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There has been much talk from the Philadelphia Eagles in recent weeks about not riding waves. This team likes to watch the storm brewing on the horizon, preferring to face it head-on and conquer it rather than ducking for cover.
That mentality was ingrained in them by their quarterback Jalen Hurts. All his previous experience — the benching at Alabama, the knock on his arm strength and accuracy at the NFL Scouting Combine — have made him more equipped to handle whatever life throws at him. And, in the wake of a perfect 7-0 season, he’s not backing down.
“I’ve been through a ton of different things, a ton of different experiences, and I’ve always felt like I was born for the storm,” Hurts told reporters. “Built to overcome anything in front of me, and that’s the mentality that I have. I always preach never get too high, never get too low, and just keep the main thing the main thing.
“And I had a little bit of reflection the other day because when you tell someone to be patient, right? You tell someone to be patient, it’s coming. Be patient, your play is coming, or be patient, your opportunity is coming … I’m a living testament to that.”
Hurts Preparing for Houston Homecoming
The Eagles travel to NRG Stadium for Thursday Night Football (November 3) where they’ll play the Houston Texans. It’s a homecoming of sorts for Hurts who grew up in Houston and often attended Texans training camps.
His godfather, Sean Washington, was the Director of Player Development there. He’s watched a few meaningful high school football games in the old Reliant Stadium but never played one there. Thursday will be his first.
“Going back to Houston, it should be fun,” Hurts said. “It’s always been a dream of mine to play in NRG, at Reliant Stadium, and I’ve spent a lot of time in that city, growing up in Houston, going to watch the Texans play, being in the Texans facility as a kid. Going to watch high school playoff games in that stadium and now have an opportunity to play in it, so I’ll have an opportunity to be playing back home. It’ll be fun.”
Hurts rattled off some guys he looked up to growing up: Andre Johnson, JJ Watt, Vince Young, and Steve McNair. Good memories. All in the past. When asked if he felt any extra pressure in his first career start in Houston, Hurts replied: “Not at all. It’s a business trip.”
Short Week? No Problem for Eagles vs. Texans
The Eagles will be facing the Texans on only four days rest. Head coach Nick Sirianni started the week by saying “Thursday night games are an advantage for the team that thinks it’s an advantage,” deliberately sending the message that Philly has the edge. On Tuesday, Hurts reiterated Sirianni’s words.
“You get maybe one of these a year, and when you have a short turnaround like you do, you play on Sunday night and then you play on Thursday night, you have to be able to handle that in the right way and I think we’re trying to as best as we can,” Hurts said. “It’s not your normal routine, it’s not your normal process. So it’s a thing of trust, trusting the people around you, trusting the coaches, trusting the rest time given to us and taking advantage of it, but ultimately we just have to go out there and play clean football.”
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