The last time Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts, who will face the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl 57 in Arizona, started a game against the Chiefs was October 3, 2021.
In that contest, the Eagles would fall to Kansas City 42-30 at Lincoln Financial Field.
However, Hurts had career-highs of 32 completions and 387 yards in that game. He also threw two touchdowns and no interceptions. Hurts had 434 yards of total offense (including 47 rushing yards on eight attempts). The 387 passing yards were the most by an Eagles quarterback since 2018.
That was one of Hurts’ best games of 2021, and the Eagles’ offense went toe-to-toe with Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs, but they fell short.
On Tuesday, Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni discussed Hurts’ performance against the Chiefs.
“I thought he played really well that game,” he said. “Actually, that was one of the things we’re doing too right now, is just rewatching some of that, just like I know they are, just watching some of the things that happened in that game. I thought Jalen played a really good game. I know everybody did, and then just to see him, how he’s continued to grow each day since then.
“That’s some of the things you see there, too, are like, man, he continues to get better. He had a great game this day, but he continues to get better. That’s the kind of guy he is. He just strives to get better each day.
“I don’t have any particular plays that stick out or anything like that from the game, again, just watching it, looking at some things from it. But just Jalen, his leadership, his ability to improve each day, you’ll definitely see that, and you’ve definitely seen him improve since that day.”
That game feels like ages ago, and a lot has changed. Last season, the Chiefs were 27th in total defense, while Philadelphia’s offense was 14th overall. However, in 2022, the Eagles were third in offense, and the Chiefs were 11th in total defense, so both units have improved, but it seems the Eagles would have the edge.
We shall see…
The Eagles will return to the Super Bowl after defeating the 49ers 31-7 in the NFC title game at Lincoln Financial Field on Sunday.
With the win, the Eagles, who won Super Bowl in the 2017 season, will face the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LVII in Arizona on February 12.
The man doubted in college at Alabama and Oklahoma, and in his first two seasons in the league, Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts has proven that he can lead a team to a Super Bowl.
Hurts, who finished 15/25 for 121 yards and ran for 39 yards and a touchdown against San Francisco, says there’s still more work to be done.
“I said early in the week that this is not a time for reflection,” he said. “It’s really hard for me to do that. I try to enjoy the moment, but my joy comes in winning. I know the job isn’t done. I never knew how far we would come, I never knew how far we’d go, but I never said it couldn’t be done.”
Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie said he saw the potential in Hurts when Philly drafted him in the second round back in 2020.
“He is a great young leader,” Lurie said. “He is a terrific young quarterback. When we drafted him, it was the upside we were banking on. We thought he had a huge upside. It takes a couple years. And somebody so dedicated as [QB] Jalen [Hurts] and such a great teammate. Inevitably he is going to maximize everything he has, and that’s what he’s done.”
When the Eagles drafted Hurts, many were shocked because they had just signed Carson Wentz to a big contract the season before. Hurts reflected on that moment after the win.
“It was a big surprise to many,” he said about Philly drafting him. “My favorite [bible] verse, I went through a lot of stuff in college, and it kind of stuck with me, John 13:7: ‘You may not know now, but later you’ll understand.’ Hopefully, people understand.”
To think Hurts would lead the Eagles to the Super Bowl after how he looked in the playoffs against the Buccaneers last season is quite remarkable, but as he said, the job isn’t done.
Notes:
–Jalen Hurts recorded his 15th rushing touchdown on Sunday to set the new single-season record for a quarterback.
-This is the third Super Bowl appearance under Jeffrey Lurie’s ownership, having previously reached the league’s championship game during the 2004 and 2017 seasons.
-Currently, Philadelphia is the fourth NFL team to reach three Super Bowls dating back to 2004, joining New England (seven), Pittsburgh (three) and Seattle (three). The Eagles are also the fourth franchise to appear in multiple Super Bowls since 2017, joining Kansas City (two), L.A. Rams (two) and New England (two) in that span.
-Philadelphia is the first NFL team to allow 7-or-fewer points multiple times in the same postseason since the 2000 Baltimore Ravens (also W, 38-7 vs. N.Y. Giants). Philadelphia outscored their opponents 69-14 in these playoffs.
