Hurts' Lombardi Hopes Hinge on New Weapons

0:00It's April 27th. Welcome to NFL News Today, powered by AI. I'm Cory with the story. It's been just two years since Jalen Hertz hoisted the Lombardi trophy with the Eagles, but the vibes around him have flipped hard. Folks are doubting if Philly can chase another Super Bowl ring with him at the helm. Heading into the 2026 season, they've got the 11th best odds to win it all, which ain't shabby, but the spotlight's burning on Hertz. As the main weak link, last year as defending champs, they started with the third highest odds, but Hertz's play fell flat. He threw for 3,024 yards, 25 touchdowns, and just six picks, yet the passing game ranked 23rd in the league. That playoff lost to the San Francisco 49ers, Hurt Bad only 169 yards through the air, and 14 on the ground. Now the doubters are loud, with reports saying Hertz doesn't mesh with the offense and resisted tweaks like snapping under center more. Philly's pushing back though, drafting dynamic wide receiver McCoy Lemon and tight-end

1:02Eli Stowers to stretch the field, plus grabbing edge rusher, green art and free agency. The real shift comes with new offensive coordinator, Sean Manion, who's ditching the safe plays for something bolder. Lemon and Stowers forced Hertz to sling it down the middle and unleash his old creativity. They even drafted rookie quarterback Cole Payton as a long-term hedge. Hertz has switched systems three times already, so cut him some slack, but the clock's ticking, he's got to sync up with these weapons and silence though. Noise before Payton gets his shot. Philly's betting on him to spark that fire again.