Jalen Hurts takes responsibility for Eagles MNF loss: 'I didn't execute'

On3 imageby:Jonathan Wagner09/28/21

Jonathan Wagner

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The Philadelphia Eagles struggled in Monday night’s 41-21 loss to the Dallas Cowboys. Eagles starting quarterback Jalen Hurts was inconsistent in the loss, although he still showed off his playmaking ability in the game.

Hurts completed 25 of his 39 passes for two touchdowns and two interceptions in the loss. He was also the Eagles’ leading rusher with 35 yards off of nine carries. Excluding Hurts’ rushes, the Eagles only ran the ball three times in the game. Hurts threw an interception on an out route to Devonta Smith as Smith fell down early in the third quarter. The play was returned for a touchdown, giving Dallas a 27-7 lead.

After the game, Hurts shouldered the blame for the Eagles’ big loss on Monday night.

“I didn’t execute, I didn’t do a good enough job of leading,” Hurts said to reporters after the game. “I didn’t do a good enough job of running our offense. This one is on me.

“I take responsibility for how this game went tonight,” Hurts said. “I’m going to learn from it… You take you a deuce, you don’t sit there and look at it. You flush it and move on. We’re going to flush it and move on.”

Teammates wouldn’t let Hurts take all of the blame

Philadelphia struggled mightily in the first half. The Eagles had just three first downs in the first half, only possessing the ball for 9:39. While Hurts didn’t play the best game of his career, he wasn’t the sole reason for the poor performance. Veteran offensive lineman Jason Kelce said after the game that the loss is on everybody, not just Hurts.

“Obviously we all know that’s not true,” Kelce said via Around the NFL’s Kevin Patra. “Whenever you get beat like that, it’s everybody. Losses like that don’t happen just because of one guy. But that is the way you would expect Jalen Hurts to feel. Bottom line is the leaders that are really good players ultimately feel that they completely control the situation. We’ve got to play much better across the board.”

Hurts started four games last year with the Eagles as a rookie. He threw for 1,061 yards, six touchdowns, and four interceptions, completing 52% of his passes. Hurts also had 354 rushing yards with three additional scores on the ground. Longtime NFL quarterback Alex Smith praised the former Alabama and Oklahoma quarterback ahead of Monday night’s game.

“I’m a huge Jalen fan,” Smith said on Monday Night Countdown. “I think of all the talk this offseason of all these Alabama quarterbacks, Mac Jones and Tua, I think Jalen is the sleeper. I think at the end of the year, he’s going to have the best year of all these guys. I think he’s in a great situation with Nick Sirianni, Shane Steichen, my guy Brian Johnson in the quarterback room. I think he is ready for this moment. He has dealt with doubters his entire career. I think this is a good position to be in. I think he’s going to take advantage of it.”