Getty Jalen Hurts has the Philadelphia Eagles at 8-0 for the first time in franchise history.
The Philadelphia Eagles are 8-0 behind the unflappable Jalen Hurts. The triple-threat quarterback keeps getting better and better every week, sometimes under the most chaotic of circumstances. Nothing fazes him.
Hurts helped the Eagles navigate a sloppy first half — miscommunications were the problem, according to Miles Sanders — and then turned it on by chucking 2 touchdowns after halftime. He did it with his trademark swagger in the huddle, cracking jokes when guys needed to be lifted up while staying cool, calm, and collected at all times.
“You can’t read that guy, man,” Sanders said. “He’s cool, steady, calm, collected. That’s how he always is.”
More from Jalen Hurts: “The journey of what’s ahead, the journey of daily deposits and daily improvement and daily efforts to be the best football team we can be.”
Then, he reminded everyone: “I’ve been 8-0 before and lost the national championship.” #Eagles #FlyEaglesFly
Sanders supplied the team’s first touchdown on a 2-yard run in the first quarter. His score capped a grind-it-out kind of drive: 18 plays for 91 yards in 8:04. He finished with 17 carries for 93 yards. But it was Hurts who kept everyone together and locked in.
“It seems like each week he just gets better and better. He commands the offense like nobody I’ve ever seen so it’s fun playing with him,” tight end Dallas Goedert said. “Jalen’s kind of been the same person day in and day out ever since he got here. Stuff like that, I don’t think any moment is too big for him.”
Jalen Hurts with 2 touchdown passes
Dallas Goedert with 8 catches for 100 yards
29-17 Birds
Jalen Hurts Reveals Feelings About Houston Homecoming
One overplayed storyline from the week had been the Houston homecoming for Jalen Hurts. He never got the opportunity to play a game at NRG Stadium in college so Thursday Night Football was his first time doing it. There was a small army of family and friends there to support him, too.
HOUSTON — Jason Kelce meeting Jalen Hurts’ family.
None of that mattered until the final whistle sounded on a 29-17 victory over his hometown Texans. Even then, Hurts wasn’t willing to celebrate it too much.
“Personally, playing in the city of Houston and being the first time back home, that was a special moment for me personally,” Hurts said. “But I think the job is still not done. I talk about there never being an arrival and there only being a journey — and that’s something I embrace and this football team embraces, the journey of what’s ahead, the journey of daily deposits and daily improvement and daily efforts to be the best football team we can be.”
Eagles Ready for Mini Bye, Commanders Next Up
The Eagles now get a mini-bye week after playing two games in four days. They return home to Lincoln Financial Field to take on the Washington Commanders on November 14 at 8:15 p.m. The build-up for that one lost luster once Carson Wentz underwent surgery for a fractured finger. He has been ruled out of his Philly return.
Again, the Eagles aren’t focused on any of that. They are literally striving for perfection and the team committed too many mistakes against Houston. Hurts and Company got the win, but it wasn’t good enough. Now they get 10 days to reflect.
“There’s a lot to be grateful about. There’s a lot to reflect on and look at, the things we did well,” Hurts said. “There’s also a lot of things we can improve on and I know — I’m not going to make excuses about the short week — you know, we have a standard of play, and we want to play to that at all times. It’s a learning experience for us. It’s a formative experience that will only build us up. I truly think the only direction is to rise.”
Playing to the standard.