All He Does Is Win, Win Win …
Despite Critics, Hurts Once Again Leads Birds To Super Bowl
PHILADELPHIA – Jalen Hurts lit up a postgame victory cigar at his locker Sunday night, allowing himself to, at least momentarily, enjoy the fruit of his labor.
The Eagles’ franchise signal-caller, battling a knee issue and what he deemed “a little sickness” throughout the week, again showcased his mettle and composure in the Eagles’ 55-23 massacre over the Commanders at the Linc that put his team in the Super Bowl for the second time in three seasons.
It was the kind of big-game performance many have come to expect from the stoic Hurts, who has a knack for elevating his play against all odds.
It was the kind of performance that silences the opinions of critics, one that will forever endear him to the city’s fan base.
Regardless of what the knocks on Hurts have been – or the hyper-fixation on his perceived shortcomings – the fifth-year quarterback has established himself at every level as a winner.

GETTY IMAGES: Eagles QB Jalen Hurts notched another playoff win in a 55-23 blowout of the Commanders in the NFC CHampionship
On Sunday, Hurts controlled the narrative with his role in guiding the Eagles back to the NFL’s grandest stage.
“It’s amazing how much doubt there is sometimes,” head coach Nick Sirianni said. “I can’t quite comprehend it because it doesn’t look like what people think it should look like.
“But the guy has been clutch. He’s won a ton of football games. ‘But you ran for this many yards.’ We don’t care how we win. We don’t care. If we rush for 300 and pass for one and we win, great. If we rush for one and pass for 300, great. Who cares?
“We’ve just continued to win. He’s just continued to win. I think the criticism is – yeah, whatever. He just wins. I said what I said after the game and that’s kind of how I feel.”
Hurts, who completed 20-of-28 pass attempts for 246 yards and a touchdown while adding another 16 yards and three touchdowns on the ground, often says “winning is winning, regardless of what it looks like.”
It might not look the same way that it does for many of the league’s brightest stars at his position, but it’s hard to ignore the impressive clip at which he wins.
And it’s the biggest of stages that he’s at his best.
All eyes were on Hurts as he emerged from the tunnel, taking the field 55 minutes prior to the Eagles’ conference championship in front of a typically impassioned home crowd.
The quarterback, as he usually does, appeared confident and poised, meeting his running backs at the goal line and dapping up each of his running backs with personalized handshakes.
As expected, Hurts appeared primed and ready to take center stage.
The confidence he exuded from afar translated into perhaps the Eagles’ most balanced offensive attack of the season, a plan that resulted in 459 total net yards, including 229 rushing yards.
Decisive and elusive enough despite his knee issue to buy himself some time in the pocket, Hurts delivered quick, high-percentage throws to settle into the game.
But it was his deep shot down the left sideline to A.J. Brown that served as a reminder to those who have written him off, that he can shed the conservative confines of the offense by dropping one in the bucket.
“It’s not about me, it’s not about me,” Hurts said. “I don’t even play the game for any statistical measure. Nothing more than just winning. You play the game to win. I play the game to win.
“In a sense, this game chose me in this position. Chose me knowing to be able to come this far and have opportunities in front of us. You just want to take advantage of them, but I’ve never been motivated by achieving the personal things, the personal goals.
“All of those things come when you put the work in, out of the right mentality. Embrace what the group’s mission is, and mission is to win.”
– Andrew DiCecco (@AndrewDiCecco) is a Staff Reporter/Content Producer for InsideTheBirds.com.