Jalen Hurts Ready for ‘Beautiful Opportunity’ vs. Seahawks

 

PHILADELPHIA – He’s always the same, win or lose.

It’s one thing to say it’s important not to get too high or too low, it’s another to walk that walk the way Jalen Hurts does.

He hasn’t played his best football. Who on this Philadelphia Eagles team has during a two-game losing streak? But he is still the same as he was when the Eagles were 10-1.

“I think the main thing about leadership is making sure everybody here, everybody you’re going to bat with, is on the same page and seeing things in the same way,” he said on Thursday.

The Eagles will try to get on that same page again in Seattle against the Seahawks (6-7) on Monday night. Hurts was still a gadget player the last time the Eagles played the Seahawks, coming in for a play or two for Carson Wentz.

“It’s about having a relentless approach in that regardless of what’s going on outside or whatever the external factors are, focusing on doing your job and focusing on your teammates,” he said.

“Regardless of where we sit and what’s in front of us, focusing on the now, being in the present, and embracing the opportunities we have.

“This is a special team, and we have a special opportunity in front of us to do something with the time that we have together, so let’s take advantage of it.”

It was 2020 when the Eagles last played the Seahawks, but Hurts was a rookie, and the game was in Philly. Philly lost, 23-17, in Week 12 and the sand in the hourglass had nearly run out on Wentz’s time as a starter.

Hurts will try to do something no Eagles team has done since 2008, and that’s beat the Seahawks. They are 0-7 since then.

“They say it’s loud and a hostile environment, so we have to be ready to operate,” said the QB. “Every stadium is pretty loud. We’ve had a couple of different ones this year, so it’s just about operation.”

During this recent skid, Hurts has completed just 61 percent of his throws. He had been close to 70 percent most of the season. He’s also thrown for only one touchdown while losing one fumble.

“I thought Jalen, in this game, was decisive with the football,” said head coach Nick Sirianni earlier in the week on the team’s flagship station, 94WIP. “I think he’s been playing good football. It’s easy to look at the last two games and be discouraged. Trust me, we are too, but, if you look at the overall product, I think Jalen has done a nice job this year.

“Until the last two games, I’ve seen a lot where he’s up for the MVP discussion. Were the (last) two games up to our standard? Not even a little bit obviously, right? We know we’re a better football team than that. I don’t think it’s fair to judge (Jalen) just on (the past two games).”

Hurts said difficult times like these are good for him and the team. He referred to it as a “beautiful opportunity” after last week’s loss in Dallas.

He double-downed on Thursday.

“You don’t get anywhere without any challenges,” he said. “You don’t grow, it’s not natural to grow and develop the right type of character and develop into a team, truly, if you don’t go through anything together.

“As I’ve said, this a great opportunity for us and it’s something we’re going through, and that’s a beautiful thing.”

Ed Kracz:

MSN