What now? ... Hurts far from providing an answer to that
PHILADELPHIA » Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts got off to a sizzling start against the Pittsburgh Steelers Thursday night, completing passes to Zach Ertz and Dallas Goedert, the latter for 34 yards.
Lincoln Financial Field rocked, at least as much as it can with a modest crowd braving 90-degree heat. Hurts even looked off the coverage to give Goedert more separation.
That, unfortunately, was the end of the good vibes for Hurts. By the end of the first quarter, he found himself trapped in what he calls a “so, what now?” situation.
As in, so what are you going to do now that Joe Flacco, a long-ago Super Bowl MVP proved he isn’t finished? More on that in a moment.
Hurts was in rhythm on that first series, rookie head coach Nick Sirianni opening with two tight ends and veteran Jordan Howard, not Miles Sanders, at running back. Moments later Jalen Reagor and Ertz dropped passes, the latter on thirdand-seven at the 29-yard line of the Steelers. Sirianni sent Jake Elliott out to kick the first of a couple of 47-yard field goals in the first half.
Hurts’ second series began with a deep throw to the wrong side of Quez Watkins, who had a couple of steps on his defender.
After a 13-yard strike to Ertz, Boston Scott got four yards and Hurts was pressured into throwing the ball away. On third-and-seven, Hurts had a teammate open but scrambled for four yards.
Then Flacco got on the field, and trust me, a 36-year-old guy needs a head start to reach the huddle around the same time as the other players.
Flacco warmed up with five-yard completion to rookie running back Kenneth Gainwell, who is twice the player he was the first fateful week of camp.
Flacco then fired a nineyard throw to Richard Rodgers, who catches everything in the same area code. And then it happened. Flacco looked over the Steeler defense and called for a quick snap. The ball had barely reached his hands when he was throwing it left to Watkins, on a screen play.
Rodgers’ block and a seal block by Brett Toth created a sinkhole for Watkins to skirt around. Seventy-four yards later, Watkins was so far ahead of the pack he would have gotten away with a “To The World” celebration by Usain Bolt. Watkins was that fast.
All Flacco did was recognize the defense and get rid of the ball fast, two items that Hurts is working on.
Hurts was 3-for-7 for 59 yards and a 69.9 passer rating. The Eagles were 0-for-2 on third down in his two series.
Flacco completed six of his first eight attempts for 123 yards, one TD and a
156.2 rating. It was one of the most memorable preseason debuts by an Eagles quarterback since Sam Bradford went 10-for-10 for 121 yards with three TD passes in 18 snaps of a 39-26 win over the Green Bay Packers in 2015. Chip Kelly’s last season with the Birds, remember?
Nick Mullens played the second half. Coming off elbow surgery, he’s not really a threat to anyone. He threw a couple of interceptions.
So, what now, as Hurts likes to say? For him, it’s about how he responds this week in the practices with the New England Patriots and the preseason game against them Thursday.
I don’t know where Hurts got it but his philosophy is that 10 percent of life is what happens to you and the remaining 90 percent os about “how you respond to it.
“I just never get too high, never get too low,” Hurts said earlier this week. “Keep the main thing the main thing and just play ball and keep fighting. Eventually it’s going to come. It’s going to come. That’s the game, you know. How do you respond it? You’ve got to have a sowhat-now mentality with everything you do.”
Pundits will say Flacco completed passes Thursday to some of the same receivers Hurts could not. Forget that what was left of the regular
Steelers’ defense was out of the game after a cameo.
They’ll say that Hurts, based on those two series, proved what they’ve said all along – that he was drafted to be a backup, not a starter. Not to compare their careers, but why was Tom Brady drafted in the sixth round? Oh, forgot. There’s only one Brady.
Though it was only a couple of series, barely enough time to work up a decent sweat, the outside chatter to mortgage the future to land Deshaun Watson will reach another level.
The reality is that Watson has more problems than football. He’s facing 22 civil lawsuits accusing him of sexual harassment and assault of massage therapists as well as 10 pending criminal complaints, per reports.
All Hurts has to worry about is shifting into whatnow mode.