Jalen Hurts Plays Through Soreness, but His Presence was Exactly What Eagles Needed
Jalen Hurts was questionable on the Eagles’ Friday injury report for a reason.
It wasn’t some kind of gamesmanship Nick Sirianni was playing to keep the New York Giants guessing. His quarterback was still sore from the sprain his throwing shoulder suffered on Dec. 18.
Legitimately sore.
“We didn't feel like there was more risk, but I know he was hurting,” said the Eagles' head coach. “He was hurting bad, but that's the kind of competitor that he is. That is the kind of person that he is and the kind of teammate and leader that he is that he was able to go out there and tough through it.”
He even clarified his comments about Hurts’ soreness.
“Yeah, of course he's still sore, right?” said the coach. “Still sore, of course.”
So, Sirianni and his assistants devised a game plan to help protect Hurts as much as possible. Hurts even protected himself, using a slide more often than he probably had in any game this season.
He managed his way through a game plan that ran out of steam in the red zone, where the Eagles scored only one touchdown in five trips.
He threw for 229 yards and ran for just 13.
“I think he did a great job for what they asked,” said A.J. Brown, who broke Mike Quick’s 1983 single-season record for yards in a season and ended with 1,496.
“They really weren’t trying to put him in tough situations, and I felt like he handled that pretty well, and it was good to see him back out there, to knock some of the rust off, and get a game under his belt before the playoffs.”
The numbers weren't as important as the intangibles Hurts brings - his leadership and presence.
“It’s different out there,” said center Jason Kelce. “It’s different during the week. We played a lot of football together. So, there’s a lot of familiarity. He’s a very driven competitor. So, you’re always going to feel it from that guy.
“He’s been like that from his rookie year. He’s a fun guy to play football with. He’s a natural competitor in the fullest sense. I think you feel all of that stuff.”
The 22-16 win over pushed their record to 14-3, won the NFC East and clinched the top seed in the playoffs.
“I had some things I had to battle within myself,” said Hurts. “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. I really feel like if you want something you have to do what you have to do to go get it.”
Hurts typically doesn’t like to talk about himself, so it was no surprise he shrugged off a pair of questions about the shoulder.
Q: When do you think you will be close to 100%?
Hurts: “Good enough to win (Sunday).”
Q: What about your ability to play through injury?
Hurts: “Good enough.”
He didn’t go into detail on whether or not he felt he had to play in order to be ready for the playoffs.
“I won’t say,” he said. “I think everything happens the way it’s supposed to. I was pushing myself to be available, and it wasn’t an easy thing. It wasn’t easy; it’s still not easy. But we’re here, we’re thankful, and we’re looking forward to what’s to come.”
Hurts declined to say how much of a role he played in the decision to return to play.
“I played,” he said.
Added Kelce, “Obviously Jalen wanted to be out there.”
Hurts didn’t play his best, but he didn’t have to.
All he needed to do was be out there with his teammates.
“I take pride in being the quarterback for this team and being the leader of this team,” he said. “I know that that is all earned. It’s all earned. When I talk (my teammates) really feel me. I try to speak in a way and go about my day-by-day actions so that (my teammates) can hear me, and they have a right to.
I just simply challenge everybody to do what they need to do to bring their best. That comes from accountability, that comes from self-awareness, and that comes from knowing the things that you need to grow on. When you go into this second part, this finale of the season, this playoff run, it takes everyone and it’s all 0-0 now.”
Ed Kracz is the publisher of SI.com’s Fan Nation Eagles Today and co-host of the Eagles Unfiltered Podcast. Check out the latest Eagles news at www.SI.com/NFL/Eagles or www.eaglesmaven.com and please follow him on Twitter: @kracze.
