Jalen Hurts Steps Up for Eagles with Impressive Performance in NFC Championship Win

Philadelphia’s quarterback threw for 246 yards and a touchdown while leading his team to a dominant 55-23 victory over Washington.

In a game that required a little more from the passing game, Jalen Hurts answered the call and delivered in a big way. The Philadelphia Eagles quarterback, who had been known for his strong running abilities this season, showcased his passing skills in a resounding 55-23 victory over the Washington Commanders in Sunday’s NFC Championship game.

Hurts, who had previously been restricted by a run-heavy offense, took the reins in the air on Sunday, completing 20 of 28 passes for 246 yards and a touchdown—without throwing any interceptions. He also added three rushing touchdowns to his tally, continuing his dominance on the ground. His passer rating of 110.1 marked his fifth career game with a rating over 100.

“I guess he let me out of my straitjacket a little bit today,” Hurts joked after the Eagles secured their spot in their second Super Bowl in three years.

While Hurts’ performance was pivotal, he emphasized that for him, winning is the ultimate goal, regardless of statistics. “Winning, success, is defined by that particular individual, and it’s all relative to the person,” he said. “The No. 1 goal is always to come out here and win.”

One of the biggest questions facing the Eagles heading into the playoffs was whether Hurts’ passing game would rise to the occasion. Hurts answered emphatically with his sharp play, marking his second-most passing attempts since the bye week.

Despite a somewhat quieter passing game in previous weeks, including games where he threw for just 131 and 128 yards, Hurts proved that when needed, he could elevate his game. His 12.3 yards per completion were his most since Week 10 and the highest for an Eagles quarterback in the postseason since Nick Foles’ performance in Super Bowl 52.

Hurts has quietly been one of the best postseason quarterbacks this year, completing 70% of his passes for 505 yards and three touchdowns, with no interceptions and a passer rating of 105.0.

The Eagles’ Super Bowl run has been a testament to Hurts' evolution as a quarterback. In his three seasons with the team, Hurts has racked up 51 career wins, with 40 of those coming in the past three years. His 13-game winning streak is a major testament to his consistency and ability to perform in clutch moments.

Next Sunday, Hurts will become just the fifth quarterback in NFL history to start two Super Bowls before the age of 27. He is the first Eagles quarterback to achieve this feat and now stands with just Donovan McNabb, who holds the franchise record with nine career playoff wins.

Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni, who has seen Hurts’ growth firsthand, could not praise his quarterback enough. “I don’t want anybody else leading this team at quarterback other than him,” Sirianni said. “He’s a winner. He’s been clutch, he’s won a ton of football games. The guy just wins.”

Hurts’ win total now matches that of Dan Marino for the sixth-most career wins before the age of 27. And as the Eagles continue their pursuit of another Super Bowl title, Hurts’ leadership and resilience will be at the center of their quest.

“The guy has been clutch. He’s won a ton of football games,” Sirianni continued. “We’ve just continued to win. He’s just continued to win.”