Jalen Hurts Struggles in Eagles’ Overtime Loss: “I Didn’t Play Well Enough”
Monday night in Philadelphia was supposed to be a bounce-back moment. Instead, it turned into a night Jalen Hurts and the Eagles will want to forget - fast.
The reigning Super Bowl MVP had one of the toughest outings of his career in a 22-19 overtime loss to the Los Angeles Chargers, a game that saw the Eagles' offensive struggles hit a new low. Hurts was at the center of it, committing five turnovers - including four interceptions and a bizarre sequence that ended with him coughing up the ball twice on the same play.
Let’s break that down: In the second quarter, Hurts threw a pick to Da'Shawn Hand. Then, after recovering a fumble on the same play, he lost the ball again while being tackled.
According to the Elias Sports Bureau, he’s the first player since 1978 to turn it over twice on one play. That stat alone speaks volumes about how off-script this night went.
“I didn’t play well enough,” Hurts admitted after the game. “Too many turnovers. Lots of opportunities, especially when we get on the other side of the 50, and I wasn’t able to get us in the box.”
Coming into this game, Hurts had only thrown two interceptions all season. Monday night, he doubled that total - and then some.
He finished 21-of-40 for 240 yards and a quarterback rating of 31.2, marking the fifth time in his career he’s dipped below a QBR of 40. For a player known for his poise and ball security, this was uncharted territory.
And yet, Hurts didn’t shy away from responsibility.
“It starts with me and how I play, how I lead,” he said. “There’s no excuses. We always feel like we’ve got a chance, but we just have to come together and find ways to win - and I have to find the way to win.”
The ending stung. After the Chargers opened overtime with a field goal, the Eagles were moving into position to tie - or even win - the game. But Hurts’ deep shot to Jahan Dotson was picked off by Tony Jefferson, sealing the loss and sending the Eagles to their third straight defeat.
Philadelphia’s only touchdown came on a lightning-quick, three-play drive to start the fourth quarter, punctuated by a 52-yard sprint from Saquon Barkley. Outside of that, the offense sputtered, going just 4-of-13 on third down and failing to establish any consistent rhythm.
Despite the skid, the Eagles still sit atop the NFC East. But with Dallas gaining ground, the margin for error is shrinking fast.
Head coach Nick Sirianni didn’t place the blame solely on his quarterback - but acknowledged the weight Hurts carries as the leader of the offense.
“This game is the ultimate team game, so it’s never just on one person,” Sirianni said. “Now, ultimately, he always has the ball in his hands, and I know he’ll wear a lot of that and own that. I’ve got to do a better job of helping him in those scenarios.”
Sirianni pointed to coaching as part of the equation - were the Eagles putting Hurts in the best positions to succeed?
“Did we help him be in position to succeed and then execute, right? So obviously, you never want to turn the ball over. We’ve been pretty good at that, and tonight was a little uncharacteristic of ourselves.”
Uncharacteristic is right. Hurts has built his reputation on smart, efficient play.
Monday night was a rare misstep - but one that serves as a reminder: even elite quarterbacks have off nights. The challenge now is how the Eagles respond with the division race heating up and the postseason picture coming into focus.
For Hurts, the message was clear: no excuses, just solutions.