Jalen Hurts doesn’t have any thoughts on whether the “tush push” should be banned

The Eagles are preparing for their first NFC East opponent in Week 4, and quarterback Jalen Hurts spoke to reporters on Wednesday as the team got back to work. The QB talked about how the Commanders may be a familiar opponent, but they’ve created challenges for the Eagles in the past, and also talked about D’Andre Swift and the Eagles red zone challenges.

Hurts was asked how he was feeling after acknowledging post-game on Monday night that he had flu-like symptoms. He said that he was feeling better — although he said it with the sound of a little congestion in his voice.

Here’s what the QB had to say:

On the QB sneak

Hurts said he’s been doing the quarterback sneak since high school, and with the big guys they have up front, it’s all about getting that one yard. He wasn’t willing to break down the inner-workings of the play, like the timing of it all, and said that it’s all about finding a way to get that yard.

The QB was asked about people calling for it to be banned and the rule changed:

“Have no thoughts on it. We’re the only people doing it as well as we are. Heard a guy wants me to get hurt for it, too.”

On preparing for the Commanders

“They’re a great team, and they have great players. Obviously, want to go into every game with a certain level of intensity and respecting every opponent we play. So, ready for the opportunity to play against them.”

Hurts was asked about the difference between preparing the first three weeks for teams who do some different things defensively, versus a division team they’ve seen a lot of over the years. The QB explained that the Commanders still have their own way of being versatile and have shown different looks. He said regardless of who they’re playing, it comes down to how they execute.

He later talked about the Commanders defense playing fast and the front seven being very disruptive. They’ve got good DBs who track the ball well and play the ball well. So, while they’re a familiar opponent, they’re a great team that has given the Eagles challenges in the past.

On D’Andre Swift

“Big time playmaker. He’s electric with the ball in his hands, and that’s something that I’ve been able to witness since his days at Georgia. So, he’s been who he’s always been.”

On the red zone offense

When asked what he wants to see from the red zone offense, Hurts succinctly noted “scoring points.” Head coach Nick Sirianni spoke earlier in the day and took responsibility for some of the offensive struggles in that area of the game, saying he needs to put players in better positions. The QB said that it comes down to executing.

“I think it’s about finishing drives and scoring points. It’s our job to execute whatever’s called, and we’ve had a number of opportunities to do that, and so we just need to put it in — put it in the end zone.”

Other notables

• Hurts said they definitely appreciate all the Eagles fans, especially the ones that travel to games — joking that it’s usually the places that are nice weather-wise.
• The QB talked about the nine minute drive to close out Monday night’s game, saying he knows it can be depleting for opponents when they keep the ball for as long as they did and kept running the clock. He said that he doesn’t like to be in a four-minute position at the end of the game, and would rather open it up earlier, but they were efficient when they had to be and get in the endzone.
• He broke down the TD pass to Olamide Zaccheaus, saying that he stayed in the pocket and Zaccheaus ran a great route and made a big time play when they really needed one. Hurts was asked about Lane Johnson one-on-one for about five-plus seconds of protection on that throw, and the QB stated simply that Johnson is the best at his job and challenges himself to play at a high level.