week, the former Browns head coach, for a second set of eyes. Parker says he is going to likely remain on the sideline calling the defense after earlier in the week, owner Jerry Jones on his weekly radio spot locally said Parker would move upstairs. All right, so there's that. If you're scoring at home, and if you are as well, it's the Giants and not the Cowboys who sit atop the NFC East to open up week six. New York has, and I'm going to spin this positively, yet to lose a

game with Jameis Winston as the starter. A tie is not a loss. They're 2-0-1.

I just think, you know, the coaches are doing an incredible job, you know, catering to our playmakers. I think that's so important. You know, football can be very simple when you say, hey, this is who we have. How can we make them look good? We make them look good, we in turn will look good. So just hats off to those guys upstairs working their tail off day in and day out to give us the best chance to go out there and give our best players the ball.

All right, Lance, 2-0-1 with Jameis, 3-1-1 overall. Then it's the Eagles at 2-3, the Cowboys at 2-3, the Commanders at 1-3-1. Let's play true or false. I beg your pardon. True or false, Lance, the Giants are the best team in the NFC East.

Let's go true. I don't really have a choice, do I?

You don't sound very convincing.

Well, look, the Eagles are a mess. We can't say the Eagles. The Cowboys, defensively, they're a mess again. Another year where it's a real problem for them. They got shut down offensively by Todd Bowles last week, although I think Dallas is obviously a good offensive unit.

The advantage here, and this is going to sound.

Strange, I look for all these numbers to find how I could convince myself that it's a Giants.

You know what they do well? They punt well.

And the reason that matters is because they are a good team when it comes to taking away the football with interceptions. They've got six, and they've only had three interceptions against. They're good against the pass. So when you get field position for the Giants, they're doing a good job of maintaining good field position.

For their offense. So I can't really fight.

They got one rushing touchdown. They're not explosive as a passing team. They're okay defensively in general, but they do just enough to be tops in that division. It helped that Washington doesn't know much about clock management last week.

But hey, you are what your record says. You are 3-1-1.

They punt well. Tip of the cap to Jordan Stout.

They punt well. Why can't we talk? Hey, Harbaugh's a third-phase guy, right? He was a special teams coach.

And he brought Stout with him from Baltimore. All right, let's transition to the Bills. We saw them at a classic on Monday night. But rhetorical question, can you win a championship without a defense? Statistically, they do not have a defense, at least not one that could historically win a championship. True or false, Lance, the Bills are the team to beat in the AFC despite the number 28 defense.

False, and I can't believe I'm saying this, but I'm going Chiefs. I've been writing the Chiefs off for like three years now, and I thought this was finally my year. I thought this was finally my year, and Pat Mahomes comes back, and the Chiefs look good again. Look, I love Josh Allen, my favorite quarterback to watch in the entire NFL.

Love watching the offense perform. defensively, they're just not very sound.

I think there are some personnel issues that are not going to go away no matter how much they try to coach it up. And with that in mind, there's just too many teams that can get hot at the right time in the AFC, I think, for you to just shoot it out with everyone. So I'm going to have to say Kansas City, once again, is going to be the team that is the best team in the West right now, or rather in the AFC right now.

Wow.

Okay.

The Texans were in that conversation when the season began.

Uh-huh.

They are no longer in that conversation now that they are one and four, but hey, they got to win. Let's show you some Texans defensive numbers if we could, because the first month of the season when they were facing Josh Allen and Joe Burrow and Dak Prescott, their defense was bad. But then last week against Cam Ward, well, all of a sudden they're the Texans defense again. And Lance, what if I told you, and I know you know this, you're in Houston, that the schedule sets up pretty well for them. Now, This week, not easy in any way, shape, or form in London against a very good Jaguar team.

But then it's the Giants, and you just said they punt well. Then it's a bye. Then it's the Chargers. And then you see the right side of the screen. Not easy, but not out of the realm of possibility that they could get something going here. So Lance Erlein, true or false? the Texans at 1-4 can still make the postseason.