-The Eagles scored a franchise-playoff-record 4 rushing TDs in today’s game (2 TDs by Miles Sanders and 1 TD apiece by Jalen Hurts and Boston Scott). Philadelphia’s 4 rushing TDs were the most allowed by San Francisco’s No. 2-ranked rushing defense this season.
-Haason Reddick finished the game with 2.0 sacks, 1 FF and 1 FR. Reddick now has totaled 3.5 sacks this postseason, which are the most by an individual Eagle during a single playoff run. Overall, Reddick has recorded 19.5 sacks in 19 games this season (including playoffs).
In 2022, the Philadelphia Eagles(14-3) had the best record in football in the regular season and are one game away(battle the 49ers in the NFC title game at the Linc on Sunday) from getting to the Super Bowl.
The Eagles have a league-best eight Pro Bowlers and, from top to bottom, have one of the best rosters in the NFL.
According to Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni, who has been around the NFL as a coach since 2009, the 2022 Philadelphia Eagles is the most complete team he’s been around.
“We had some good Mount Union(University) teams. I mean, we had some really good Mount Union teams, that’s for darn sure,'” Sirianni said on Thursday. “But, yeah, in the NFL, this is the most complete team that I’ve ever been around.
“The thing that makes you say that is that I’ve been taught from very young that it’s O-line, D-line, O-line, D-line, O-line, D-line. It doesn’t matter if it’s my son’s pee wee game, it doesn’t matter if it’s a high school game, it doesn’t matter if it’s a college game, it doesn’t matter if it’s a pro game, the O-line, D-line, wins games and sets the tone.
“We have a great defensive line. We have a great offensive line. And not only do we have these pieces in place there, we also understand that we have backups, and we have rotations, guys ready to step in and make plays, and guys that have stepped in to make plays.
“We also know this about San Francisco: They have a great O-line and D-line. You get to the NFC Championship game, that’s what it’s going to look like. I haven’t looked at Cincinnati or Kansas City, but I am assuming it is similar traits.
“So, it’ll be a battle. Yeah, a lot of credit to our O-line, D-line. A lot of credit to [Executive Vice President/General Manager] Howie [Roseman], and how he’s put this roster together and his staff and [Run Game Coordinator/Offensive Line] coach Stout [Jeff Stoutland] and [Defensive Line] coach [Tracy] Rocker and [Defensive Ends/Outside Linebackers] coach Wash [Jeremiah Washburn]. We have a lot of guys in place that are making it possible with those guys.”
Sirianni is right; the Eagles are a complete team and may have the most complete team in the NFL, but none of that means a thing if they don’t get the ring.
Michael Jordan is considered by many to be the greatest player in NBA history. In 15 NBA seasons, Jordan won six NBA titles, six NBA Finals MVPs, and five-time regular-season MVPs.
Anytime you compare any player to Jordan, you’re saying that player is special.
After Philadelphia’s 38-7 win over the Giants on Saturday night, Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni compared Hurts to Jordan. The third-year quarterback is playing like an MVP this season and have the Eagles one game away from the Super Bowl.
On Monday, Sirianni explained the Jordan comparison.
“You know, when you compare something like that, you’re thinking about — I mean, Michael Jordan is the best basketball player of all time, and I get in arguments back and forth with our players,” Sirianni said. “In my opinion, right, because my height of watching basketball — I’m not trying to start a debate here or anything like that, but in my opinion, my height of watching basketball and who I always wanted to be as a kid growing up was Michael Jordan. I don’t think I’m going to get in many arguments that he’s the best basketball player of all time.
“But the things that Michael Jordan, you were able to see a lot of things about him in “The Last Dance” about his competitiveness and about just his desire and will to win.
“So when you make that comparison, you think — again, when you guys ask me about Jalen, the first thing, as good as he’s played this year, as well as he’s run the football, as well as he’s thrown the football, reading defenses, accurate throws, as well as he’s done all that, what you notice first about him is his will to win, his competitive drive.
