Jalen Hurts gave Eagles fans the full range in Week 2: the bad, the sharp, and the clutch. In a 24-20 win over the Tennessee Titans, he was at the center of everything, for better and for worse.
Hurts finished 26 of 37 for 264 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions, while also adding 16 yards on five carries. The game had plenty of nerves attached to it, and Hurts helped create that tension - but he also helped Philadelphia survive it.
The first turnover came early and it was a brutal one. On the opening drive, Hurts had three incompletions, then ended the series with an interception in the end zone that Tennessee returned 92 yards to set up a Titans touchdown. It was a bad decision, one that forced a throw into double coverage to DeVonta Smith and never had a chance.
The second interception was just as costly, even if it came later. In the fourth quarter, Hurts had Smith wide open and a chance at either a touchdown or a big gain.
Instead, he left the ball short by about two to three yards, and the result was an easy pick with two defenders nearby. For a quarterback who usually handles the deep ball well, it was an unusual miss and one he’ll have to clean up.
But Hurts didn’t let the mistakes bury him. He responded the way he often does after turnovers, settling in and completing every pass for more than a quarter after that first interception. And when the Eagles needed him to answer, he did.
His touchdown throw to Smith was one of the best plays of the night. Hurts escaped pressure, moved up in the pocket, and delivered a strong throw on the run to the end zone. That was quarterback play, plain and simple.
The final drive showed that same side of him again. His passes to Smith stood out, and the deep ball to the sideline in the red zone was a nice touch.
Then came the final touchdown, a high throw that Darius Cooper had to climb for. Hurts put it where it had to be, choosing the safer route rather than risking a third interception, and trusting Cooper to finish the play.
So the grade comes with a split-screen feel. The two interceptions were on Hurts and hard to ignore.
Without them, this would have been a much cleaner and stronger outing. But Week 2 also showed what Hurts can do with his arm, not just his legs.
His athleticism remains part of what makes him such an effective quarterback, even if there are still things to sharpen.
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With the outcome in the balance, Hurts guided a 65-yard drive in the final two minutes and finished it with a touchdown pass to Darius Cooper to seal a 24-20 win. The comeback left Philadelphia at 2-0, and Hurts postgame message was the kind Titans fans probably did not want to hear after all that talk about containing him. [Read more 🡒]
Eagles Are 2-0 But This Win Exposed A Real Offensive Problem
The Eagles are 2-0, and the latest win still managed to leave a familiar aftertaste on offense. Jalen Hurts did what he has so often done in big moments, steering a game-winning drive despite throwing two interceptions, but the path there was bumpy enough to keep attention on the parts of the unit that did not hold up as well as the result suggests.
The issues were scattered, but the offensive line drew the sharpest focus, with Cam Jurgens and Drew Kendall both part of a front that struggled to provide much comfort. Philadelphia also had to navigate injuries and uneven play at tight end, while the running game never really found a rhythm, leaving the Eagles with a win and a reminder that the current version of the offense still has some real questions to answer. [Read more 🡒]