Jalen Hurts is a Winner: Five Thoughts After the Eagles Advance

The Philadelphia Eagles defeated the Los Angeles Rams 28-22 on Sunday, punching their ticket to their second NFC Championship game appearance in the last three seasons.

This was another example of the Eagles simply finding a way to win a football game. No, they didn’t play the perfect game. Yes, they made mistakes. But they battled their asses off and controlled the game for 60 minutes. That’s been the key to Nick Sirianni, Jalen Hurts, and the rest of this roster’s success for the last three seasons, and it was on full display here.

I’ve got a few thoughts on this game:

1. Jalen Hurts is a Winner

No, Jalen Hurts wasn’t perfect. Are the stats “fun?” No. But last time I checked, statistics don’t matter in the playoffs. Wins do.

Hurts set the tempo from the start with a 44-yard touchdown run to give the Eagles an early lead. He finished the day with 198 total yards, 1 touchdown, and zero turnovers. Hurts hasn’t thrown an interception and has 10 touchdowns and a 102.3 passer rating in his last five playoff games. Hurts, since the start of the 2022 postseason, has played six postseason games with a 68.1 completion percentage, 1,088 yards, 12 total touchdowns, 0 interceptions, and a 98.9 QBR.

Let’s go down the list of the four quarterbacks that won their weekend games:

• Jayden Daniels: 350 total yards – WIN
• Jalen Hurts: 198 total yards – WIN
• Patrick Mahomes: 191 total yards – WIN
• Josh Allen: 147 total yards – WIN

Let’s go down the list of the four quarterbacks that lost their games:

• Lamar Jackson: 293 total yards – LOSS
• Matthew Stafford: 329 total yards – LOSS
• Jared Goff: 320 total yards – LOSS
• C.J. Stroud: 287 total yards – LOSS

Every single team that outgained their opponent in total yards lost the game. Three quarterbacks that outgained their opposing quarterback lost their respective games. Yards don’t matter, winning does, and that’s all Hurts has done since taking over as QB of the Philadelphia Eagles. You don’t need him to light up the stat sheet to win the game, you need him to be Jalen Hurts.

2. Jalen Carter is a bad, bad man

I still can’t believe Carter fell to ninth in the draft.

He caused havoc on just about every single Rams offensive play on Sunday afternoon. He was constantly in the backfield, in Stafford’s face, and wrapping up Kyren Williams. He finished the win with 5 tackles, 3 QB hits, 2 sacks, 1 pass break-up, and a forced fumble. He’s turning into a superstar in just the second year of his career, and the Washington Commanders offensive line should be having nightmares about him all week leading up to the game. He was easily the Player of the Game.

Jalen Carter’s first sack on Sunday came on an ET Stunt with Nolan Smith (and it looks like Carter called for it before the snap)

Perfectly executed pick-and-roll between the two long-time teammates on 3rd down #FlyEaglesFly

pic.twitter.com/6oEXPbHZF1

— Fran Duffy (@FDuffyNFL) January 20, 2025

3. Saquon Barkley… that’s it, that’s the title

I’m running out of words to describe Saquon Barkley. The Eagles RB now has 2,218 total rushing yards this season including the regular season and playoffs. He needs 258 rushing yards to set the all-time record for rushing yards in a season, playoffs included.

To be completely honest, I didn’t think the Eagles offensive line played up to their standard Sunday. Jared Verse, who talked a lot of crap all throughout the week, backed it up. But on the plays that truly made the difference – Jalen’s 44-yard touchdown run, Saquon’s 62-yard touchdown, and Saquon’s 78-yard touchdown – the offensive line did the job.

Washington has a horrible run defense. The Eagles’ game plan going into the NFCCG won’t change. Continue to feed the beast. If they do that, they should be heading to New Orleans in three weeks. If Washington tries to stack the box, that probably won’t help either:

Saquon hit a 78-yarder with 8 in the box yesterday and hit a 72-yarder in Week 12 with 9 in the box.

Eagles only team I’ve seen that view a loaded box as an explosive waiting to happen in run game

— Dan Orlovsky (@danorlovsky7) January 20, 2025

4. Jake Elliott

It’s been a whirlwind of a season for Jake Elliott. He’s been inconsistent, there is no doubt about that. Did those two missed extra points make that game closer than it needed to be? Yes. But those three field goals, which all came in the pouring down snow, either gave the Eagles the lead or extended the lead every time.

The extra points have to start falling, because they could be the reason this team is eliminated over the next three weeks. But Elliot has never missed a field goal in his playoff career. He’s 22 for 22 in his career and made three big ones this time.

5. I’m Curious…

Has anyone thought about Saquon Barkley resting in the season finale and not going for the regular season rushing record since the opening kickoff of the Packers game? I thought Nick Sirianni messed with the locker room vibes by sitting his starters? I just wanna hear the thoughts from the people who said sitting Saquon would negatively affect the Eagles.

Go Birds. Two more wins.

 

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