Nick Sirianni Praises Jalen Hurts’ Dedication After Eagles Defeat Bengals

Last night, the Eagles added another win to their name. And guess who was the star of the night? Texas native Jalen Hurts. However, the QB had a bit of a wardrobe mishap halfway through the game against the Bengals. In a funny turn of events, Bengals cornerback Cam Taylor-Britt accidentally stepped on Jalen’s heels, requiring him to properly put his shoes back on. There is more to the story.

As the QB tried to put his shoes back on, a knot in his original right cleat became impossible to untangle. While Dallas Goedert was attempting to untie it, this whole mess led to the Eagles having to call a timeout. The QB switched to a mismatched pair of kicks and saved some time for the team.

But if you think that’s why he was the star of the night, you’ve got it all wrong. The QB threw one passing touchdown and scored three rushing touchdowns, leading the team to a 37-17 victory. Looks like the 2022 Jalen Hurts is finally back. Jalen put on a great performance, but it’s teamwork. And Saquon Barkley understood the assignment, rushing for 108 yards and helping keep the winning streak alive. Following the win, Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni couldn’t hold back his admiration for QB Jalen Hurts. During an interaction with the media, he said, “Jalen puts the work in… that’s how you want your leaders to be.”

Nick Sirianni on Jalen Hurts Difference:

“Jalen puts the work in… that’s how you want your leaders to be. You’re a product of how you practice”

Eagles Coach says #JalenHurts was so sharp in practice Thursday the ball did not hit the groundhttps://t.co/e1rNJoZ803 https://t.co/62U5CaR6fY pic.twitter.com/CyYUj1hz2D

— Jeff Skversky (@JeffSkversky) October 27, 2024

Like most of the players, Hurts’ NFL journey has not been an easy one. He was picked up by the Philadelphia Eagles in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft. There were a lot of questions about whether he could actually make it as a starting QB.

When he started playing in NFL, his performance was a bit shaky, but the QB always showed flashes of potential. In the 2021 season opener against the Falcons, the Eagles’ QB threw three touchdowns and led them to a huge 32-6 win. In the 2022 season, he snagged the NFC Offensive Player of the Month award for September after he led the Eagles to a solid 24-8 win against the Commanders.

He finished that season with 35 total touchdowns, threw for 3,701 passing yards and posted a solid 101.5 quarterback rating. And in Week 8 of the 2023 season, he earned the NFC Offensive Player of the Week award again for his incredible performance against the Commanders, where he scored four touchdowns.  Moving on, Eagles fans are pumped! The team played well—think they can keep this winning streak going?

The road ahead for the Eagles

While fans celebrate Jalen Hurts’ winning performance, they almost forgot about cornerback Darius Slay suffered a groin injury. The 33-year-old was absolutely on fire out there. But things went downhill quickly.  Slay walked off the field and didn’t return after that. Backup Isaiah Rodgers stepped in to take his place. The Eagles posted on their official X page, “Injury Update: CB Darius Slay (groin) is questionable to return.” It wouldn’t be good news for the Eagles if they lost him for the rest of the season.”

Besides Slay, tight end Dallas Goedert (hamstring) and Mekhi Becton (concussion) were ruled out for Week 8. Byron Young (hamstring) and Eli Ricks (groin) are also dealing with injuries. With the key players defensive line sidelined, the road ahead for the Eagles is looking tough for now. As the season progresses, Iggles will be looking for further shining moments from their QB!