Ralph Vacchiano
NFL reporter
PHILADELPHIA — After per week of panic in Philadelphia about what was incorrect with the Eagles’ passing recreation and questions on whether or not the Jalen Hurts-AJ Brown relationship was fractured past restore, it took lower than 1 / 4 to reply all of them. Hurts got here out firing within the first quarter-hour, largely to his No. 1 receiver.
And then, after combining on a landing lower than 14 minutes into the sport, the dynamic duo danced.
“That,” Brown stated, “was our second to inform everybody to close up.”
That landing celebration lastly quieted the critics, after which Hurts spent the remainder of the sport placing them of their place with a stellar efficiency in a convincing 27-13 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers. He appeared like his outdated, MVP self, throwing for 290 yards and two touchdowns and working for 45 yards and in addition a landing. Against a top-10 protection he helped the Eagles (12-2) amass a ridiculous 401 yards.
And he did it whereas taking part in with a fractured finger on his left (non-throwing) hand, which he admitted affected his recreation considerably. It was sufficient to steer his staff to their tenth consecutive victory.
All of this was greater than sufficient to earn him the title of Tom Brady’s LFG Player of the Game.
“(Brady) is clearly a terrific participant and (I’ve) a lot respect for him,” Hurts advised FOX Sports. “It was good.”
Hurts’ efficiency was additionally “good”, contemplating how the earlier week had been. He had lately taken a backseat to working again Saquon Barkley within the Eagles’ offense, and his numbers have been beginning to decline. He had gone eight straight video games with out throwing for 250 yards, relationship again to Oct. 13. And he hadn’t even damaged 180 in his final three video games.
It all got here to a head final Sunday with an unpleasant 22-16 win over the Carolina Panthers. Hurts was simply 14 of 21 for 108 yards, albeit with two landing passes. But the offense was so unhealthy that after the sport, Brown was requested what wanted to enhance most.
Tom Brady’s LFG Player of the Game: Eagles QB Jalen Hurts
His response lit a firecracker within the metropolis: “Passing by.”
And if that wasn’t sufficient to mild a fireplace, injured Eagles defensive finish Brandon Graham went on WIP radio in Philadelphia the subsequent day and dissected the Hurts-Brown relationship, saying “They have been mates, however issues have modified.”
Yes, Graham pushed again on these feedback and each Hurts and Brown denied any rift, however it was nonetheless sufficient to fill per week of columns and radio reveals in Philadelphia. And even Brown admitted after the sport that all of it led to some “very uncomfortable” locker room conversations throughout the week.
Hurts realized there was just one technique to calm issues down. And it was undoubtedly a problem he loved.
“The scrutiny is infinite,” he stated. “It’s nothing new. It’s one thing I really feel emotion about. I recognize being advised ‘I can not’ and that ‘we won’t.'”
On Sunday, he and the Eagles confirmed they might do it proper from the beginning. He opened the sport with three consecutive completions for a complete of fifty yards in simply three performs. And he needed to contain Brown as a lot as potential, finishing 4 passes for 48 yards and a landing within the first quarter alone.
The Steelers, maybe not surprisingly, tailored their protection to cease Barkley and dare the Eagles to beat them by means of the air. So that is precisely what they did. Brown completed with eight receptions for 110 yards and a landing. Fellow receiver Devonta Smith made 11 receptions for 109 yards and in addition a landing.
“To have two guys go over 100 yards in opposition to that protection,” Eagles coach Nick Sirianni marveled. “I can not let you know how a lot respect I’ve for that protection.”
And they did not do it on the expense of their working recreation, both. Barkley, who has been battling an injured knee, did not have his typical MVP recreation, however he nonetheless managed 65 dashing yards and the Eagles totaled 131. And they certain appeared like their outdated, grind-it-out counterparts after they broke up the sport with a remaining drive that wiped the ultimate 10:29 off the clock and left the Steelers with no probability of a miraculous comeback.
But they bought carried away by the passing recreation, for a change, and by Hurts and his proper arm. There was no means round this reality. With all of the criticism Hurts confronted from inside and outside the group, it virtually appeared prefer it was intentional.
“We will deal with what we have to do,” Sirianni stated, “not what everybody else thinks we have to do.”
“As we stated earlier than, there are other ways to win,” Hurts stated. “That was the place we addressed it as we speak.”
And it labored, although Sirianni insisted that any issues about Hurts and the passing recreation have been all the time misplaced.
“We threw for extra yards, so I do know it’ll be (the story): ‘Hey, the passing recreation is again,’” Sirianni stated. “I do not know if the passing recreation was all over the place. I feel it was blown out of proportion somewhat bit due to how environment friendly we have been.”
However, this was greater than merely “environment friendly”. This was Hurts carrying the load and reminding everybody that when the Eagles want him to throw it, he can nonetheless do it in addition to anybody within the NFL.
“I’ve all the time stated and I consider you need to ensure that all of your instruments are sharp if you want them, so when it is time to use them you may go,” Hurts stated. “I do not suppose there’s any doubt in that.”
Not anymore.
Ralph Vacchiano is an NFL reporter for FOX Sports. He spent the earlier six years protecting the Giants and Jets for SNY TV in New York and, earlier than that, 16 years protecting the Giants and the NFL for the New York Daily News. Follow him on Twitter at @RalphVacchiano.
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