Which Eagle Needs to Step Up These Last Four Games?

So if the Eagles want to make the NFC playoff field this season, who needs a big finish to the season to help get them there?

It seems at 6-7 the Eagles have come to far to root for a better draft pick, so they might as well start focusing on trying to sneak in as an NFC Wild Card team. Every game matters to coach Nick Sirianni and Philadelphia has exceeded most fans expectations this season, playing meaning football in the month of December is a win.

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The team made a move up the ESPN power rankings this week coming in at No. 21, up from No. 23 last week, after their win over the Jets.

So if the Eagles end up in the playoffs this season, who is the guy the needs to step his game up these last four games?

According to ESPN.com Eagles reporter Tim McManus the answer is clear, its Jalen Hurts.

It's not really Hurts vs. Gardner Minshew. It's Hurts vs. time. Hurts has four regular-season games left to convince the front office that instead of using their three first-round picks in April's draft to acquire a quarterback, they should use the resources to build around him. Hurts has had stretches this season when he has been among the most impactful quarterbacks in the game, but he has been inconsistent as a passer. If he can lead the Eagles to a postseason berth in coach Nick Sirianni's first year, it would make it all the more difficult for management to go in a different direction.

Hurts has been a bit inconsistent and has yet to totally win over the fan base, and having Gardner Minshew step in last week in a win over the Jets didn't help.

Questions about whether Hurts, who was drafted in the second-round last year, is the right man for the job are fair, though the team still needs to give him a fair shake. This season was supposed to be about leaning more about Hurts and giving him these final four games is fair.

Many franchise quarterbacks got off to slow starts but turned into successful quarterbacks. Josh Allen is a player who struggled early in his career with inconsistent, but has become a MVP candidate.

Hurts is coming off maybe his worst game as a pro, in the loss to the Giants, he made uncharacteristic mental mistakes and, wasn't a factor with his legs in that game, largely due to an ankle injury that forced him to miss Week 13.

The good news? The Eagles were able to get a win, stay in the playoff race with hurts on the sidelines, giving him a chance to get healthy and return for the stretch run of games.

It’s not just important that Hurts finishes strong to boost Philadelphia's playoff chances, but to also see if he is the man for the job heading into 2022.