August 22, 2023
Colleen Claggett/for PhillyVoice
Jalen Hurts #1 of the Philadelphia Eagles performs a drill during practice at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pa. on August 6, 2023.
It was an eventful final practice of training camp for sure.
Two scuffles (bordering on fights) between the Eagles and Colts in a joint session and a dominant showing from Jalen Hurts and the first-team offense highlighted the action, with Hurts and DeVonta Smith stepping into the spotlight on the field.
Here's a recap of Hurts' and the Eagles' day against the Colts down in South Philly...
After some really flashy catches made in 1-on-1 drills by A.J. Brown, the practice began in earnest with 7-on-7 drills from the Eagles' own 25-yard line.
1. A quick completion to Quez Watkins gains five or so yards.
2. Great coverage from the Colts' secondary leads to no throw and a dead play.
3. Hurts finds Brown over the middle of the field for an easy first down.
4. A completion to Dallas Goedert over the middle of the field.
5. Olamide Zaccheaus runs across the field from his right to left and is interfered with — clearly — by a Colts' safety when Hurts makes the throw. The PI flag is thrown.
6. A completion goes to D'Andre Swift out of the backfield for a handful of yards.
Things continued with full team drills from midfield.
7. A play-action keeper by Hurts gains a few yards.
8. A handoff goes to Boston Scott for minimal gain.
9. A pass to Kenny Gainwell over the middle of the field picks up five yards.
10. A toss on the outside to Gainwell gains a first down.
11. A completion hits DeVonta Smith in stride and the wideout runs to the sideline and out of bounds.
More team drills continued from midfield.
12. A completion goes to Rashaad Penny on the sideline for a few yards. This is noteworthy only because Penny isn't considered to be a pass-catching running back — Gainwell and Swift typically are the pass catchers.
13. A quick out to Brown sees him take it and run out of bounds.
14. A great route was run by Smith but an even greater play was made on defense by a Colts safety on tight coverage.
15. An RPO keeper by Hurts goes for a big chuck — but without live hitting it's unclear how much yardage he should get credit for.
16. A fumbled shotgun snap is recovered by Hurts, who has time behind the offensive line. He launches the ball at least 40 yards in the air and Smith makes an impressive concentration catch in the end zone for a touchdown. It was his second most impressive TD catch of the day.
More plays for both first teams after some special teams drills, with action commencing at the Indianapolis 35-yard line.
17. Scott makes a catch out of the backfield and scampers for a first down.
18. Smith runs a crossing route and gains around eight yards.
19. A delayed handoff to Gainwell sees him dart into the end zone. We'll give him credit for the touchdown here because there was a decent gap in the middle opened up by the interior offensive line, but without live tackling it's unclear how far he might have gone.
20. A handoff to Swift picks up six yards.
21. A dead play with nobody open, likely a sack for the Colts to end this session.
One more set of 11-on-11s kicked off at the Eagles' own 35-yard line.
22. A handoff to Penny picks up a few.
23. A pass interference call on Darrell Baker is called on a throw to Gainwell, who was sprinting downfield on a wheel route.
24. Dayo Odeyingbo, a Colts defensive end, beats Cam Jurgens for a "sack" of Hurts.
25. Hurts makes a bad throw, firing the ball too high over Goedert's outstretched hands in the middle of the end zone. Goedert was open on the play.
26. A handoff went to Penny for a few yards.
And finally the main event: After having the Eagles defense play the Colts offense on another field, both rosters assembled for a "scrimmage" between the two teams on the main field. The Eagles start with the ball at their own 25-yard line.
27. Hurts hits Brown over the middle for a handful of yards, with things getting a little scrum-y after the play.
28. An RPO keeper by Hurts gains a couple of yards.
29. Fairly deep in Eagles territory, Hurts is patient behind the offensive line and uncorks a gorgeous deep throw that hits Smith in stride. It was a 50-50 ball and Baker was lockstep in coverage with Smith the entire way. The catch is incredible, as he hauls it in with Baker also vying for possession. Clearly, this was the play of the day.
30. No one is open and the play is called dead on a likely "sack."
31. Hurts finds Smith on yet another contested throw, this one crossing into the end zone for a touchdown.
After the Colts had their turn and the second teams had theirs, the Eagles' first-team offense returns to the field for what is unexpectedly the final set of plays of training camp.
32. A handoff to Gainwell picks up seven yards.
33. A screen pass to Gainwell leads to some insanity. After picking up around 15 yards, the play is sort of whistled dead as a slightly late hit comes in on Gainwell. After doing the lead blocking, Jason Kelce hits Colts defensive back Zaire Franklin. The scuffle turns into a sidelines clearing "fight" and eventually the practice ends. There likely would have been more if not for the madness of this final play.
Jalen Hurts seems annoyed that Eagles-Colts practice ended early as a result of the fight.
— Jimmy Kempski (@JimmyKempski) August 22, 2023
Hurts finished the last media-open practice of camp going 15-for-17 with the impressive touchdown throw to Smith and a bunch of other highlight plays. Things are closed to the media Wednesday before the Colts and Eagles play in the third preseason game Thursday night.
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