Eagles' Jalen Hurts Is 'Going to Defy All Odds,' Says Jaguars HC Doug Pederson
Sep 29, 2022
GLENDALE, ARIZONA - DECEMBER 20: Head coach Doug Pederson of the Philadelphia Eagles talks with quarterback Jalen Hurts #2 during the NFL game against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium on December 20, 2020 in Glendale, Arizona. The Cardinals defeated the Eagles 33-26. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
Philadelphia Eagles star Jalen Hurts has played like an MVP candidate through the first three weeks of the season, and Doug Pederson seems proud of his former player.
"He's going to defy all odds," Pederson told reporters on Wednesday. "That's just the way his career has been built. He's overcome adversity everywhere he's been, at Alabama and Oklahoma."
Pederson was the head coach of the Eagles during Hurts' first season in the NFL, with the quarterback showing some flashes of his ability across four starts. Hurts has taken his game to a new level in 2022, totaling 916 passing yards, 167 rushing yards and seven total touchdowns while leading Philadelphia to a 3-0 start.
"Just not surprised," Pederson, who is now coaching the Jacksonville Jaguars, said of Hurts. "Not surprised that he's playing this well, and he's playing and really utilizing the guys around him to help him get these wins that they're piling up."
The Eagles will look to keep their hot streak going against Pederson and the 2-1 Jaguars in Week 4.
The Philadelphia Eagles have been one of the most active teams on the trade market in recent years. A.J. Brown, C.J. Gardner-Johnson and Darius Slay were...
Doug Pederson Hopes to Get Standing Ovation from Eagles Fans in Philadelphia Return
Sep 28, 2022
JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA - SEPTEMBER 18: Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson looks on during a game against the Indianapolis Colts at TIAA Bank Field on September 18, 2022 in Jacksonville, Florida. (Photo by Courtney Culbreath/Getty Images)
Doug Pederson is hopeful Philadelphia Eagles fans remember the good times when he returns to the City of Brotherly Love this week.
The Jacksonville Jaguars head coach told reporters Wednesday he'd like to get a standing ovation:
Doug Pederson says he is looking forward to coming back to Philadelphia
"What we did in 2017 is something we will always remember"#Eagles
Philadelphians can be unforgiving at times, but they're also more than willing to celebrate figures who helped to deliver success in the past. Andy Reid got a positive reception in his first game back as the Kansas City Chiefs head coach in 2013.
Pederson spent five years as the Eagles' coach. He helped lead the franchise to its first Super Bowl title in 2017 as well as an NFC East title in 2019.
One presumes Pederson will get plenty of cheers before Sunday's game, because that Super Bowl triumph earned him a lot of goodwill. But he may not be all that popular if the Jaguars hand the Eagles their first loss of the season.
Report: Eagles HC Played Kobe Bryant Netflix Video to Inspire Team Before 24-8 Win
Sep 26, 2022
LOS ANGELES - FEBRUARY 3: Kobe Bryant #8 of the Los Angeles Lakers wears quarterback Donovan McNabb's #5 Philadelphia Eagles jersey during the game against the San Antonio Spurs on February 3, 2005 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. The Spurs won 103-91. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2005 NBAE (Photo by Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images)
The Philadelphia Eagles used some special motivation ahead of their Week 3 win over the Washington Commanders.
Head coach Nick Sirianni showed the team a clip of the Netflix documentary "The Redeem Team" with Kobe Bryant during a pregame meeting Saturday night:
I’m told in Eagles team meeting last night, Nick Sirianni showed the Birds the new Kobe Bryant video with Team USA and Pau Gasol. The message was to be the ultimate competitor every second of the day. pic.twitter.com/HLcJh4TbMt
It seemed to help as the Eagles dominated their NFC East rival, taking a 24-0 lead before finishing with a 24-8 win.
The clip featured Kobe—who grew up in Philadelphia and starred at Lower Merion in Montgomery County in high school—sending a message in Team USA's game against Spain, hitting friend and Lakers teammate Pau Gasol in the chest.
"No, he ain't my teammate right now," Bryant said at the time, as Carmelo Anthony recalled.
Philadelphia, meanwhile, faced Carson Wentz, the current Commanders quarterback who spent five years with the Eagles. Even if some on the team were still friendly with Wentz, it didn't show on the field as the squad finished with nine sacks and 17 quarterback hits.
It's also not the first time Sirianni has used Kobe, who tragically died in 2020, as a motivational tool for his team. The coach also showed a video of the Basketball Hall of Famer ahead of his first training camp in 2021.
