Nick Sirianni gives no update on Jalen Hurts’ injury, says Eagles will ‘account for everything’ if he is limited

Nick Sirianni has kept injury updates close to the vest all season, so he wasn’t going to change course during his day-after press conference Monday as the Eagles started preparations for the Washington Commanders ahead of the NFC championship game Sunday at Lincoln Financial Field.

That means there was no update from the head coach on where things stand with quarterback Jalen Hurts and rookie cornerback Quinyon Mitchell — the former suffering what appeared to be a knee injury late in the third quarter that limited his mobility, and the latter leaving in the first quarter with a shoulder injury.

Both players said after the game that they expected to be fine for the Eagles’ next game.

Hurts, when asked Sunday night if the injury would keep him from facing the team’s divisional rival, said: “No, I’m just seeing how the week will go, seeing how things progress.” Mitchell, meanwhile, told The Inquirer he was “fine” and said, “No, I’m going to be good,” when asked if there was long-term concern.

Sirianni said Monday that the Eagles were “still going through the process of the day here” regarding the duo’s injuries. He will typically let the Wednesday practice report speak for itself when it comes to the availability of his players.

“I know those guys will do everything they can do to be at their top part of their game on Sunday,” Sirianni said. “I’m confident in our training staff, I’m confident in those guys. We’ll see how that goes as the week goes on.”

» READ MORE: Jalen Hurts, A.J. Brown, and Kellen Moore need to be better if the Eagles are to beat the Commanders

Hurts did not look like his normal self after he was sacked by Rams safety Jaylen McCollough. He was pretty still as he handed the ball off to Saquon Barkley on the next play and spent the entire ensuing defensive series in the blue medical tent, only to emerge when it was time for the offense to go back on the field. But he was clearly less mobile as the game went on and appeared to be wearing a brace on his left knee. He was sacked in the end zone for a safety on the next possession.

Hurts’ mobility is obviously a huge boost for an offense that relies on the threat of his legs. His 44-yard touchdown run, the longest run of his NFL career, started the scoring Sunday on the first possession. Hurts missed the final two regular-season games after suffering a concussion early in the Eagles’ Week 16 road loss to the Washington Commanders.

Asked how the Eagles tailor their game plan around Hurts’ ability to run or not, Sirianni likened it to any other type of variable.

“Your prep all week tries to account for everything you can encounter, from whether Jalen can go run or not, whether it’s snowing, whether it’s raining, whether it’s windy,” Sirianni said, doing his best to avoid saying the obvious, that the game plan will be different if Hurts can or cannot run.

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The Eagles managed just 65 net passing yards Sunday, a season low. Hurts was efficient when he did throw the ball, completing 15 of his 20 attempts for 128 yards. But his seven sacks resulted in 63 yards in the wrong direction.

The passing game, or lack thereof, has been a relatively constant topic this season. But Sirianni continues to point to a by-any-means-necessary approach that has resulted in 16 wins in 19 games. The Eagles have a dominant offensive line, an explosive running back, and the league’s top-ranked defense in yards allowed.

“We’re doing everything we can to win the football game,” Sirianni said. “I think you saw yesterday we were able to win the turnover battle. We were able to take care of the ball in the elements, they had some turnovers that we were able to create yesterday. You do everything you can do to win each and every game.”

The coach said he remained confident the Eagles could win a game through the air if necessary, a theory that could be tested as soon as Sunday with Jayden Daniels and the explosive Commanders offense coming to town.

» READ MORE: Eagles stats: Saquon Barkley and Jalen Carter have monster games despite the elements

The first question asked of Sirianni on Monday was about Hurts checking plays at the line of scrimmage, something the quarterback appeared to do on both of Barkley’s long touchdown runs. The coach’s answer winded its way to a scene from Monday’s team meeting.

Yes, it all started at the line of scrimmage, where Hurts and Cam Jurgens set protections and do most of the communicating, but a lot went into Barkley’s bursts of 62 and 78 yards, and on Hurts’ 44-yard score.

On a zone-read counter that Hurts kept, Sirianni pointed out on film to the team Monday how receivers A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith did their jobs to perfection. Brown took Rams safety Kamren Kinchens, who was lined up at nickel, out of the play. Smith, meanwhile, executed what Sirianni called a “textbook stalk block” on cornerback Darious Williams.

“If you were in receiver school 101, you would use that clip of Smitty on the stalk block for the touchdown,” Sirianni said. “Stalk blocking, there’s an art and a technique to it. You have to kind of break down and not get locked up with the defensive back too soon, because if you get locked up with the defensive back too soon, he’ll shed you. But Smitty kept space and then when he felt the ball getting up on him, he locked on and made the play.

“It truly takes everyone, and it starts with Jalen to get us in the right play.”