Hurts with big plays in passing game in 2nd half. Quarterback Jalen Hurts and the Philadelphia Eagles' offense played a brutal first half against the Los Angeles Rams but rallied in the second half with 26 unanswered points to steal a victory from the jaws of defeat. The Eagles converted their first third down with 8:33 remaining in the third quarter. It was a third and 10 on their own 13 yard line. The Eagles lined up in a three by one set with trips to the left of Hurts. The Rams showed blitz with seven defenders hovering around the line of scrimmage. The Eagles play call was the mesh concept, a pick play to beat man coverage. But at the snap, the Rams would drop eight defenders into a zone coverage and only rush three. Hurts understands that his only option on this play versus zone coverage is Devonta Smith on the in breaking route over the middle behind the linebackers. He also understands he can be calm and patient for the route to develop downfield with only a three-man rush coming after him. He bounces patiently in the pocket and drills Smith between the linebackers for a fifteen yard gain. This may be Jalen's best play from the pocket this season. But a few plays later, Hurts missed a big play opportunity on a designed play to A.J. Brown. It was the third quarter with 7:23 remaining, and the Eagles had the ball on their own 36 on a second and three. They had trips left with Smith closest to Hurts, Dotson in the middle, and Brown wide left. Hurts pump faked a quick screen to Dotson to see the reaction of the defense. Smith was running a slant to the middle of the field, and Brown was running a double move takeoff route outside. The read for Hurts was safety Cam Curl to the trips side. After Hurts pumped, Curl bit hard on the fake. Then he jumped Smith on the slant to the inside. When the safety reacts down to the middle of the field to defend Smith, Hurts is supposed to get his eyes outside to Brown. Had he done that, he would have seen Brown streaking past the corner with no safety help over the top. The only chance the Eagles have for a Super Bowl repeat is to get the ball to A.J. Brown more consistently down the field. It is a mismatch anytime Brown is covered 1 on 1 by any player in the NFL, and Hurts needs to give him opportunities when it happens.
