Jalen Hurts lit up Week 1 for the Philadelphia Eagles, straight up delivering another signature performance in their 24-22 victory over the Washington Commanders. The crazy part? He’s giving a chunk of the credit to a pre-game chat with none other than Tom Brady.
The Tom Brady Blueprint For Big Moments
So what exactly did the GOAT drop on him? Hurts spilled the beans from their production meeting, revealing Brady hammered home a crucial truth for any quarterback: “[I talked] about this on the production meeting leading up to the game with Brady. But when you play in a position, a lot of it is about making sure you’re in the right play. You’re doing the right thing, that takes no talent.” Hold up, “no talent”? That’s the kicker. This isn’t some secret playbook or an impossible physical feat. This is about the mental game, the preparation to ensure every snap is executed flawlessly. Brady’s message, and Hurts clearly absorbed it, is all about unflappable consistency and unwavering poise. It’s not something you can just force when pressure hits. Instead, it’s the “same focus that you have throughout the whole entire game” and the “same poise that you play with throughout the whole entire game.” For Hurts, that means the entire offense has to operate on the same page. He’s asking the questions: “Are we in the best run? Are we protecting ourselves in protection? Is everybody aligned doing those little things first?” He says those are “the most important thing.” It’s about setting the foundation before building the skyscraper, a fundamental approach that echoes the greatest to ever do it.
How That Poise Showed Up on the Field
And that Brady-esque poise? It absolutely showed up on the field in Week 1! Hurts carved up the Commanders’ defense, throwing for 203 yards and three touchdowns, completing 14 of 25 passes without a single interception. That’s a scorching 122.2 passer rating, folks! He wasn’t just standing in the pocket and slingin’ it, either. He was a weapon on the ground, adding 46 rushing yards on seven carries. We’re talking about pure grit here, exemplified by a massive 22-yard scramble on third-and-18 in the fourth quarter. Think about that situation: third and super long, game on the line. Hurts didn’t force a bad throw. He ran for it, getting that crucial yardage to set up a game-sealing touchdown pass to Dallas Goedert. That’s “me taking responsibility and the opportunities I have, the ball in my hand.” Hurts isn’t about manufacturing some highlight play. He calls it an “operation,” an approach to “manage the things you’re tasked with managing as a quarterback, and then all of the other things are to come.” He even pointed to a similar example from Saquon Barkley two years ago, who clinched a game against these very Commanders with an outside zone cutback. That’s him “taking over and making the play,” as Hurts put it. It’s about letting the game come to you and meeting the moment when your opportunity arises.
Look, the Eagles grabbed a W, but Hurts is keeping it real. He knows they “got a lot to build on” and “a lot to correct.” He’s pumped to get “back into the process of becoming the team that we’re supposed to become.” This kind of consistent focus and poise is exactly what you need in a long season. Now they’re taking that vibe into Week 2 against the Tennessee Titans. Bet he’ll be reviewing those little things with the whole squad.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Fox Sports.
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