PHILADELPHIA— Jalen Hurts hobbled back to the Philadelphia Eagles’ huddle after his left knee was twisted on a sack, an injury that forced him after the drive to the sideline medical tent for a quick exam.
Hurts got checked out — and backup Kenny Pickett started to warm up in case he was needed in the NFC divisional playoff game against the Los Angeles Rams.
No so fast.
“We looked up, and (Hurts) was warming up,» wide receiver A.J. Brown said Wednesday. “So that tells you everything about him.”
Hurts never missed a snap to help the Eagles win their ninth straight home game and usher them into their second NFC conference championship game in three seasons at Lincoln Financial Field.
Still banged up, Hurts isn’t about to miss the biggest game of the season on Sunday against the Washington Commanders.
The Eagles held a walk-through instead of a full practice on Wednesday — perhaps in part to take stress off Hurts’ knee — but that won’t keep him off the field against the Commanders.
“I’m expecting him to come out and do what he does,” Brown said. “He’s a warrior.”
His usual stoic self, Hurts kept his emotions more wrapped up than his knee. His answers Wednesday on the state of his health were shorter than a shovel pass.
How’s his knee?
“Progressing.”
Can he play on Sunday?
“Yeah.”
Hurts has been remarkably durable throughout his career from training camp until November when injuries start to hit. Already playing with a broken finger on his non-throwing hand, he missed the final two games of the regular season after suffering a concussion in a Dec. 22 loss to Washington. A year ago, it was a mangled finger on his throwing hand that limited his effectiveness in a playoff loss at Tampa Bay. And two seasons ago, when Hurts led the Eagles to a Super Bowl, he suffered a sprained right shoulder in December that cost him two games.
“It’s a part of the game,” Hurts said. “I accept whatever comes with that.”
Now it’s a balky knee, which could limit the mobility of a quarterback who is one of the elite dual threats in the NFL. He rushed for 630 yards this season, and he ripped off a career-long 44-yard TD run against the Rams before he was hurt.
“The combination of Saquon (Barkley) and Jalen in the backfield is really, really powerful,” offensive coordinator Kellen Moore said. “They do an excellent job of having the threat of both of them. Jalen does an excellent job making decisions. He has to make decisions a lot of times in those runs whether to hand it or keep it. I thought that was a really, really cool play.”
With the Eagles riding Barkley and his 2,005 yards rushing this season, Hurts’ passing numbers dipped He threw for 2,903 yards after topping 3,000 in each of the previous three seasons. Hurts has thrown for only a combined 259 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions in playoff wins against Green Bay and Los Angeles.
Take a look at the other three QBs standing: Buffalo’s Josh Allen has thrown for 399 yards and two TDs with no interceptions in two playoff games; Washington’s Jayden Daniels has 567 yards, four TDs and no picks; and Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes threw for a modest 177 yards and a score in his lone game for the No. 1 seed in the AFC.
True, passing yards aren’t the final grade on a quarterback’s performance — especially in a playoff win — but the Eagles only had 65 net yards through the air against the Rams.
“Not ideal,” Moore said.
But not enough to prevent the Eagles from moving to the betting favorite to win the Super Bowl, according to BetMGM Sportsbook. They are followed by the Chiefs, Bills and Commanders.
Hurts had 18 touchdown passes and five interceptions this season. He threw only one pick after the Eagles returned from their Week 5 bye.
“He’s the same guy all the time,” coach Nick Sirianni said. “No matter who we’re playing, when we’re playing, practice, game, he’s consistent. He loves football. He loves the process it takes.”
One knock on Hurts is that his running style makes him susceptible to injury. He suffered a concussion against the Commanders after his head slammed against the ground on one run and he was hit in the helmet by Frankie Luvu at the end of another.
Knees, fingers, shoulders — playing hurt is part of the gig for an elite quarterback. No matter the state of his physical condition, the Eagles always like their chances with No. 1 in the huddle.
“I’m expecting Jalen to be Jalen,” Barkley said. “He’s going to show up for us. He’s going to make plays. He has that ‘it’ factor.”
