PHILADELPHIA — Jalen Hurts knows the question everyone is asking at the start of the Eagles’ practice week.
The 24-year-old quarterback, still dealing with the lingering effects of a sprained throwing shoulder suffered Dec.18, was a full participant in the team’s Tuesday walk-through, and has made steady progress with the injury. When asked the million-dollar question leading into the Eagles’ divisional playoff game against the visiting New York Giants on Saturday, Hurts kept his answer short and to the point.
“I’m feeling good,” he said.
How good is the operative question as the Eagles install the game plan for their third meeting with the Giants in just over a month. Hurts displayed an apparent aversion to contact against the Giants in the regular-season finale two weeks ago and conceded the coaching staff aimed to “protect” him with the play-calling.
After giving Hurts one day off from throwing last week, coach Nick Sirianni said he would be a “full go” in Tuesday’s walkthrough and wouldn’t need management.
“He’s better today than he was two weeks ago,” Sirianni said. “He’s continuing to get better and he feels good. ... We’re looking forward to seeing him go out there and practice today and go through everything.”
“He’ll be ready to roll today,” Sirianni added. “Full go.”
Aside from last Thursday, when Hurts simulated throwing by whipping a towel instead of making passes, Hurts’ ability to throw the ball doesn’t seem significantly impacted by the injury. The biggest looming question coming out of the Eagles’ first-round bye week is how comfortable he will be with the risk of taking hits both in the pocket and in the open field on designed runs or scrambles.
The Eagles will likely need him to do both to make a lengthy run in the playoffs. Hurts said Tuesday he knows opposing defenses will try to test his shoulder’s durability if given the chance; it’s something he’s accepted.
“It’s football,” Hurts said. “I got a bounty on me every week I go out there on the field. I just go out there and play my game. Whatever happens, happens.”
The Eagles put together a dominant showing against the Giants in Week 14 largely thanks to Hurts’ ability to both impact the run game and withstand pressure in order to deliver the ball from the pocket.
Hurts had seven carries for 77 yards and a touchdown that afternoon, with his score coming on a quarterback draw out of an empty formation. The Eagles also ran several zone-reads to spring Miles Sanders (144 rushing yards), including a 40-yard touchdown run, with Hurts threatening the back side.
“It’s great,” left tackle Jordan Mailata said. “The defense has to waste a player, playing spy, if they do play that. When you have somebody who can be as dynamic as he is and is a threat with his feet, it creates a little extra time.”
Hurts also made a handful of throws with pressure bearing down on him, including a 41-yard touchdown pass to DeVonta Smith in the first quarter. Giants defensive coordinator Wink Martindale runs an aggressive defensive front that led the NFL in blitz percentage at 39.7% this season.
Mailata said the offensive line will have an added emphasis on keeping Hurts clean, especially if the Giants make a concerted effort to affect Hurts’ shoulder.
“If he’s got a bounty, I’ve got a bounty,” Mailata said. “It’s my job to make sure that bounty isn’t claimed. I’ll do everything I can to execute the right technique and the right plays to make sure he stays clean and I stay dirty. That’s how it should be.”
Mailata noted he didn’t always meet his goal of having a dirtier jersey than Hurts during the regular season, but sometimes he’d resort to dishonest measures to even the score.
“There were a couple games this year where I’m looking at him in the huddle like, ‘This dude is really dirty right now,' ” Mailata added. “I’m like [pretends to rub dirt on himself].”
