Jalen Hurts says he has mixed feelings following the Eagles’ win over the Cardinals

Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts talked to reporters following their win over the Cardinals, and said the team had a lot of things to learn from but they were going to enjoy the victory.

Hurts was asked how important it is for a team to be tough in games like they had on Sunday, and he admitted that it’s not always easy, and he personally has mixed emotions on the game.

“As a competitor, when you have the ball in your hands at the end of the game, you want to take advantage of it, and not give the opposition opportunity to win the game, tie the game, whatever it is. I don’t look at anybody else but myself. I look in the mirror and I look at myself, and I ask myself what could I have done more to not put the team in this position towards the end of the game. How could I have gotten us in the end zone?

I know we had different things that come throughout the game, but that’s what it is. What could I have done more to put us in a better position? I feel like in many ways I let ‘em down. Just with opportunities we didn’t take advantage of, and the ball touches my hands every play. Those are the mixed emotions that I have.

The other side of it is, we talk about playing together, we talk about having each others backs, and that’s what we had today.”

Here’s what else the QB had to say:

On the offensive performance

He mentioned that the Cardinals defense was showing them a lot of different looks up front, and they played a really good football game, but the 3rd and long to Dallas Goedert was a very pivotal moment. Hurts acknowledged that they needed to make a quick play there with the blitz coming, and Goedert was an early check.

“He made a big time play and effort after catching the ball.”

The QB was asked about the number of horizontal passes, and whether not going vertical was based on Arizona’s defense or if that was the game plan going into the game. Hurts noted that it was due to the pace of the game and just how things unfolded.

“Y’all didn’t ask me any questions about the same football team this week, and I said they were really good. So, here we are, after a close game, talking about the looks that they gave us. I think that they flew to the ball, they’re very physical. They played very physical defensively upfront. They gave us some different, exotic looks, and they did a good job with their scheme. I think we were just able to kind of find a way — we found a way.”

On the offensive line play

“I draw a lot of respect towards that group that we have. They work their tail off. They’re coached by the greatest to ever do it with Coach [Jeff Stoutland], and regardless of the pieces that go in and out, it’s interchangeable. Those guys played their tails off, given the circumstances. A lot of them were put in — Jack [Driscoll], [Sua] Opeta, Cam [Jurgens] having to be ready when his number was called. So, it’s a great example of accountability and everybody being ready when their numbers called.”

Hurts was asked about Jason Kelce being sidelined but then coming back into the game after halftime, and the QB didn’t hesitate in calling the veteran center a soldier. Kelce’s soldier-like mentality isn’t something they can take for granted.

“It’s something I damn sure don’t take for granted. I admire his leadership, I admire the way he plays the game, his toughness, he’s relentless. He’s everything I admire in a competitor. He’s one of the greatest to play the position and he’s in an era of his own.”

On being 5-0

“I personally, honest, hate hearing 5-0. I don’t like to hear it, because nobody wanted to mention the record when we were 2-5. Nobody wanted to talk about that. So, I don’t want to hear it now. I don’t want to hear it now. Can we come in here and control the things that we can, attack everyday, and just grow and climb? That’s what matters, the process, not anything else.”

Other notables

• Hurts said that he had talked to Cam Dicker briefly, and he told the kicker after the game that he has a lot of respect for him. The QB mentioned that the NFL is a fast moving league, and for Dicker to be ready on short notice and to come in and have the kind of performance he did, helped the team a lot on Sunday and the kicker created a lot of value for himself.
• He talked about how he expects to get the best from all of their competitors as the season goes on, noting that they are going to play a lot of really good football teams. They have to be ready for the challenges ahead, and they’re a good football team but they’re still growing and learning and have their best football ahead.
• Hurts said that he has a lot of respect for Donovan McNabb, and all the guys who have come before him, but in particular those who had a similar style of play — naming Randall Cunningham, Michael Vick, and McNabb. He said that they’ve been pivotal in Hurts’ transition into his current role.