The Philadelphia Eagles lost the Week 4 game against the Los Angeles Rams by a margin of four points (20-24). But judging from the hot mic, Jalen Hurts felt the pressure right from the beginning of the game.
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“Get off the f—ing ball,” Hurts called out to his wide receiver, as FOX Sports’ broadcast caught, during a 2nd-and-8 with 14:15 left in the first quarter. The callout even extracted a “that doesn’t sound good” from the play-by-play commentator Kevin Burkhardt.
It was actually directed at the Eagles wide receiver Elijah Moore, who was right on the line of scrimmage covering up the tight end E.J. Jenkins. Of course, that’s not the designated spot for a wide receiver. Irritated, Hurts hurled the curse at Moore, whose body language made it seem like he was asking if Hurts was talking to him. And that resulted in a “Come on!” from the quarterback.
The receiver wasted no time in moving to the edge, and the Eagles continued with their snap without getting a penalty. However, things didn’t work well for the Eagles. They gained only one yard on that play, and on fourth down, they had to settle for a punt.
The incident became a headline because Hurts is often known for his calm demeanor. And he got it back once the game was over and he moved in front of the media at the postgame press conference.
“I think it’s less about being even-keeled and more about doubling down on the work,” Hurts said at his postgame press conference. “Controlling the things that you can. This is a team that is building and finding its way. It’s obviously a work in progress.
“I have the utmost confidence in this team. I have the utmost confidence in this group. We just have to [inaudible] endure. Be persistent and keep committing to one another. Keep committing to the work of becoming a better group together.”
Of course, this wasn’t the only high-stakes game this season. In a previous game, despite the pressure, Hurts remained calm and managed to secure a clutch win for the Eagles.
Jalen Hurts stayed calm despite the stakes in previous games
“I’m not one to harbor on the elements, but it was a challenge for us as a unit collectively, and I’m happy with how we weathered through that,” Hurts told the media after the Week 2 win over the Tennessee Titans.
In that game, with only 1:56 left in the final quarter and the Titans leading 20-17, Hurts faced heavy pressure as Jeffery Simmons tried to keep him pinned in the pocket. After an early throw fell incomplete, Hurts managed the rush and converted a critical short-yardage run.
With the clock ticking down, Hurts hit Dontayvion Wicks on a deep chunk play to move the team inside Tennessee territory. At 0:20, Hurts fired a key pass downfield to DeVonta Smith to set up the offense in the red zone. On a subsequent play with just 14 seconds remaining, Darius Cooper caught a three-yard pass to seal the game-winning touchdown.
“Same approach at the end of the game was the same approach going throughout the game,” Hurts shared. “Just having great focus, great focus and poise coming in and being able to maintain that throughout the game, that’s what it came down to. So, it was great execution, great mentality, great focus, and a great sense of togetherness and being able to persevere.”
It’s proof that he remains composed when it matters the most. However, things were simply not in his favor in the Week 4 game.
“Poor execution. I don’t think there’s any other way to put it,” he told the media. “I have to be better. I have to figure it out. However it looks, whatever that means.”
Hurts’ viral, expletive-laced outburst at Moore proves that the Eagles’ execution errors are finally testing the patience of their famously stoic quarterback. Hurts quickly took accountability postgame. But Philadelphia must urgently clean up its offensive miscommunications to salvage their season.