Jalen Hurts was a very late scratch for last week’s game, so is he playing in the final preseason game instead? Traditionally, starters don’t play in the final preseason game. However, with one less week of preseason action in 2021, things could change, especially with a week of rest between the final preseason game and the start of the regular season.
Is Jalen Hurts playing tonight?
Nick Sirianni has the answers locked away. You need a two-step verification to determine whether Hurts will suit up against the New York Jets on Friday night. Last week, Hurts was dressed and ready to play before a stomach ailment sidelined him and eventually hospitalized the second-year QB.
Thankfully, it turned out to just be a stomach bug. He said he would have played through had it been a regular-season game. That’s brave; most if not all have suffered through the 24-hour stomach bug before. It’s a miserable existence.
Even if Hurts were to play this week, it’s no guarantee he’d play the Jets best, which is admittedly not that great to begin with. On the other hand, what it could mean should he play is that he can come in and cultivate some offensive confidence heading into Week 1 in Atlanta. A clean preseason outing from the first-team receivers and quarterback should help boost confidence.
UPDATE: NFL Network reporter Mike Garafolo says, based on what he’s hearing, the Eagles will rest most, if not all, of their starters against the Jets.
Evaluating the sophomore QB’s preseason
Hurts only took a few snaps in the first preseason game, but he looked ready for regular-season action in that outing. He was nearly perfect in his only preseason performance, and word around the water cooler is that he’s excelled during joint practices with the Jets as well.
It won’t be an easy season for the Eagles. They have a lot to overcome if they’re to elevate their game to compete in the NFC East. However, it appears their second-year QB is ready for the test.