It has been a long week for Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts after his bad performance against the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 14.
Hurts threw four interceptions and fumbled one on one play, including two turnovers in one play for him in the loss to the Chargers. That started a firestorm among the media about whether he will be the starting quarterback or should be.
Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith spoke with reporters in front of his locker before the Week 15 showdown against the Las Vegas Raiders, where he was asked about Hurts' behavior throughout the week. Smith didn't notice anything different, as it is business as usual for the quarterback.
"Same Jalen, you don't just sit there and beat yourself up over things like that. In this game, stuff like that happens. Everybody's gonna have a game where they're down. You tell me sombody that you know that don't have games like it."
Hurts is looking for a massive bounce back game against the Raiders
Eagles fans wouldn't expect anything different from Hurts. He's always been the coolest and calmest player on the team throughout his tenure in Philadelphia. It's the reason he has taken the team to two Super Bowls, winning one, winning Super Bowl MVP, and making two Pro Bowls in his career.
Hurts has always set a good example for handling things when they are at their best and when they are at their worst. Nothing ever fazes him. He knows how to handle every situation.
Now comes what could be the most challenging part of his career: proving to the media that he can be the franchise quarterback everyone expects him to be. After eight turnovers in the last five games, he has to show short-term memory and resilience in the face of adversity.
He will have to get it done against the Raiders, Washington Commanders twice, and the Buffalo Bills the rest of the season to at least win the NFC East and get into the postseason. Seems easier than it sounds since three of the last four games are against teams with losing records, but Hurts has to deal with Philly media and Eagles fans.
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This is no small task for Hurts, but if anyone can handle it the way it needs to be dealt with, Philly's star quarterback is the one who can.