Jalen Hurts provided the boost the Philadelphia Eagles needed Sunday, but head coach Doug Pederson stopped short of naming the rookie quarterback his starter for the remainder of the season – or even for the team’s Week 15 game against the Arizona Cardinals.
Hurts led the Eagles in his first NFL start in place of benched starter Carson Wentz to a 24-21 victory over the New Orleans Saints, keeping them 1 ½ games behind first-place Washington in the NFC East with three games to play.
“Jalen got the start this afternoon, and I thought overall, there were some good things and [he] really kind of gave us a spark as a team that I was looking for, and I think we were looking for as a team,” Pederson said after the game. “But you know, this win is not about one guy. This win is about this team and how resilient this team is.”
Jalen Hurts and Doug Pederson during the Eagles’ win over the Saints on Sunday. AP
The former Alabama and Oklahoma quarterback rushed for 106 yards Sunday and threw for 167 with one touchdown and no interceptions. Wentz has thrown an NFL-high 15 interceptions in 12 appearances this season.
When asked why he wasn’t prepared to name Hurts the starter going forward, Pederson said he planned to “enjoy this win and get ready for the week” before announcing his lineup plans.
“It took everybody in uniform to win this game, not just one guy,” Pederson said. “I’m going to repeat myself again that it takes a village to get this stuff done, and Jalen was a part of it, yes.
“But it took a team effort to win, honestly. Again, I talked about the defense earlier, the plays that they made just time and time again. Again, Jalen was a part of it.”
