The Rams were 12 points ahead by the end of the second quarter against the Eagles. And in the third quarter, with the scoreboard reading 26-7 in the Rams’ favor, most observers thought the match to be over. But by the time the ref blew the final whistle, Jalen Hurts and the Birds had pulled off a 33–26 comeback, capped by Jordan Davis’s last-second blocked field goal return. It was history—the first time the Eagles blocked two field goals in a game in 17 years.

Now, Hurts faced the obvious question. Did the Rams’ second-half struggles make it easier for them and for Saquon Barkley to break loose? He wasn’t taking the bait. “Well, I think overall, I don’t want to point fingers to one element of our game, of our offense, because it’s not about just one element or one force or one unit, just about execution. You know, standard isn’t to produce, it’s to execute.” Hurts made it clear in the post-match presser that this win was about the Eagles doing their job, not the Rams falling apart.

Still, the numbers told a story. Barkley, last season’s Offensive Player of the Year, finished with 18 carries for just 46 yards. Meanwhile, the Rams had their moments. Matthew Stafford connected with Davante Adams for a 44-yard strike. Puka Nacua kept his streak alive with another monster outing—11 catches for 118 yards. Kyren Williams added 112 all-purpose yards and grabbed a touchdown. For three quarters, it looked like LA had control.

They held Philly to negative passing yards in the first half and bottled Barkley up at just 2.6 yards a carry. Jared Verse even stripped Hurts to set up Williams’ score, pushing the lead to 26-7. But that’s where it flipped. Hurts caught fire. The Eagles seized momentum, and the Rams watched it all slip away. He found A.J. Brown for 38 yards, then hit Dallas Goedert for a 33-yard touchdown.

On the other side, the Rams couldn’t finish drives, settling for field goals. That frustration spilled out across Rams fandom as another big lead went up in smoke. For Hurts, though, this was validation. Critics questioned the Eagles’ toughness after back-to-back slow starts. But with three straight wins to start the season, Hurts had his answer.

Jalen Hurts silences doubters after win over Rams

The Birds had one of the league’s hottest offenses to close last year, dropping 95 points across the NFC Championship and the Super Bowl. But this season hasn’t felt the same. Even with two wins to start, Saquon Barkley couldn’t get going, and Jalen Hurts didn’t crack 200 passing yards in either game. It wasn’t the explosive unit fans in Philly remembered.

Then came Sunday. The Rams’ defense made the first half miserable, holding the Eagles to just 33 total yards. That gave Hurts’ critics another opening. Around the league, folks have been quick to downplay him, pointing to the quiet stat lines and acting like his value depends on passing yards. The noise was getting louder.

But Hurts flipped the switch. In the second half, he lit up LA with 209 passing yards and three touchdowns. He did it without Barkley breaking free, leaning on his arm, and hitting Devonta Smith for the game-winner. That kind of finish reminded everyone why the Eagles are never out of it.

After the match, Hurts made sure his words matched his play. “Nobody cares how it gets done; it’s just a matter of getting it done. You guys care about how it gets done; I don’t.” That’s vintage Hurts—calm, direct, and focused on winning. Now the question is what he and the Birds bring into Week 4.