“That comparison is kind of in that aspect of it. Again, was I around Michael Jordan? No, but I was able to watch from afar when I was a kid, but then also you’re able to watch these documentaries, and you see that common denominator of those things — the first thing you asked me about Jalen, I always talk about all those things, all the intangibles that he has.
“That’s where that’s coming from is just that will to win. It’s at a different level. He had that big chain on. What did it say? A breed of one. He’s a breed of one. That’s who he is. He’s unlike anybody I’ve been around just with how much he loves this game, how much winning drives him, how much getting better every day drives him, how much leading drives him. He’s special. He is a special dude.
“That’s where really I was coming from with that, in the sense of, like man, these guys, they’re built different. They’re built different as far as how they go about their business and how they go about prepping for games and compete in games and steady during games. That’s what I was speaking of there.”
You can see Hurts’ competitive fire in his demeanor; as Sirianni said, he’s never fazed. However, Jordan won, and he won big, so for this comparison to stick, Hurts has to win on Sunday against the 49ers, which won’t be easy, but if he’s really Jordan-like, the Eagles will be in Arizona for Super Bowl LVII.
The week’s talk in Philadelphia was about the health of Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts(shoulder). Would the Eagles be able to run their full offense with Hurts in the lineup? Well, on Saturday night against the New York Giants in the Divisional Round of the playoffs, he answered the question, and it was a resounding, Yes!
Hurts was 16/24 for 154 yards, two touchdowns, and he also rushed for 34 yards and a touchdown, and the Eagles scored touchdowns on four of their five first-half drives as Philadelphia routed the Giants 38-7 at Lincoln Financial Field to advance to the NFC Championship Game for the first time since 2017.
The Eagles defeated the Giants three times this season and outscored them 108-45 in those three games.
With Hurts in the lineup, the running game was potent as they rushed for 268 yards, which is second-most in team playoff history. Kenneth Gainwell ran for 112 yards and a touchdown; Miles Sanders had 90 yards, and Boston Scott added a rushing touchdown.
Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni says Hurts distributes like a point guard.
“Jalen [Hurts] is always going to help the running game big time because of what he can do and the threat he poses on the backside,” Sirianni said. “Even if he is not carrying it or even if he is not having runs to him, he is still going to affect the game. That’s what he did. He affected the game because he demands attention on the backside. Not only that, but he runs the show out there. He is like a point guard. He is getting us to good checks. We have checks on. That’s a good defense. They pose a lot of problems.”
According to Sirianni, Hurts’ impact is Jordan-like.
“To have him out there is like — I know this is high praise, but to have him out there is like having — I shouldn’t even go there — it’s like having Michael Jordan out there,” he said. “He’s your leader. He’s your guy.
“Hopefully that’s the biggest respect I can pay to him comparing his ability to being on the field to a Michael Jordan type. This guy leads. He brings this calmness to the entire team. He plays great football. He’s as tough as they come.
“Yeah, I mean, to me, nobody has played any better football than him this year.”
Sanders said Hurts looked like himself against the Giants.
“Seemed like the old Jalen to me,” he said. “I’m not going to lie. Just proud of him. He asks everybody for their best, and we’re going to do that just for him because he gives us our best.”
Hurts knows that opportunities to get to the Super Bowl don’t always come, and the Eagles must seize the moment.
“You work really hard for these opportunities,” he said. “They’re not a dime a dozen. You work really hard for them, and I’m just very eager to continue to grow. I’m eager to go through anything and everything with this group. It’s a special thing, it’s a special feeling, and it’s a special type of togetherness that we have, and I don’t think it’s something that I’ve experienced quite like this for sure on the NFL level. We just want to continue to grow together, hold each other accountable, and believe in one another. I think we just came out hungry.”
The Eagles had more talent and were better than the Giants, so this result is not unexpected. However, the next round will be challenging, and they must keep that hunger.
Last season, in his first year as a full-time starter, Jalen Hurts led the Philadelphia Eagles to the playoffs. However, their stay in the playoffs was brief.
Hurts and the Eagles would get blown out by the Buccaneers in the Wild Card round of the playoffs. At one point in that game, Philadelphia was down 31-0 and would ultimately lose 31-15 on the road.
In that contest, Hurts could have been better. He finished 23/43 for 258 yards, a touchdown, and two interceptions. Many of those yards came during garbage time.