With the Eagles off to a 3-0 start, the tactics appear to be working.
Entering this year, the Philadelphia Eagles had most recently started a season 3-0 in 2016. They also won each of their first three games in 2014. Yet, they...
Jalen Hurts Leading Eagles into Territory the Cowboys, Giants, NFC East Can't Match
Sep 26, 2022
LANDOVER, MARYLAND - SEPTEMBER 25: Quarterback Jalen Hurts #1 of the Philadelphia Eagles attempts a pass against the Washington Commanders at FedExField on September 25, 2022 in Landover, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
There were a number of impressive performances in Week 3, whether it was the Miami Dolphins outlasting the Buffalo Bills to claim first place in the AFC East or the Jacksonville Jaguars serving notice that they are no longer a tomato can by shelling the Los Angeles Chargers.
But no performance was more dominant than what happened in
the nation's capital. For the second week in a row, the Philadelphia Eagles made
quick work of their opponent, blasting the Washington Commanders 24-8 in a game
that wasn't as close as the final score. Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts was fantastic
again in the win, building on his early-season MVP buzz.
That's not the only buzz in the City of Brotherly Love three weeks into the season. It's admittedly still early, but right now, the Eagles look the part of both a complete team and the clear-cut front-runners in the NFC East.
As a matter of fact, given the issues facing the division's other teams, it's fair to question whether the Commanders, Dallas Cowboys or New York Giants really have a shot of giving the Eagles a run for their money in 2022.
For the second week in a row, Hurts was excellent throwing the football—the third-year pro completed just under 63 percent of his passes for 340 yards and three touchdowns with a robust passer rating of 123.5.
It marked the second straight 300-yard game for Hurts, who is now completing 67.3 percent of his passes, averaging over 305 passing yards a game and has a passer rating of 106.5.
PHILADELPHIA, PA - SEPTEMBER 19: Jalen Hurts #1 of the Philadelphia Eagles runs the ball against the Minnesota Vikings at Lincoln Financial Field on September 19, 2022 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
After torching the Vikings for 390 total yards and three combined touchdowns in Week 2, Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni told reporters that he wasn't surprised by the growth that Hurts has shown this season.
"I wouldn't say I'm surprised. I've seen the
growth," he said. "We talk about this so much with Jalen. Why is he
going to continue to reach his ceiling? Because he's tough, he has high
football character, and he loves football. He's going to reach his ceiling.
It's fun watching him grow."
He's growing, all right.
Players in NFL history with at least 900 pass yards and 150 rush yards in their teams first 3 games of a season:
For his part, Hurts was quick to thank his teammates for the
success he has enjoyed this season.
"You have to draw your strength from others," he
said. "I can't perform without the other 10 on the field. Same on the
other side. They need me to do my job for them to eat. It's a collective group."
Hurts is spot-on. It hasn't just been him.
With the Eagles run game stymied by the Commanders, the team's pass-catchers all stepped up in a big way. Wide receiver DeVonta Smith balled out, hauling in eight passes for 169 yards and a touchdown. Fellow wideout A.J. Brown caught five passes for 85 yards and a score.
Tight end Dallas Goedert also chipped in a touchdown. And an offensive line that Sam Monson of Pro Football Focus ranked as the NFL's best once again controlled the point of attack.
PHILADELPHIA, PA - SEPTEMBER 19: Philadelphia Eagles offensive tackle Lane Johnson (65) sets up to block during the game between the Minnesota Vikings and the Philadelphia Eagles on September 19, 2022 at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia PA. (Photo by Andy Lewis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
It's not just the offense, either. After giving up just 240 yards of offense and eight points (two of which came from a safety) against the Commanders, the Eagles are giving up 296.7 yards per game and 16.7 points per game—numbers that both rank inside the top 10.
And after sacking Carson Wentz a whopping nine times Sunday, the Eagles rank toward the top of the league in that category. Three games in, the Eagles have a turnover differential of plus-four, which, wait for it, also ranks toward the top of the NFL.
An explosive offense. A stifling defense. These Eagles are loaded on both sides of the ball. Balanced. Dangerous. Without a glaring flaw.
The same cannot be said about the rest of the division.
First off, it was plainly demonstrated Sunday that the Commanders will not be a factor in the division. After surviving the Jaguars in Week 1, the Commanders have been shredded by the Detroit Lions and now the Eagles.
