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    How Jalen Hurts Saved Eagles From Coach’s Crazy Decisions, Jaguars

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    PHILADELPHIA − It’s easy to take what you see for granted.

    Sure, Saquon Barkley can credit his “God-given talent” for treating Jaguars defensive back Jarrian Jones like the gymnastics machine with his backside hurdle over Jones. And you might marvel at DeVonta Smith’s one-handed grab and toe drag in the back of the end zone.

    But those plays don’t just happen. And all you had to do was listen to Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts after the Eagles’ 28-23 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday.

    All of these spectacular plays, including Nakobe Dean’s leaping interception in the end zone with 1:38 remaining, allowed the Eagles to once again overcome head coach Nick Sirianni’s questionable decision to give up two field goals, to say the least. are ahead of fourth place. conversion attempts failed.

    There were also three failed two-point conversion attempts. For those keeping score, that’s nine points Sirianni dropped. And it almost cost the Eagles.

    “It was supposed to be a 40-point game,” Eagles right tackle Lane Johnson said angrily after the game. “And I felt like the yards we gained should have been a reflection of that.”

    The Eagles more than doubled the Jaguars’ total, outscoring them 447-211. But if it weren’t for Barkley’s spread reverse hurdle, his 20-yard over-the-shoulder TD catch, Smith’s catch and Dean’s interception, the Eagles would have been saddled with one of those season-devastating losses to a struggling Jaguars team . the match at 2-6.

    BARKLEY’S JUMP: Saquon Barkley, Eagles’ other eye-popping games against Jaguars, almost offset by meltdowns

    AJ BROWN PAIN: AJ Brown injury update: Eagles football wide receiver injures knee in game against Jaguars

    “It comes down to scoring points,” Johnson added. “It doesn’t matter what yards are. Yards don’t win the game. There were several times we could have had some points, but we didn’t.”

    So let’s get back to Hurts’ role. And it goes beyond the statistics, which were impressive enough. Hurts went 18-for-24 for 230 yards and 2 touchdowns, with a passer rating of 132.3. He also ran for an 18-yard touchdown.

    It was Hurts’ fourth straight game without a turnover and with a rating of 119 or higher. The Eagles won all four games.

    Still, Hurts was never better than with his TD pass to Smith midway through the fourth quarter, with the Eagles facing a 3rd-and-22 at the Jaguars 25. That’s when Hurts threw the ball deep down the right sideline. Smith reached out and cradled the ball against his body as he somehow got both feet in before falling out of the end zone.

    The crazy thing about that play? Hurts said he never saw Smith.

    “Sometimes I think people don’t really take into account how much lack of vision a quarterback has in certain situations,” Hurts said. “I didn’t have a good view of him, but I think that given the number of times we have done these kinds of routes, I have a feeling for him. I think it is also a matter of connection, and that in a place where he can only get it, and then he makes a great play.

    And it doesn’t happen in a vacuum on Smith’s side, either.

    “I’ve seen him make that play in practice,” Hurts said. “I’ve seen him reach out in the corner of the end zone and make the same great play.”

    Hurts then mentioned the offseason work with Barkley on those wheel routes. Sure, Barkley had 159 yards rushing on 22 carries. But Barkley is an all-purpose back because of his ability as a receiver. On Barkley’s 20-yard TD catch to open the scoring, Barkley beat Delaware native Darnell Savage, a safety, as opposed to an overmatched linebacker.

    How does that happen?

    “I think trust and continuity are all words I’ve said a thousand times,” Hurts said. “That’s a great play from a safety standpoint. Some might say that’s not a favorable play, but (Barkley) made a great play. It’s just a matter of continuing to build on your repertoire.”

    All this was enough for the Eagles to defeat their coach again.

    The Eagles attempted the two-point conversions as the Jaguars penalties put the ball on the 1-yard line. And the Eagles continued their bread-and-butter play in those situations: the tush push. The Jaguars stopped both.

    What went wrong?

    “I’ll be honest,” left guard Landon Dickerson said. ‘I don’t see much. I’m at the bottom of the pile. I see quite a lot of dirt.’

    Those missed pushes might have affected the play call when the Eagles faced a 4th-and-1 from the Jaguars’ 25 late in the third quarter. Instead of lining up for the push, he tried Hurts a pass that fell incomplete.

    “At the end of the day, I have to have the balls to do that and say, ‘Am I doing everything I can do to help us win the game?’” Sirianni said. “At those moments I thought so. But I will go back and look at it again. I will always be hypercritical of myself.”

    Hurts saved him. Hurts seemed to get the most pleasure from a 46-yard ball to Smith that set up the 25-yard TD. Hurts was asked about that play and his talent for throwing the deep ball.

    “That’s the first time I’ve heard that,” Hurts said of his talent for throwing the deep ball. “Do you know why?”

    The reporter asked why.

    “Because they said I can’t do it,” Hurts replied.

    Who are they? The reporter said it wasn’t him.

    “I appreciate that,” Hurts said. “That was one I struggled with all week in practice. I had a chance to use AJ (Brown) in practice. I had a chance to hit Smitty in practice. I didn’t hit the ball right. It just didn’t click. We repeated it, and we talked about it, and we put time into it.

    “And we were able to execute it at a crucial time. Just a great effort from everyone.”

    That’s how the Eagles won this game.

    Contact Martin Frank at [email protected]. Follow on X @Mfranknfl, on Threads and Instagram @martinfrank1.

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