After that loss, Hurts had this to say:
“I’ll say it again, nobody wants to end their season this way,” he said. “I hate this feeling. I hate this feeling. But, you never waste a mistake, and I do a pretty good job of trying not to do that. I try not to waste a mistake, so just learn from it.”
What a difference a year makes!
This season, Hurts returned a better player, and now the Eagles, who have home-field advantage throughout the playoffs in the NFC, start their playoff journey on Saturday night at Lincoln Financial Field against the New York Giants in the Divisional Round of the playoffs.
On Tuesday, Hurts discussed what he learned from that playoff loss to Tampa Bay.
“There was a ton that I learned from, and I took away from that going into the offseason,” he said. “I think it’s helpful for us to have experienced that together as a team and to have a lot of guys back. A lot of guys, like a Jason Kelce, decides to stay because he sees something in what he’s played with and the potential of what could be.”
The best news from Tuesday is that Hurts(shoulder) is not on the team’s injury report, and when asked about the shoulder, he said the following:
“Feeling good.”
Knowing that Hurts is not 100%, the Giants might target his injured shoulder. However, Hurts is not concerned.
“I got a bounty on me every week I go out there on the field,” he said. So, I’m going to go out there and play my game, so whatever happens, happens.”
The playoffs are where you make a name for yourself. Yes, Hurts played like an MVP this season, but if he falters in the postseason, none of that matters, but as he said, he’s not going to waste a mistake, so expect a big performance from him against the Giants.
Leaders step up when needed, and Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts is one of the leaders for the team, and they needed his leadership and his talent to win the NFC East, get the number one seed in the NFC, and secure a first-round bye.
Hurts helped make all that happen as the Eagles defeated the Giants 22-16 at Lincoln Financial Field on Sunday. Clearly, Hurts, who threw for 229 yards, including an interception against New York, was not 100%, and according to his head coach Nick Sirianni, he was sore after the game, which was expected; however, Hurts gutted through the pain for his teammates.
“We are fortunate that we have two weeks till the next time we play, depending on if it’s Saturday or Sunday,” Sirianni said on Tuesday. “We’re fortunate there. Again, he’s going to be a little bit healthier than what he was obviously the other day.
“He came out sore, as expected. He came out of that game sore because it’s still healing, right? Like, we didn’t feel like we were putting him at any more risk of getting more injured, but we knew it was going to hurt him like hell; he knew it was going to hurt him like hell. That’s the kind of player he is; that’s the kind of teammate he is. He fought through it because it was important for him to be out there; he knew how important it was for him and his teammates to be out there.”
To advance in the playoffs, the Eagles need Hurts to be as close to 100% as possible. They need him to play like the guy that is an MVP candidate; Hurts is at his best when he’s is using both his arm and legs. He used his legs against the Giants, but he did not have any designed runs, which, if he’s healthy, will likely be a part of the offense.
The Philadelphia Eagles got back their starting quarterback, and MVP candidate Jalen Hurts on Sunday against the Giants(9-7-1), who did not play many of its starters as they were locked into the sixth seed in the NFC.
While it wasn’t the prettiest performance from Hurts and the team, Philadelphia got the job done and defeated New York 22-16 at Lincoln Financial Field.
With the win, the Eagles(14-3) are NFC East champions, secured the number one seed in the conference, and will get a first-round bye. The last time the Eagles had the number one seed in the NFC was the Super Bowl-winning season back in 2017.
“It comes through Philly,” Hurts said after the game. “Job’s not done. Those are my thoughts.”
Hurts(shoulder) missed the last two games, both losses, and seemed to be protecting the injury against the Giants.
He finished the game 20/35 for 229 yards and an interception and had nine carries for 13 yards.
According to Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni, the team did not want Hurts to take any unnecessary punishment.
“I won’t get into too much of that, but sure you didn’t want to take any unnecessary risks,” Sirianni said about Hurts. “We needed to win the game. You saw he made some plays with his feet. They were doing a lot of different things on defense, just throwing some stuff out there. We obviously did some different things because we’ll always take into account the health of our players.”
