Eagles beat Panthers without Jalen Hurts? Our expert score predictions

PHILADELPHIA − The Eagles keep taking gut punches, the latest is Jalen Hurts' blood clot that has led the Eagles to place their star quarterback on injured reserve on Oct. 17. That means Hurts will have to miss at least four games, beginning on Oct. 18 when the Eagles face the Carolina Panthers . Instead of Alabama alums matching up at quarterback in Hurts going against Panthers QB Bryce Young, it'll be Tanner McKee, with two career starts in three-plus seasons, at quarterback for the Eagles. Buy Philadelphia Eagles tickets Before this season, the Eagles still might have had the advantage. That's because Young, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 draft, came into this season having eclipsed 3,000 yards passing only once − and just barely as he finished with 3,011 yards passing last season. Look at Young now. He is averaging 317 yards passing per game, putting him on pace to go well over 5,000 yards this season. He leads the NFL's top-ranked passing offense (301 yards per game), No. 3 offense in total yards (406 per game) and No. 4 offense in scoring (30.3 points per game). It's quite a difference from the last time the two teams played, back on Dec. 8, 2024. The Eagles won that game 22-16 on their way to the Super Bowl. Back then, Young was 19-for-34 for 191 yards with a touchdown and interception. And that was one of his better games. After last season, the Panthers were not sold on Young as their franchise quarterback. They picked up his fifth-year option for 2027, guaranteeing him $25 million for that season. But they did not sign him to an extension. If Young keeps going like this, his next contract will be worth more than double that per season. "The quarterback has really progressed," Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio said. "Kudos to him and their coaching staff. He's really a good processor, makes quick decisions, knows where to go with the ball ... (The Panthers) got it going right now." Yet the Panthers are 2-2 because their defense is a work in progress. They rank 29th overall in total defense (389 yards allowed per game), 31st in run defense (157 yards per game), and 26th in points allowed per game (27.3). Then again, the Eagles offense hasn't reached any of the Panthers' defensive averages in a game this season. Their highest totals are 341 total yards, 136 rushing yards and 24 points. And it'll be even more difficult to reach those totals with Hurts and Saquon Barkley (hamstring) sitting out. Here's how we see the game going: Our prognosticators are Martin Frank (Eagles beat writer/columnist, Delawareonline.com), Greg Giesen (sports strategist, Delawareonline.com), Tom McGurk (sports editor, Courierpostonline.com), Tom Moore (sports columnist, Phillyburbs.com), Bob Jordan (sports editor, app.com), Bert Bainbridge (sports trending reporter & columnist, Northjersey.com), Tom Haines (Pennsylvania state planning), Kevin Tresolini, (college sports reporter, Delawareonline.com), Michelle Ganassi (audience director & die-hard Steelers fan, Delawareonline.com), Tom Rimback (sports writer, Courierpostonline.com), Brandon Holveck (high school sports reporter, Delawareonline.com) Martin Frank Just as the Eagles start getting some of their key injured players back − TE Dallas Goedert returned last week and WR DeVonta Smith and OLB Jonathan Greenard are returning this week − they're losing QB Jalen Hurts for at least a month and RB Saquon Barkley is missing another game. Can the Eagles' defense, led by Jalen Carter, give them a chance for some McKee Magic? I'm saying yes. The pick: Eagles 23, Panthers 19 Greg Giesen As the late Mike Ditka said about one of his late 1980s Bears teams, "We ain’t very good right now, but we’re all we’ve got. ... Unless we get better, we’re going to have a hard time. We might not win another (expletive) game this season.” The same is true for the out-gunned Eagles. Philadelphia has a patchwork offensive line and multiple weapons out – including quarterback Jalen Hurts. While the defense is strong, the lack of an offense is killing the Birds. This losing streak is going to linger. The pick: Panthers 20, Eagles 10 Kevin Tresolini The Panthers are coming off their bye week, which gives them additional prep time. The Eagles are just weak, offensively anyway. Former top draft pick Bryce Young has begun to finally show his promise as the Panthers' quarterback, though Vic Fangio's defense will certainly challenge him and what has become one of the NFL's better offenses. The Eagles have lost in almost unimaginable ways the last two weeks, and shown an equally stunning ineptitude with their offense. Tempted to go the other way with Jalen Hurts out. But fate, playing at home and the return of some players from injury finally work in their favor, and Tanner McKee is better than expected. The pick: Eagles 20, Panthers 17 Tom Rimback Until proven otherwise, this is not a good football team. Unless the offense figures this out and gives the defense some time to recover, it's going to be a long season. The pick: Panthers 23, Eagles 20 Bert Bainbridge The shorthanded Eagles were seconds away from pulling off the upset over the heavily-favored Jaguars in London. The Birds are in a bad spot as they return home from across the pond, and won't have quarterback Jalen Hurts . That doesn't usually bode well for international teams, especially against a red-hot Panthers team coming off a bye week. Even with DeVonta Smith back, it won't be enough with a backup QB to slow down a Carolina offense that's averaging 30.3 points per game, good for the fourth-highest scoring offense in the NFL. The pick: Panthers 27, Eagles 13 Bob Jordan Wheeling right back into action after an international game and facing an opponent coming off a bye week − it doesn't feel like the formula to get the Birds back in flight. The pick: Panthers 27, Eagles 10 Tom McGurk The Eagles desperately need a victory, and they are favorites at home. However, the team still isn't healthy, and one wonders if the players will lose faith in a head coach who blew decisions down the stretch over the previous two weeks. The pick: Panthers 20, Eagles 17 Brandon Holveck This pick is a vote of confidence for the Vic Fangio defense led by a resurgent Jalen Carter, Zack Baun, Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean. Those are four of the best five or six players on the Eagles, and the organization will lean on them to get through this turbulent patch. The pick: Eagles 17, Panthers 13 Tom Haines Just when it looked like the Birds were getting back some much needed offensive firepower, the team received the biggest gut punch when it was determined Jalen Hurts would be out of action vs. the Panthers. Down multiple running backs, plus Devonta Smith and four-fifths of the season-opening offensive line proved too much to overcome in past weeks. If some of those pieces are ready to go Sunday, will it be enough for backup QB Tanner McKee? Thinking it's time the defense steps up. The pick: Eagles 23, Panthers 20 Tom Moore Another tossup game for the struggling Eagles. Flip a coin. The pick: Panthers 24, Eagles 23 Michelle Ganassi Just remember the Eagles won a Super Bowl with a backup QB. The pick: Eagles 24, Panthers 14 Overall records 5-0: Bainbridge 4-1: Frank, Giesen, McGurk, Moore, Tresolini 3-2: Rimback, Haines, Holveck 3-1: Ganassi 2-3: Jordan Contact Martin Frank at mfrank@delawareonline.com. Follow on X @Mfranknfl. Sign up for the " Eye On The Eagles" newsletter , emailed to your inbox every Friday morning. Read his coverage of the  Eagles ’ championship season in “Flying High,” a hardcover coffee-table book from Delaware Online/The News Journal.  Details at Fly.ChampsBook.com Our editors independently choose our recommendations. Some content is produced with paid support from a third party, however our editorial decisions remain independent. If you buy through our links, the USA TODAY Network may earn a commission. Prices and availability may change.