During his press conference this week, Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts was asked to pick his best play of the 2022 season.
“My best play of the season?” It hurts he said. “The season is not over.”
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For all but two NFL teams, it’s over. But the Eagles have one more game: Super Bowl LVII. Philadelphia will face the Kansas City Chiefs for the 2022 NFL Championship at 5:30 p.m. CST on February 12 at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.
“We have a great opportunity in front of us, and we’ve worked very hard to get to where we are now,” Hurts said. “Having the opportunity is something you earn, so we want to work very hard to take advantage of it.”
Super Bowl LVII pairs the two No. 1 seeds from the conference playoffs, the first time that has happened in the title game since the Eagles defeated the New England Patriots 41-33 in Super Bowl LII on Sept. 4. February 2018.
Both Philadelphia and Kansas City posted 14-3 regular season records and won two playoff games to reach championship contention. But none of the previous 19 games had the spotlight and off-field obligations that teams will face during their week in Arizona before taking the field.
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“I think you have to focus on everything in front of you and keep the main thing the main thing,” Hurts said. “There are a lot of distractions all the time, and I think this time of year when you’re lucky enough to get this far, they’re amplified, so hopefully everyone can focus on the task at hand, enjoy the moment. , embrace the moment, but also stay focused on what matters.”
And the Super Bowl definitely matters to Hurts.
“I always wanted to be the best,” Hurts said. “The Super Bowl is on the list of the best, so it lined up.”
Hurts made the College Football Playoff three times at Alabama and once at Oklahoma. He has three games of NFL postseason experience. Like most Eagles, Hurts will be playing in the Super Bowl for the first time, though Philadelphia has seven players on its current active roster from the team that defeated New England for the NFL championship in 2017.
“I think these are definitely guys we can lean on,” Hurts said. “I think his experience, I think experience is the biggest teacher, so you have to go through it yourself to learn the most. But having those guys around is definitely beneficial, and there are a lot of familiar faces around here that have been there, so I think as a team we support each other.”
Philadelphia has lost once with Hurts in the lineup this season. The quarterback suffered a shoulder injury in a 25-20 win over the Chicago Bears on December 24. Hurts missed the next two games, and the Eagles lost both.
Super Bowl LVII will be Hurts’ fourth game since returning from injury.
Before he was injured, Hurts had a passing efficiency rating of 104.6 and averaged 53.4 rushing yards and 4.79 yards per carry in Philadelphia’s first 14 regular-season games. In his three games since the injury, Hurts has a passing efficiency rating of 80.65 and has averaged 28.7 rushing yards and 2.97 yards per carry.
“I’m getting there,” Hurts said of his recovery. “I’ve made it clear all this time that it’s been something I’ve been dealing with. I’m coming.”
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Mark Inabinett is a sportswriter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.