Hurts added: “I’m just playing the game – playing the game and protecting myself. I think that’s what you all [the media] want to hear. I’m protecting myself.”
The third-year quarterback said he wanted to be out there for his team.
“I had some things I had to battle within myself,” he said. “I knew I wanted to be available for my team. It’s really tough being out, let alone taking some losses when you’re out. I want to be available for my team… We do what we have to do. We’re the number one seed, and we are the NFC champs, and that’s the goal we set out to do. Now I can continue to recover and be ready for playoffs.”
When asked if he was 100% healthy on Sunday, Hurts said this:
“Good enough to win today.”
Based on the game plan, it was clear that Hurts was not 100%, and the team was not going to put him in harm’s way. Fortunately for the Eagles, Hurts has two weeks to get that shoulder healthier and ready for the playoffs.
Milestones for the Eagles:
-Philadelphia finished the season with a franchise-record 477 points (previously 474 in 2014), including club records in total TDs (59), scrimmage TDs (57) and rushing TDs (32).
-The Eagles’ 32 rushing TDs are tied for the 4th-most in NFL single-season history, trailing only the 1962 Packers (36), 1948 49ers (35) and 1976 Steelers (33). Philadelphia is the only team in NFL history to rush for 25+ TDs in consecutive seasons.
Philadelphia established a single-season franchise record with 70 sacks this year. Only the 1984 Bears (72) and 1989 Vikings (71) recorded more QB takedowns in NFL history.
-The Eagles are the only NFL team to have four different players – Haason Reddick (16.0), Brandon Graham (11.0), Javon Hargrave (11.0) and Josh Sweat (11.0) (all career highs for everyone) – record 10.0+ sacks in the same season.
-A.J. Brown set a single-season franchise record with 1,496 receiving yards, eclipsing the previous mark owned by Mike Quick in 1983 (1,409). Brown, who finished with 4 receptions for 95 yards, broke Quick’s record with a 35-yard reception on Philadelphia’s first play from scrimmage
-DeVonta Smith, who produced 67 yards on a team-high 7 receptions, finished his second NFL season with 95 catches, which are the most by a WR in Eagles history. Overall, Smith’s 95 receptions are 2nd on the Eagles’ all-time list, trailing only Zach Ertz in 2018 (116).
The Philadelphia Eagles(13-3) had an opportunity to wrap up the NFC East and get the number one seed in NFC on Sunday against the New Orleans Saints(7-9) at Lincoln Financial Field.
Unfortunately for the Eagles, they played one of their worst games of the season on offense(season-low 10 points) and fell to New Orleans 20-10.
The Eagles have their first two-game losing streak of the season but can still clinch the number one seed and division with a win over the Giants at the Linc next week.
Gardner Minshew made his second consecutive start for the injured Jalen Hurts(shoulder), and at times, he struggled, and the Eagles’ offense struggled.
Last week, against the Cowboys, Minshew helped the Eagles score 27 points on offense as he threw three touchdowns, but he had two interceptions. This week, he was 18/32 for 274 yards, a touchdown, and an interception.
Philadelphia had four three-and-outs to start the game, and Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni said the Minshew and offense were not at their best against the Saints.
“Obviously, he’s going to want plays back,” Sirianni said about Minshew. “We’re all going to want plays back, right? I’ll have to look at the tape right there. “Obviously, 23(Lattimore) made a good play on the interception in a critical time on that one. I’ll look at what that really looked like up close. I don’t want to comment yet. Obviously, it wasn’t Gardner’s best game, and it wasn’t our best game as an offense. Not even close, right?
“Gardner is capable of playing better. We’re capable of coaching better, and we are capable of playing better as an entire unit.”
The backbreaker for the Eagles was the pick-6 by Marshon Lattimore in the fourth that gave New Orleans their only points in the second half and put the game away.
A.J. Brown was the target on the interception, and according to Brown, who caught four passes for 97 yards, including a 78-yard touchdown reception, he tried to tell Minshew that New Orleans had changed their coverage on the play.
“It was initially a press [coverage],” Brown said. “I was trying to get [Eagles QB] Gardner’s [Minshew] attention to look up, but he never looked back at me. [Saints CB Marshon Lattimore] actually caught it right out, and he basically doubled me on the play.”
