August 14, 2023

Jalen Hurts watch: How did QB1 look in joint practices with the Browns?

Hurts and the first-team offense saw the first defensive unit that isn't their teammates all camp and definitely looked like it.

By Nick Tricome
PhillyVoice Staff

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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.

Jalen Hurts and the Eagles' starters didn't see any time in the preseason opener Saturday night and probably won't entirely, so the controlled environment of joint practices will have to do the job in getting them all ready for Week 1.

So how did QB1 and the offense look against the Cleveland Browns' defense, the first unit they've seen all camp that aren't their teammates, down at the NovaCare Complex late Monday afternoon?

Well, it wasn't their greatest day, but it was technically their first operating in a live-game scenario.

Here's the Hurts Watch for practice No. 11:

SET 1

7-on-7s from PHI 35

• Play 1: Hurts hits Olamide Zaccheaus breaking out toward the left sideline for a quick few yards.

• Play 2: Dallas Goedert breaks out toward the right sideline with a man on him. Hurts' throw is high, but Goedert was able to come down with an appeared in bounds.

• Play 3: Goedert runs an out, this time to the left, and with plenty of space. Hurts gets it to him easy for the reception, but the contact that cracked down from the Browns' nearest defensive back had Goedert juggling it as he was going out. Hey, it's the first time the Eagles' starters are facing another team.

• Play 4: Hurts tries to air it down the right sideline to DeVonta Smith, but Cleveland cornerback Denzel Ward stuck to him the entire way downfield. They both jump for the 50-50 ball, but Ward is the one who comes down with it. Interception.

• Play 5: With the spot at around the 50, Hurts throws a pass into no man's land as Smith and Goedert cross routes. The only place for the ball to go is into the dirt. Incomplete.

• Play 6: A quick check to tight end Dan Arnold, and that ends the first run for the first team.

• Hurt's line: 4/6 with an interception.

Set 2

11-on-11s from PHI 35

• Play 7: Hurts eludes pressure and rolls right, hitting Kenny Gainwell on the check for a quick couple of yards.

• Play 8: A run up the gut for Gainwell for maybe a yard or two.

• Play 9: D'Andre Swift lined up out wide, but the pocket collapsed before anything could come of it. Hurts more than likely got sacked there, but still ran for a couple.

• Play 10: A handoff to Swift who counters back out to the right side for a decent gain.

• Play 11: Hurts rolls right and keeps running with pressure closing in, but a flag for a hold brings it all back to end the set.

• Hurts' line: 1/1 with one "sack."

Set 3

11-on-11s from PHI 35

• Play 12: Hurts waits in the pocket, pressure closes in, and in all honesty, he probably got sacked there. But he let a rainbow fly deep to DeVonta Smith anyway, who blew right by Ward on a post route downfield.

• Play 13: A Gainwell run for decent yardage. Offense runs the hurry up the rest of the way.

• Play 14: Hurts finds Swift on a quick out on the left side.

• Play 15: Hurts gets sacked, flag gets thrown, it looked like it was against the Browns.

• Play 16: Hurts waits in the pocket then finds Smith downfield cutting across the middle again with no one there. Made it look easy to end set No. 3.

• Hurts' line: 3/3, but probably sacked on one of them.

Set 4

11-on-11s from midfield

• Play 17: A check down to Goedert but he dropped it.

• Play 18: A run from Gainwell up the gut for a few.

• Play 19: Play breaks down, pocket collapses. Sack.

• Play 20: Cleveland with pressure and gets Hurts again.

• Play 21: Hurts looks for Smith downfield along the right sideline again, but Browns cornerback Mike Ford gets a hand on it to break it up, ending a rough series for the first team.

• Hurts' line: 0/2 with two "sacks"

Set 5

11-on-11s from midfield

• Play 22: On play action, Hurts hits Boston Scott on the wheel, who takes it right upfield for a good chunk of yards.

• Play 23: Cleveland pressures, Hurts gets touched for the sack. He still threads one over the middle to A.J. Brown anyway.

• Play 24: A check to Jack Stoll for quick yardage.

• Play 25: With pressure coming in from Hurts' blindside, he rolls out right and gets it to Gainwell for forward progress.

• Play 26: Hurts drops back and maneuvers out the pocket to the right, then hits Greg Ward for first-down yardage.

• Hurts' line: 4/4 with a "sack." (5/5 if you want to count the pass off that "sack.")

Set 6

11-on-11s from PHI 25

• Play 27: With the down and yardage markers out, Hurts rolls right and hits Goedert for a quick first.

• Play 28: Hurts to Goedert for another first on a route that cut back to the right sideline.

• Play 29: Running hurry up, Hurts snaps it and connects with Brown to get another first.

• Play 30: Hurts launches one downfield to Smith one more time, but with Cleveland safety Grant Delpit on his back, Smith couldn't shift to his outside shoulder to make the catch.

• Play 31: Hurts drops back and rolls out right for a quick couple.

• Play 32: After a timeout to reset, Hurts waits in the pocket then hits Smith coming back to the right sideline to cap off the first team's day.

• Hurts' line: 4/5.