Substance Over Style
Hurts: Optics Of Playoff Wins Don't Matter
PHILADELPHIA – Survive and advance.
When it comes to postseason play, in a single-elimination game, style points matter very little.
Players and units will have moments, perhaps not always in unison.
It takes what it takes, regardless of how it looks, as Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts has said.
Hurts, who sat stoically at the NovaCare Complex podium Wednesday evening, fielded a series of questions, never once offering up vulnerability or perceived slights to this week’s opponent in the NFC Divisional round, the Los Angeles Rams.
Hurts instead tipped his hat to a Rams team that experienced a late-season resurgence, a far cry from the team that had been routed by the Eagles, 37-20, in late November.
“I think they’ve always been a great team, and we caught them while they’re hot,” Hurts said. “And we’re catching them while they’re hot again. This is a young team, led by a great coach, great quarterback, great player all-around.
“They got a great defense, they’ve been very effective up front. Just gotta come and execute, and I think it starts in the trenches in a game like this. And we’ve been able to run the ball effectively. So, hopefully we continue to impose our will up front.”

ITB PHOTO: Eagles QB Jalen Hurts said style points don’t matter in playoff wins.
All eyes will be on Hurts, who piloted a relatively static offense in the team’s 22-10 wild-card win againt the Green Bay Packers, specifically in the passing game.
In Week 12, when the Eagles traveled to SoFi Stadium to play the Rams, Hurts had a modest outing in that game, too, completing 15 of 22 pass attempts for 179 yards and a touchdown.
But as he typically does, the Eagles’ franchise quarterback played the role that particular game dictated – and that night belonged to running back Saquon Barkley, who accumulated 302 yards from scrimmage, 255 on the ground.
And while Barkley ran roughshod in the previous meeting, Hurts emphasized that there isn’t always a correlation.
“I think every game is its own game,” he said. “Obviously, we’re gonna look back at the tape and look at this team – like we said, this team is different than what it was. Just gotta go out there and execute.”
Among the most prominent storylines in the aftermath of the Eagles’ wild-card win was the gloomy complexion of the passing game, which appeared very conservative, with little route variety and disjointed timing.
While the aerial attack was often choppy, and though the offense uncharacteristically stalled throughout the afternoon, Hurts did his part when it mattered, delivering a handful of timely passes and picking up yards with his legs when necessary.
As he’s often said, winning is the main thing – regardless of the optics.
“I think you guys need to understand, I don’t play the game for anything other than to win,” Hurts said. “And my role in each game will be different, and the approach each game is different.
“You just wanna go out there and do your job and take advantage of opportunities, obviously. And I think some things are magnified a little bit more because there’s less opportunities in certain areas. But ultimately, it’s about winning the game. We’re talking about playoff football.”
The Rams, over their last four games, have grown tremendously as a defense, holding offenses to an average of 8.3 points per game.
They’ve stacked up sacks over that span while also producing a flurry of turnovers, most recently being the 57-yard scoop-and-score in the wild-card round.
They’ve also been stingy on money downs. On Monday night against the Minnesota Vikings, coordinator Chris Shula’s unit packed up nine sacks.
But despite the Rams’ pass rush surge, they haven’t convinced Hurts that they’ll pressure him into a muddy, reeling passing game.
Hurts admitted that he’s not really sure what to expect. But in the playoffs, as the Eagles have learned, you must prepare for anything.
‘We’ll see. I don’t know really what they’re gonna do,” he said. “It’s a great team, and I think even Green Bay did some different things that we weren’t expecting as an offensive unit. It’s the playoffs, gotta be ready for everything.”
– Andrew DiCecco (@AndrewDiCecco) is a Staff Reporter/Content Producer for InsideTheBirds.com.
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