“I see the bad moon a-rising,

I see trouble on the way”

— “Bad Moon Rising” Creedence Clearwater Revival

The direction of the Eagles season will be decided over the next three games. More importantly, it easily could be the direction of the franchise.

And, yes, Jalen Hurts is the elephant in the room. His issue has been well documented, but his presence will continue to overshadow the season.

These next three weeks will turn the Eagles into a pretender or contender. The NFC East arguably is the worst in football, and eight or nine wins should determine the division champion.

Is there a bad moon rising, or a blue sky brightening?

Philly has divisional games left with Dallas, Washington and the Giants.

Monday night’s much-anticipated showdown between the Eagles and Cowboys has transformed into a nearly dreaded one of 2-4 teams. Of course, the Eagles have their multitude of problems over their four straight losses, and Dallas appears to be in a freefall with a sputtering offense and porous defense that has led to three losses in its last four games.

It is the first time that both teams with losing records faced each other since 2020, when the Eagles were 4-9-1 and the Cowboys were 5-9 at AT & T Stadium in Week 16. Dallas won the game, 37-17.

Even with its 2-4 record, Dallas is a 4.5 favorite in Philly. It’s gotten that bad.

Follow The Green-Brick Road ... Despite their woes, the Eagles could still swing the season back in their favor. That is, if the Eagles have Saquon Barkley and some members of their defense back to help fill out the lineup.

If they win all three of their next games, the Eagles would be above .500 and possibly on the Giants’ heels. If they win two of three, they would still be in a favorable situation. Losing all three would definitely present a new scenario (see below), and the team likely finishing with four to six wins.

Looking ahead, the Eagles will host the Steelers in a 4:25 kickoff, travel to Dallas for a rematch and then head to Arizona before they return home against the Colts. With the way they’re playing under Aaron Rodgers, the Steelers loom as a stiff challenge.

On Thursday, the Birds inked former Giants’ top pick guard/tackle Evan Neal to their practice squad. Can you say desperate, as Neal has been a flop to this point.

“I hear hurricanes a-blowing

I know the end is coming soon.”

Barkley’s Blue-Light Special ... If the Eagles fall to 2-7, there is a distinct possibility that GM Howie Roseman might initiate a fire sale. Roseman also knows his team will be in an advantageous situation with a likely top-five draft pick. Currently, the Eagles have the seventh pick.

Who’s likely to go? The unpopular and presumed unlikely choice would be Barkley. He will be 30 in February, and the Penn State product may have hit his peak with his banner 2024 season.If the Eagles trade him, they would take a dead cap hit of $26 million, but they wouldn’t be paying his $16 million owed next year. There’s plenty of buzz around the league, and the Texans, Vikings, Broncos and Seahawks all would welcome his services.

Houston recently acquired Marvin Harrison Jr., and it’s apparently making a run at the AFC South title. The Texans’ vaunted defense is rounding back into shape after picking up their first two wins of the season. Adding Barkley would definitely bolster their running game with ex-Lion David Montgomery being hampered by injuries.

A reported deal has Houston sending 2027 third-and sixth-round picks, a 2028 second-round pick, and running back Woody Marks, their leading rusher.

That would be a great deal for the Eagles, and Barkley isn’t likely to fetch a first-rounder any more. The 25-year-old Marks would slide in as the lead back with Tank Bigsby being the 1A back.

It seems impossible that the Eagles would trade Barkley, but Roseman isn’t afraid to deal for the future. He has also done a steady and solid job in determining a player’s shelf life.

Surprisingly, Barkley has been mute on the Hurts’ situation. He did practice Thursday, and should play Monday night.

“I fear rivers overflowing,

I hear the voice of rage and ruin.”

We’ll Keep The Light On For You ... Besides Barkley, other Eagles who could be dealt are defensive linemen Moro Ojomo, Arnold Ebiketie and Byron Young; tight end Dallas Goedert; cornerback Riq Woolen; and tight end Johnny Mundt, all free agents next year.

Ojomo is another player who one might think twice about dealing, but he will likely test the market for a big deal like predecessors Milton Williams and Jaelen Phillips. Ebiketie and Young might bring some mid-round picks, and either could be signed to a minimal deal.

Goedert is a fan favorite and a reliable source, but would bring a nice price. Woolen has been inconsistent and flagged for too many penalties, but his veteran status could attract some offers. Mundt is an excellent blocker who can catch some passes.

“Looks like we’re in for nasty weather,

One eye is taken for an eye.”

Go To The Head Of The Class ... If the Eagles flutter around .500, or take a nose dive, April’s draft could be a crucial one.

In 2028, the Birds have two first-round picks, and two second-round picks. Should they end up outside the top 10, Roseman may use one of those four picks to draft a quarterback from a stacked class featuring Texas’ Arch Manning and Ole Miss’ Trinidad Chambliss, Missouri’s Austin Simmons, Oklahoma State’s Drew Mestemaker, Oregon’s Dante Moore and Notre Dame’s C.J. Carr.

It will be a tough call considering Hurts is shut down, coupled with what could be a trading deadline exit for a few Birds.

Digging For Gold ... Notre Dame has a bye week before it hosts Navy on Halloween, and then host the key showdown against top-ranked Miami. After their 28-24 loss to BYU, the Irish (6-1) may need to take a different look at their offense.

It has been suggested on several fronts that they incorporate more play-action into their scheme. They employed just under six percent of their offense last week, and 18 percent in 2025. Carr likes to run the ball, and doesn’t hesitate to throw the long ball with his 1,639 passing yards and 16 touchdowns.

The Irish should also decide on a consistent two-tier backfield among the triumvirate of Nolan James Jr, Aneyas Williams and Jonaz Walton. The latter is a rapidly rising freshman who was limited to just five carries against BYU. Walton definitely needs to be more involved.

Does It Hurt(s)? ... In regards to Hurts’ condition, some local head coaches were asked for their reaction to his situation.

Marian’s Billy O’Gurek: “This sounds like some pretty serious stuff. I don’t think we are getting the full story yet. The whole part about not sleeping in England but being allowed to play sounds crazy. I’m not sure who OK’d that.”

Northern Lehigh’s Joe Tout: “You just hope that he is able to get healthy, and you’re glad something catastrophic didn’t occur while he played and traveled home from London. Football is a job and it is secondary to his health. So I think it is a smart thing to shut him down for the remainder of the season. As far as the Eagles are concerned, I think they will take the opportunity to see how Tanner McKee does at quarterback. However, this season looks like it will become a tank season, and a mini rebuild will start in the off-season.”

Panther Valley’s Mark Lavine: “The Jalen Hurts situation is scary, and it reminds you that football is still a game. Taking care of yourself is the more important thing.”

Scrapbook ... In each column, I will review the career of a former standout from the area.

Kyle Ferryman was a wide receiver and running back for Panther Valley. In his senior year, Ferryman — a 2014 graduate — rushed for 1,231 yards and amassed 4,771 total yards in his career. Ferryman was selected to the Times News all-area team in both his junior and senior years.

He continued his career at Moravian University where he saw action in games for three seasons. In his junior season, Ferryman played in 10 games, recording two tackles and catching one pass for five yards.

During his senior season, Ferryman played 10 games and started three for the Greyhounds. He had 22 catches for 252 yards and three touchdowns.

Eagle Eye ... A prediction for this game? It may be easier to pick the winning Powerball numbers? I thought McKee would miraculously lead them last week. I don’t know if Barkley can make a difference. It’s a tight one, but Dallas gets back in the division hunt ... Cowboys, 20-17.

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