The offense has seemingly forgotten that the first half is a thing—in two straight games, Washington has been invisible offensively before halftime. The defense is giving up over 402 yards and 27 points per game.
LANDOVER, MARYLAND - SEPTEMBER 25: Quarterback Jalen Hurts #1 of the Philadelphia Eagles runs past linebacker Jamin Davis #52 of the Washington Commanders and defensive end Montez Sweat #90 of the Washington Commanders during the second half at FedExField on September 25, 2022 in Landover, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
Heading into Monday's showdown with the rival Cowboys, the Giants are 2-0 for the first time since 2016 after beating the Tennessee Titans and Carolina Panthers. But the reality is the Titans and Panthers aren't very good—and neither are the G-Men.
New York's offense ranked outside the top 20 in yards per game and averaged just 20 points a contest entering Week 3. The defense's numbers are inflated by playing two of the league's most stagnant offenses.
The Giants are a mirage. They don't have the firepower on either side of the ball to maintain their early success.
Then there's Dallas, the preseason favorites to win the division in the eyes of most pundits. The Dallas offense should improve once the team gets quarterback Dak Prescott and wide receiver Michael Gallup back, but offensive line issues have led to the Cowboys averaging a dismal 89 yards per game despite the presence of Ezekiel Elliott and Tony Pollard.
The Cowboys are better defensively than the Giants and Commanders, but they aren't as stout on that side of the ball as the Eagles.
That's the thing. Last year, the run-heavy Eagles had a flaw—one that was exposed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the playoffs. The recipe was simple. Load the box, take away the run game and make Hurts beat you throwing the ball.
But if Sunday's domination of the Commanders was any indication, if you do that against the 2022 Eagles, your secondary will get carved up like a rotisserie chicken.
Maybe it's the arrival of a true "alpha" receiver in Brown. Maybe it's the maturation of Hurts. Maybe it's another year of familiarity with Sirianni's offense. Maybe it's a combination of all those factors. But whatever the reason, Philly's biggest weakness in 2021 is a strength in 2022.
There are no guarantees in the NFL, and there's a long way to go. All it takes is a couple of critical injuries to derail a season. But three weeks into the season, it appears that may well be what it takes to stop the Eagles.
LANDOVER, MARYLAND - SEPTEMBER 25: Quarterback Jalen Hurts #1 of the Philadelphia Eagles scrambles during the first half at FedExField on September 25, 2022 in Landover, Maryland. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)
In the game billed as Carson Wentz taking on the team that drafted him for the first time, it was the Philadelphia Eagles' current quarterback who stole the show.
Jalen Hurts continued his torrid start to the season with 340 yards and three touchdowns through the air in the Eagles' 24-8 victory over the Washington Commanders.
Jalen Hurts vs. Carson Wentz went from being a debate to a complete quarterback mismatch in the span of a year. One guy plays winning football. The other plays losing football.
In the past six days, Hurts has thrown for 673 yards and accounted for six scores. He likely could have had more production Sunday, but head coach Nick Sirianni took his foot off the gas pedal in the second half after going up by 24 at the intermission.
The first half Sunday was nothing short of a masterpiece for the Eagles on both sides of the ball. Hurts had 291 total yards (279 passing) and three touchdowns. DeVonta Smith was the recipient of seven catches for 156 yards and a score through two quarters.
The final sequence before halftime was a feather in Hurts' cap. He attempted a quarterback sneak from Washington's 1-yard line on 3rd-and-goal but got stopped for a loss of one yard with 18 seconds remaining.
With no timeouts remaining, Hurts and the offense quickly got in shotgun formation. The third-year quarterback got the snap off before the clock expired and found Smith in the back of the end zone for a touchdown to take a 24-0 lead.
The Philadelphia Eagles are absolutely phenomenal on offense… That got Slim Reaper going today and he is taking souls!
Oh and don’t look now but if you’re having Early MVP conversations without Jalen Hurts then you ain’t having realistic MVP conversations!
There was talk coming into the season that the Eagles could be plotting to add one of the top quarterbacks in the 2023 class. They added to their receiving group by acquiring A.J. Brown from the Tennessee Titans and maintained both of their first-round picks in next year's draft.
While it's still early in 2022, the results so far suggest Hurts is their quarterback of the future.
nfl reporters: eagles will look for a qb in the 2023 draft if jalen hurts doesn't live up to his potential
As Hurts continues to move up the early-season MVP rankings, Wentz was not given a warm reception by his former team. He finished 25-of-43 for 211 yards, but his day was even worse than those numbers would indicate.