Here’s how Minshew explained the play:
“We ran that same play earlier and it was the same coverage and they made a great adjustment to jump the route,” he said. “I should have seen that leverage when we made the motion. I assumed since it was the same coverage, [Saints CB Marshon Lattimore] was going to play it the same, but he made a great adjustment and made the play to beat us.”
Despite the loss, Brown says there’s no pressure on the Eagles.
“There’s still no pressure,” he said. “We’ve got to go out and play ball. We’ve got to go out and execute. Today was just unacceptable.”
Now, the Eagles have to hope they can get Hurts back against the Giants, and according to Sirianni, he’s close to returning.
“He was close this week,” Sirianni said. “Obviously, we will take it one day at a time. I mean, for me to say right now and today that, yeah, Jalen is playing or, no, he is not playing, I don’t think is fair to anybody because so many things can happen in a week. We’re going to have to evaluate and see where he is. Nothing changes in that aspect of it. His health is the No. 1 priority, and not putting him in a position that is going to risk his health.
“We’ll evaluate that as the week goes. Obviously, if he’s ready to go, he’ll play.”
It’s clear that the Eagles need Hurts to be on the field for this offense to flourish. At this point, Hurts is the system! In reality, barring a collapse, the Eagles should be able to get the top spot in the NFC. Their Week 18 opponent, the Giants, who clinched a playoff berth on Sunday, have nothing to play for as they are locked into the sixth seed, so they might only play a few of their starters, which bodes well for Philadelphia.
Notes:
Following a seven-sack performance on Sunday (2nd-highest total this season), Philadelphia has now totaled a team-record 67 sacks. Only four teams have posted more sacks in NFL single-season history – the 1984 Bears (72), 1989 Vikings (71), 1987 Bears (70) and 1985 Giants (68).
The Eagles are the first team since 1982 to post six-plus sacks in five consecutive games.
It’s official; Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts(shoulder) will miss Saturday’s game against the Cowboys. In his place, Gardner Minshew will get the start.
Last season, in his only start, Minshew was very effective as he threw for 242 yards and two touchdowns in the team’s 33-18 win over the Jets.
On Friday, Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni said Hurts did everything he could to get on the field, but he was just not healthy enough to play.
“Yeah, it’s looking like it’s going to be [QB] Gardner [Minshew],” Sirianni said. “[QB] Jalen [Hurts] did everything he possibly could to get his body ready to go, and just at the end of the day, he’s not going to be able to do it.
“Man, he tried like crazy, and I know he still wants to go. That’s just the toughness [he has]. Jalen Hurts is the toughest player I’ve ever been around. My brother and I talked last night. I talk to my brothers at the end the week all the time. He’s in recruiting now. He’s not out here, but he needs to get some of the good Eastern Pennsylvania players over there in Western Pennsylvania.
“He’s like, ‘Man, how did he play through that? Like he did that to his shoulder?’ [I said] ‘Yep, yep, that’s what he did.’ [He said] ‘How did he throw any passes after that?’ I go, ‘Because he’s the toughest son of a gun that I’ve ever been around.’
“For him to go out there and do what he did after he had that sprained shoulder was really truly remarkable that he was able to go and not just play, but play really well.
“He’s so tough. But we just felt like it’s the best thing that he doesn’t play this week. His body is not there yet. Gardner will be our guy, and Gardner will be ready. Gardner worked his butt off for this opportunity against a really good football team and had a great practice yesterday.
“I think you guys have all heard that, how good a practice he had yesterday. A lot of energy out there. He’s ready to go.”
When asked if Hurts would be ready next week against the Saints, Sirianni did not want to say.
“You know I’m not going to go there yet,” he said. “We’ll take it one day at a time, one game at a time, obviously. Again, like I said, he’s worked his butt off to try to get himself back. We’ll see day by day of where he is.”
There’s no reason to rush Hurts back, especially with Saturday’s game not being a must-win situation. Hopefully, for the Eagles, Minshew can get the job done. If not, they can still clinch the number one seed in the NFC if they defeat the Saints at the Linc.
