Jalen Hurts Blocks Out the Noise, Leads Eagles Toward NFC East Crown
Jalen Hurts isn’t interested in outside noise. Not when the season’s on the line.
Not when critics are circling. And certainly not when the Philadelphia Eagles are trying to steady the ship after a rough stretch.
“If I’m hearing it, then I’m betting that Jalen does, too,” linebacker Nakobe Dean said earlier this week, referring to the chatter surrounding Hurts’ recent play. But Hurts made it clear he’s not tuning in.
“He’d be a broke man if he made that bet,” Hurts said with a grin, brushing off the criticism like a veteran who’s been here before. “It’s who I am.
It’s my focus. This isn’t my first rodeo.
So very unprecedented journey to be here, but unprecedented is unprecedented.”
That’s vintage Hurts - unbothered, focused, and locked in. And on Sunday, he backed up the talk with one of the Eagles’ most complete performances of the season, a 31-0 dismantling of the Las Vegas Raiders that snapped a three-game skid and put Philly back in control of the NFC East.
Hurts threw for three touchdowns on just 15 attempts, a model of efficiency and poise. It wasn’t just about the numbers - it was about the timing, the leadership, the response. This was Hurts showing up when his team needed him the most.
“You work really hard to show up when your team needs you the most,” he said postgame. “All of the perceived pressure, whatever that is, just really preparing for a moment, preparing for an opportunity and knowing that resilience, determination and perseverance can bring it home for the group.”
That phrase - “perceived pressure” - stuck out. Because for Hurts, the pressure isn’t real unless you let it be.
“Perception is by those who are watching,” he said. “I’m not watching; I’m living.”
And right now, Hurts is living in the thick of a playoff push. With the win over Las Vegas, the Eagles now sit in prime position to clinch the NFC East. A victory over the Washington Commanders on Saturday would seal the deal and guarantee a home playoff game - and maybe more.
If they do lock up the division, the Eagles would become the first team in 21 years to win back-to-back NFC East titles - a feat that’s eluded every franchise in the division since the Eagles did it from 2001 to 2004. Since then, it’s been a merry-go-round of mediocrity: Philly and Dallas have seven division titles apiece, while Washington and the Giants have three each. But no one’s repeated.
“Obviously, something we got to do first,” Hurts said. “But something that’s always been on the back of my mind.”
Even if the Eagles stumble against Washington, they’ve got two more chances to wrap up the division - with games against the Bills and another matchup against the Commanders still on the schedule. A Cowboys loss would also hand Philly the crown.
But this is December football, and as Hurts reminded everyone, this is where the real stuff starts.
“The real things are found in December, January and February,” he said. “And so I think just being built off of perseverance, being built off of learning from all of my experiences and learning from everything, you definitely look forward to those moments.”
Hurts knows those moments well. He led the Eagles to a Super Bowl win last season, earning MVP honors in the process. If Philly can make another run this year, it would be their third Super Bowl appearance in four seasons - a remarkable stretch for a franchise that played in just three Super Bowls total before Hurts took over in 2021.
“There’s a sense of excitement that comes from winning,” Hurts said. “There’s a sense of competitive peace that comes from winning because you put forth the effort to go out there and do great things.”
That’s the mindset Hurts brings: it’s not about the box score, the highlight reel, or the critics. It’s about the result.
“What’s most important to me? What do I care about the most?
It’s about winning. It’s not about how it looks.
It’s not about how it gets done or any of those things. It’s about winning,” he said.
“I could care less how the game goes, but when you got an opportunity to win it in the end, those are the moments that you relish in and take pride in. And so if it’s something that I’m unable to meet in that moment, I use it.
I learn from it, and then I find a way to win the next time around.”
That next moment comes Saturday in Landover, Maryland, where the Eagles will face a 4-10 Washington squad that’s already shut down rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels due to an elbow injury. That means Hurts will be facing a familiar face: Marcus Mariota, his backup from last season.
“He was very helpful when he was here,” Hurts said. “A lot of maturity, a lot of wisdom, experienced a lot in the league and, obviously, the success he’s had with the game. You know, Heisman Trophy winner, he’s capable of doing amazing things, so it’ll be a great challenge for us all with his ability out there on the field come Saturday.”
Kickoff is set for 4 p.m. CST, with FOX carrying the broadcast.
The stakes? High.
The goal? Clear.
For Hurts and the Eagles, it’s not about the noise. It’s about the win.