The Eagles defense sacked him nine times, with six coming in the first half. Wentz had minus-16 net passing yards going into halftime (24 passing yards, 40 yards lost on sacks).
Carson Wentz has been sacked more times in the first half (6) than the Commanders have 1st downs (5)
Washington's offense in the first half over the past two weeks has been abysmal. The unit has been shutout by the Eagles and Detroit Lions with a total of 86 yards.
Wentz has been great at putting up numbers in the second half, though most of that has been garbage time because the Commanders were losing by three scores at the start of the third quarter against the Eagles and Lions.
There was little doubt that Philadelphia had to move on from Wentz when he was traded to the Indianapolis Colts in March 2021. Hurts' development since being a second-round draft pick in 2020 has the Eagles standing tall in the NFC after another dominant performance.
Eagles' A.J. Brown Says He was 'Dead Serious' About Playing for Padres This Year
Sep 24, 2022
PHILADELPHIA, PA - SEPTEMBER 19: A.J. Brown #11 of the Philadelphia Eagles runs with the ball against the Minnesota Vikings at Lincoln Financial Field on September 19, 2022 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown said that he meant it when he tweeted earlier this year about trying to play baseball for the San Diego Padres.
While Brown was still under contract with the Tennessee Titans in January, he tweeted the following about potentially being a dual-sport star like Bo Jackson:
Sometimes i think about playing both sports again 🤔@Padres all I need is a workout. I still got 😎 https://t.co/1PRo7ffAWm
Most assumed Brown was joking, but in an interview with Martin Frank of the Delaware News Journal this week, the star wideout clarified his stance at the time, saying: "I was dead serious. [The Padres] had reached out to me. They were about to invite me to spring training. They were just waiting on an answer from me."
The 25-year-old Brown starred in both football and baseball as a high schooler in Mississippi, and he signed with the Padres after they selected him in the 19th round of the 2016 MLB draft, although he has exclusively focused on football since then.
At the time of his tweet, Brown was unhappy with his contract situation in Tennessee, but things were rectified in April when he was traded to Philly and signed a new deal.
That essentially put a stop to any talk of Brown trying to play for the Padres in 2022, as Brown divulged that the Padres told him he would have to be all-in if he was going to play for them: "They were telling me if I'm [still] going to play football, then I can't play baseball. I can't just play around with [baseball]. So it kind of killed my chances for the moment."
The decision to play football has paid off for Brown thus far, however. He was a second-round pick in 2019 out of Ole Miss and earned one Pro Bowl selection in his three seasons with the Titans.
He is also off to a hot start during his first season in Philadelphia, racking up 15 receptions for 224 yards in two games.
While Brown has clearly chosen the right career path, he isn't completely closing the door on trying to make it in Major League Baseball one day, saying: "Who knows? Maybe when I'm done playing football, I'll go play baseball."
Few athletes have enjoyed success in both the NFL and MLB. Of the several men who played in both leagues, Jackson and Deion Sanders are perhaps the only ones who experienced a significant measure of success in both.
Brown is an elite-level athlete who may have the potential to thrive as a baseball player, but as long as he continues to establish himself as one of the NFL's premier wideouts, it is difficult to envision him changing his career path.
Report: Eagles' Britain Covey Was Denied Access to Players Lot, Parked with Fans
Sep 21, 2022
Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Britain Covey #18 in action against the Minnesota Vikings in an NFL football game, Monday, Sep. 19, 2022, in Philadelphia. The Eagles defeated the Vikings 24-7. (AP Photo/Rich Schultz)
Philadelphia Eagles undrafted rookie and punt returner Britain Covey was elevated from the practice squad on Monday, and he's apparently still a relative unknown in Philadelphia.
Ahead of the Eagles' 24-7 win over the Minnesota Vikings on Monday night, he reportedly wasn't granted passage into the players' parking lot, according to Howard Eskin of 94.1 WIP (h/t the Philadelphia inquirer's Mike Sielski).
Per that report, Covey "tried to park his car in the players' lot before the game, but the attendants didn't believe he was a player and wouldn't let him into the lot. Covey ended up parking elsewhere among several tailgaters. They apparently didn't recognize him, either."
Covey essentially verified the story on Twitter, along with talking about his first experience playing at Lincoln Financial Field:
The Philadelphia Eagles produced an early-season statement with their 24-7 victory over the Minnesota Vikings on Monday night. Jalen Hurts looked every bit of...