I'm going to say true.

Now, you know, come find me after Sunday's game in London because if they lose to the Jaguars, we're shutting it down. But if they beat the Jaguars, which is definitely possible in London, then all of a sudden you're really looking at needing to go 5-1 in your next six. That's completely, or rather 4-1 in your next six. That's completely possible. They would be 6-5 after that. And we saw the schedule.

It's certainly possible.

Doable, and then you'll worry about the colder weather teams as you get to them. But the Texans right now added Marvin Harrison Jr. Once Nico Collins is on the field, they're scoring almost 30 points a game right now. So adding Marvin Harrison Jr.

Nico's healthy.

The defense, I think, is going to become the defense once again, and the schedule sets up well for him. It's not over just yet. Don't count him out just yet.

Marvin Harrison Jr. set to play in London. He does have a passport. Lance Erlein, we thank you kindly. Stay right there as we continue on the NFL Report. Coming up, we go back to Denver. More Thursday night football as the Seahawks and Broncos get ready for a Super Bowl rematch. One from 12 years ago. Now granted, the fifth time they've met since then, but why not make it a Super Bowl rematch? I always ask you, I'll ask you again, do you have NFL Plus Premium? With it, you can get NFL Red Zone and watch Scott every Sunday. During the regular season, you get game replays. You can track the advanced analytics powered by NGS, Next Gen Stats. You do that with NFL Pro. Sign up today at plus.nfl.com

slash fast. Plus.nfl.com slash fast. Terms and conditions are... do apply how about this in pittsburgh where steelers players took part in the pittsburgh next youth career resource and opportunity fair tuesday at accresher cam hayward was there it's cam's kindness week steelers looking to empower young adults with ready to work resources networking and career opportunities mock interviews networking opportunities job resource tables a lot there great job by the steelers In the community, let's get some quick hits, some headlines from around the NFL. We mentioned the Texans.

They are going to have a few empty seats on the plane going over to London. Tankdale, David Montgomery, Jalen Petrie all ruled out already for that divisional head-to-head with the Jaguars. None of them will make the trip. Keeping an eye on Jeremiah Love meantime, the rookie running back, the top five pick in Arizona. He was not at practice again today. The Cardinals are in L.A. to face the Rams at SoFi. Mike Evans not at practice today.

Up in Santa Clara, he has Achilles soreness. That is in addition, Kyle Shanahan says, to his rib issue. Niners play Monday night. They get the commanders in Santa Clara. And Rasheed Rice out of practice today. He has a hamstring injury. The Chiefs And the winless Chargers, that game is in Kansas City coming up on Sunday. All right, let's get one more thing in here before we go.

Show you some Jameis Winston numbers last week against the Blitz. He was fantastic. Also fantastic, Jameis Winston on the podium. Here to make you smile, your daily dose of Jameis.

My take on the Jameis Winston experience is that I am called to be the light of the world and the salt of the earth.

Right.

Like every time that I'm around someone, I am driven to increase that man or that woman with every action that I take. So if you're defining that as the James Winston experience, I'm telling you that is the James Winston experience that I intend to give.

He's my favorite. He is flat out my favorite. James Winston, one of my favorite, not players in the NFL, but people hands down in the NFL. Also among my favorite people. Bucky Brooks, Cody Kessler, and Mike Yam. They are coming up. Game day preview with any and everything you need to know about the Seahawks and the Broncos and Thursday night football in week number six among the Denver injuries. Pat Sertan and Talanoa Hufanga. They are both out, but Riley Moss is up. So the corner opposite Pat Sertan is up.

And for the Seahawks... It's Sam Darnold and company trying to bounce back after losing this past week. A game viewed by 26 million people. The head-to-head against the 49ers. I'm Andrew Siciliano. So long, everybody.

The NFL Report: Jalen Hurts out with Blood Clot + Lance Zierlein Joins the Show

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