One of the bright spots from the Philadelphia Eagles’ 28-23 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars was Jalen Hurts’ deep ball accuracy.
Hurts’ longest completion in the win was a 46-yarder to wide receiver DeVonta Smith.
After the game, Hurts was very honest about how he struggled all week with getting that ball to Smith and A.J. Brown in practice.
“It was a play that I struggled with in practice all week,” Hurts said. I had an opportunity to [Eagles WR] A.J. [Brown] in practice, I had an opportunity to [Eagles WR] DeVonta Smith in practice. But I didn’t hit it right and it just wasn’t clicking. But we repped it and we talked about it, we put time into it, and we were able to execute it in a crucial moment. I think it just was a great overall effort from everyone. [Eagles WR DeVonta Smith] Smitty trusting the ball to get to him and creating that separation, making a play, and then making another amazing play in the red zone.”
Smith followed that play up with an impressive one-handed 25-yard catch in the red zone to put the Eagles in a better spot in the fourth quarter.
Hurts admitted on that pass he didn’t have great vision of Smith but had an idea of where he would end up.
“I didn’t have great vision on [Eagles WR] DeVonta [Smith], but I knew where he was going to be. I have to see if it was a ball that maybe I could have gotten up earlier, but I threw it to a spot where only he could get it,” Hurts said. “And that’s a hell of a play he made. That’s a hell of a play he made. I’ve seen him make that play in practice. I’ve seen him in the back of the end zone, stick one hand out there and make that same very play. And so that’s what I’m most excited about.”
Hurts preached trust and repetition as reasons why he was able to connect with his receivers on deep passes like that, regardless of great vision or not.
“It comes down to that 1000 kicks rule. Do you fear the man that has practiced 1000 different kicks, or do you fear the man that has practiced the same kick 1000 times? We want to be a team that can be multiple, attack teams in different ways, but also be really, really good in whatever we choose to do,” Hurts said. “And so we just have to continue to navigate what it looks like to continue to get synchronized in those things so we can play to the fullness of what we’re supposed to be.”
Hurts said the Eagles will celebrate their sixth victory of the season until Monday afternoon and then turn the page to Week 10 and begin prepping for their road match against the Dallas Cowboys.
“In terms of playing complementary football, I think it was wasn’t the cleanest games in that realm,” Hurts said. “But I think we had each other’s backs, and I think that’s the thing that matters the most. Guys showing up and having their teammates back. And we just want to continue to build off of that and have everyone accept their roles in each given game. And keep moving forward and keep pressing along. But we are not satisfied. There’s a lot to learn from. We’ll put a 24 hour rule on it and enjoy it for the time being. And we know we have a big one on the road that we need to go get.”
