August 04, 2022
On a ridiculously hot day in South Philadelphia, the Eagles hydrated themselves and took the field for their longest practice of training camp (about an hour and 45 minutes). Jalen Hurts — who everyone following the NFL has been keeping close tabs on — led the Eagles first team offense in a bunch of red zone and two minute drill snaps.
We've broken down every play he took under center in both 7-on-7 and 11-on-11 drills Thursday morning.
Here's a look:
After looking fairly sharp in individual drills and a few one-on-one drills that saw wideouts face-off with defensive backs, the first team took the field for 11-on-11's around midfield.
Play 1: Hurts gave it to Miles Sanders on a delayed handoff for a modest gain.
Play 2: Another shotgun handoff, this one to Boston Scott who also had a modest gain. It's kind of hard to gauge how effective running plays are with the defense not tackling the ball carrier.
Play 3. Hurts rolled to his right and got a bunch of pressure from the defensive line and had to throw the ball away. It's important to mention that the Eagles were without both of their left tackles today — Jordan Mailata and Andre Dillard. Each was out with concussion issues that head coach Nick Sirianni said did not come from any specific play they could pinpoint. They are both out as a precaution, but as you'll see throughout this practice recap the offensive line was struggling.
Play 4: A play-action snap, Hurts once again got considerable pressure and had to bail on the play, throwing it out of bounds.
Play 5: A play-action snap from under center, Hurts finally completes a pass, a dump off to Jack Stoll for a small gain over the middle.
Things shifted to 7-on-7 in the red zone for the next set of reps.
Play 6: Hurts carved the middle of the field finding A.J. Brown for a 10-yard gain. It looked like Brown was running a slant or in-route on the play.
Play 7: A quick pass to Dallas Goedert that went for a few yards, maybe five.
Play 8: Hurts checked down and left the pocket to the right and ran for what could have been a first down, but once again there is no tackling, so who knows.
Play 9: Almost identical to Play 8, Hurts checked down, rolled right and ran for the sideline.
Play 10: After a pretty slow and boring start, Hurts held strong in the pocket and hit Brown across the middle at the back of the end zone for what was probably his best throw of practice and a very impressive catch and toe tap from Brown. The throw thread the needle with defenders on either side of the bullet pass and looked quite risky off his hands, but obviously worked out.
Play 11: This was a bad throw on the low side that was nearly picked off by T.J. Edwards.
More 11-on-11 took place at the middle of the field.
Play 12: A pass over the middle to Goedert went for probably 10 or so yards. It's been a week and a half of training camp and it's clear to see Hurts is particularly comfortable throwing it to Goedert and to Brown.
Play 13: A shotgun handoff to Scott for a modest gain.
Play 14: Another shotgun handoff, this one to Kenny Gainwell which didn't go for much.
Play 15: A curl route run by Goedert and a connection from Hurts went for around eight yards or so.
Play 16: Hurts immediately took off running to the left side of the field in what was a clear option play. He tossed it to Scott who got to the outside and turned up field. He likely would have been forced out of bounds before the first down marker.
After the second and third teams ran their 11-on-11 plays in the prior set, things moved back into the red zone for full team reps.
Play 17: Hurts hit Brown on a slant up the middle. He caught it short of the end zone with defenders to beat, and obviously with no tackling allowed was able to push his way into pay dirt. It's unclear if he would have scored were this an actual live play, but he certainly has the big body to break a few tackles. We'll be friendly here and call this a "touchdown."
Play 18: Hurts checked down to his running back and dumped the ball off to Scott in the middle of the field. He was able to scamper around the defense to score a touchdown, which once again was easy with no actual tackling. Another "touchdown."
Play 19: A quick throw to Stoll over the middle that would have seen him tackled immediately.
Play 20: Another option to the left side that set up Sanders for a dart down the sideline.
Play 21: A shotgun handoff to Gainwell that resulted in a "touchdown."
The team went out for one more set of 11-on-11s with the intention of practicing a two-minute drill. It did not go well for Hurts and the first team offense.
Play 22: A quick pass over the middle to Brown goes for maybe three yards, setting up a 2nd and 7.
Play 23: A Hurts pass over the middle was intended for Gainwell who bobbled the ball several times before it hit the turf. This drop was definitely on the running back, who likely heard footsteps with defenders waiting to stop him short of the first down marker.
Play 24: Hurts scrambles to the right after checking down. There was some discussion as to whether he should be credited with the first down as the defense celebrated the fourth down stop, but Sirianni and the coaching staff gave them a very questionable first down so they could run a few more plays.
Play 25: Hurts and his offense didn't take advantage of the great spot on the previous pay, as Patrick Johnson pushed Le'Raven Clark (starting at left tackle) all the way into Hurts on a bull rush for an obvious sack. The next play would be a 2nd and long. Regardless it was a nice play from last year's seventh round pick.
Play 26: After some very good coverage all around, Hurts threw the ball away, setting up a third and long and one last chance for Hurts.
Play 27: In his final rep of the morning, Hurts threw it over the middle to Jalen Reagor, who was unable to haul it in thanks to an impressive diving pass break up by Edwards that could have been intercepted. Had the pass been completed it would have been short of a first down anyway.
Overall, that's a 10-for-16 day for Hurts with two "touchdowns." It was not the best showing for Hurts, who honestly looked to be outplayed by Gardner Minshew on Thursday (who had a shovel pass touchdown during his red zone snaps highlighting his fairly good outing).
The Eagles will have a walkthrough practice Friday before hitting the field at NovaCare again Saturday morning.
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