Eagles QB Jalen Hurts made his much-anticipated return to the practice field on Wednesday, some 17 days after suffering a concussion that put everyone on high alert. His top-secret absence from the public eye — no press conferences, no injury updates, no social media — had rung a mystifying bell.
No need to worry. Hurts will play in the wild-card playoff game against Green Bay. The Eagles quarterback was back slinging the rock and leading the huddle, with several teammates praising how sharp he looked both physically and mentally. Head coach Nick Sirianni dismissed any notion that Hurts might be rusty following three weeks away from football.
Jalen Hurts ready to go for Eagles vs Packers playoff bout
“No, I think I answered this to somebody, I can’t remember who, earlier this week. That’s why you practice,” Sirianni told reporters. “This is why you go through the process of practicing and all the things that you do at practice to get on the same page and do everything there. We feel like we practice at a very high-intensity level. Yeah, this is why you go out there and do those things.”
Hurts has also been dealing with a broken finger on his non-throwing hand since December 16. The healing process is ongoing, according to his head coach.
“Yeah, he’s continuing to get better,” Sirianni said.
Meanwhile, teammates were wide-eyed and chipper when Hurts’ name came up in conversation in the locker room following Wednesday’s practice. Left tackle Jordan Mailata provided the most in-depth evaluation of Hurts’ return. The Big Aussie had a smile the size of Alaska on his face.
“Sharp. He looked sharp. I’ll be honest,” The Eagles’ fan-favorite told reporters. “He brought a lot of energy. He was out there in short sleeves, you know, and I’ve been in this situation before with a concussion, and when you miss time you try and find ways to get back as fast as you can but I think he did a great job of dealing with that and coming back, and looking as sharp as he did today, you know, he had a phenomenal practice.”
Lane Johnson — Hurts’ other cornerstone blocker at right tackle — saw the same thing Mailata did.
“He was sharp,” Johnson said. “Crisp practice. He’s been dialed in.”
Other Rumblings from Inside the Eagles’ Locker Room …
DeVonta Smith had been dealing with a wrist issue in recent weeks, but his name was off the injury report on Wednesday. He’s a full-go for the wild-card round.
“I’m alright. I’ll live,” Smith said.
When Smith was asked about the impending playoff matchup versus Green Bay, he was tight-lipped about the gameplan. He didn’t even want to comment on the Packers losing star cornerback Jaire Alexander who has been out since Week 11. It’s a brand new day. It’s a different battle.
“Teams are not the same as they were in Week 1,” the Eagles wideout said. “They were doing some things in Week 1 that they aren’t doing now, so just adapting to what they’re doing.”
Nakobe Dean, perhaps unknowingly, leaked a bit of news regarding the Eagles’ newfound knack for causing turnovers. The defense registered 10 takeaways in the final three regular-season games, bumping their turnover ratio to +11 for the year. That stat wasn’t a coincidence.
“We harped on it,” Dean said. “When it gets cold, teams might run the ball more and people’s hands might get cold so we know we know we have to attack that ball more and we gotta continue to work on our firing our shots, like after practice — and catching the ball, so when we do have our opportunities, we take advantage of it.”
Dean also took a moment to give some flowers to Packers star running back Josh Jacobs. He finished among the league leaders in rushing yards (1,329; No. 6) and rushing touchdowns (15; No. 2). Dean and Jacobs knew each from their college days, battling in the SEC — Dean at Georgia and Jacobs at Alabama. There’s mutual respect there.
“Josh Jacobs was one of them guys when I was in college I just love playing him because he was such a physical running back,” Dean said. “So, being able to play him and knowing how physical he is, and how hard he runs … it’s just something I was looking forward to and now I get to play him again … playoff football, it’s going to be cold, it’s going to be grimy. They are a good running team and he’s one of the best backs in the league so I couldn’t ask for nothing more.”
Momentum on Eagles’ Side, Chip on Their Shoulder
The Eagles got bounced in the wild-card round of last year’s playoffs after a 32-9 drubbing courtesy of Tampa Bay. It was ugly. It was forgettable. It was kind of expected, considering the team went 1-5 down the stretch. The locker room was in tatters.
“Momentum is definitely on our side this year,” Lane Johnson said. “I feel like we’re coming together more than probably we were last year when the team was kind of in disarray — guys are confident, guys are loose, but remaining with what got us here, and that’s practicing and working hard every day and that’s carrying over.”
Jordan Mailata added: “Chip on our shoulder from last year. Making sure we don’t make those same mistakes.”
Eagles Players Know Value of Home-Field Advantage
It’s no secret that home-field advantage tends to play a factor in the playoffs. The Eagles hold the No. 2 seed so they’ll be in their digs for at least the first two rounds, maybe for the NFC Championship Game, depending on what happens with No. 1 Detroit. You can’t put a price on the crazed atmosphere — think: Dante’s ninth circle of hell, mixed with waiting in line at the DMV — and the players can’t wait to see it.
“Yeah, it’s huge, especially when you have a fan base like ours,” Cam Jurgens said. “The defense is out there, and the other team is trying to communicate, and get things done … it helps us out [on offense] being on a different cadence but it’s huge for the defense, it really brings life into us as players when the stands are just rocking and you can’t hear nothing. It really fuels you.”
Cooper DeJean, a rookie getting ready for his first NFL playoff game, has experienced intense rivalries throughout his career but it’ll be a whole new set of emotions pouring out in this one.
“I expect it to be crazy,” DeJean said. “I’m excited. Excited, great opportunity … a lot of teams are at home right now and we get to continue to play football so I’m excited about that.”
Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
