Jalen Hurts, Kevin Patullo and the Tush Push: Eagles winning ugly is still winning football

Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones shouted at Hurts in the closing seconds: “You didn’t even have 100 yards.” Actually, Hurts threw for 101, but he cared about only one thing.

Quarterback Jalen Hurts played winning football against the Chiefs on Sunday. Sometimes it was ugly.Read moreDavid Maialetti / Staff Photographer

by Jeff McLane

Published Sept. 15, 2025, 5:00 a.m. ET

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Jalen Hurts stood under center in the victory formation as Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones tried to downplay the Eagles’ win.

“You didn’t even have 100 yards,” Jones shouted.

Actually, Hurts threw for 101 yards. But the Eagles quarterback cared about only one thing.

“We won the [expletive] game,” Hurts said as broadcast microphones caught the back-and-forth. What he said next sounded like: “Chill out with that [expletive].”

Jones kept yapping after Hurts knelt, but it’s hard to imagine he had a better comeback after the Eagles beat Kansas City, 20-17, on Sunday at Arrowhead Stadium. It wasn’t quite the pounding the Chiefs took in Super Bowl LIX, but the Eagles have now toppled Patrick Mahomes, Andy Reid, and Jones three straight times.

That alone warrants praise. There was plenty more to laud. Vic Fangio’s defense harassed Mahomes and hit him 10 times. Safety Drew Mukuba caught a gift interception that hit him in the hands. Jake Elliott booted two 50-plus-yard field goals.

Even the Eagles’ struggling offense had its heroes. Saquon Barkley grinded out tough runs. DeVonta Smith pulled in a 28-yard jump ball to set up the eventual game-clinching touchdown. And Hurts kept doing what he has done as much as any quarterback over the last four seasons.

He played winning football. Sometimes it was ugly. From the lack of explosiveness in the passing game to the churning of even successful drives to what was probably the Eagles’ most efficient play of the day — the Tush Push — the offense went down like concrete.

“It’s like coming home to a home-cooked meal and the steak’s a little bit tough,” tackle Lane Johnson said. “That’s what it’s like.”

But the Eagles moved to 2-0 despite not having close to their “A” offensive game. They’ve been here before under Nick Sirianni. And Philadelphia newspapers and airwaves are likely to be filled with angst about the operation under first-time coordinator Kevin Patullo.

In two games, the Eagles have completed just two passes that have traveled over 10 yards. Hurts’ 101 gross passing yards against the Chiefs were his lowest under Sirianni. The offense’s 216 net yards were by far its lowest total in a victory over the last five seasons.

But to paraphrase Vince Lombardi, winning is the only thing.

“When you come off a season like we came off last year, I think the expectation is that you’re going to pick up right where you left off,” Sirianni said. “There’s steps to this, right? … Our goal is to play our best football by the end of the year.

“But as you’re getting better, find ways to win.”

Sirianni has earned the benefit of the doubt. Last season, there was similar hand-wringing about his offense. But in the end, the Eagles were playing their best football — with Hurts and the passing game doing enough to complement a ferocious ground attack.

Barkley has had it tougher through two games a year later. But the Eagles have been unable to take advantage of the extra attention he has received. Receiver A.J. Brown was targeted eight times — seven more than in the opener vs. the Dallas Cowboys — but he has yet to have a catch over 8 yards.

Smith’s 28-yarder was big-time, but his next longest reception is only a 13-yard screen.

“I think that we need to be better in the explosive play battle, there’s no doubt about it,” Sirianni said. “We have some thoughts, and we’ll watch the tape and go from there. The pass game has been efficient. We just haven’t hit the chunks … and we know we need to do that. That’s going to open up everything.

“But what I would say is the moment when we needed a chunk, we hit the chunk.”

Dallas zoned the Eagles in Week 1 and shaded coverage to Brown and Smith, but the obviousness of the Cowboys’ coverage should have resulted in more scheme-up completions downfield. This week, the Chiefs played comparatively more man defense when coordinator Steve Spagnuolo blitzed — which was often.

Brown was fed the ball seven times before the half, but only once in the final 30 minutes. He wasn’t complaining afterward, but he said he understood if there would be public griping.

“I think the reason why people may talk about it is because they want to know … can you sustain that throughout the season?” Brown said. “So I think that’s fair. I think that’s a fair thing to talk about.”

Patullo has been with Sirianni for eight seasons dating back to their time with the Colts. He isn’t new to the team like former coordinator Kellen Moore was last year, or as inexperienced as Moore’s predecessor, Brian Johnson, was after replacing Shane Steichen.

But, like Johnson, Patullo had never been a coordinator or called plays at any level.

“You’re going to get that every year. It’s only Week 2 of the season,” Smith said when asked about possible growing pains with a new coordinator. “You have things you have to iron out. You’re going to get that every year regardless, no matter if it’s the same OC or not.”

Said Brown when asked about Patullo: “I know KP. We’re happy with him. Just trying to fix some things up.”

Smith and Hurts both suggested that the Eagles forced deep throws early on.

“We were just kind of chasing it,” Smith said.

Patullo dialed up tempo and the quick passing game on the third possession and it resulted in a 13-yard Barkley touchdown scoot. But the biggest moment came on third-and-10 at the Chiefs’ 31 with just under 11 minutes remaining.

A quarter earlier on a similar down, distance and field location, Spagnuolo sent the house and Hurts lofted one to Smith. The receiver failed to pull in a one-on-one contested ball and landed on his back.

Smith hobbled off — he said he got the wind knocked out of him — but returned. And when Hurts went back to him, his receiver delivered, even if the throw wasn’t pretty.

“He came down on his back, but he came up in the clutch,” Hurts said. “What more could you ask for?”

Barkley ran down to the 1-yard line and that’s where the Tush Push took over. Hurts converted three sneaks earlier by running to the left behind the 700-plus-pound combo of tackle Jordan Mailata and guard Landon Dickerson. He was stopped short on third down. But he broke the plane on fourth down.

Kansas City argued that the Eagles were getting away with false starts. Sirianni countered that the Chiefs were in the neutral zone. The aesthetics of the Tush Push have NFL commissioner Roger Goodell wanting to ban the play.

Owners mostly want it gone because the Eagles have mastered it. This could be its swan song season.

“We’ll continue to use it to our advantage,” Sirianni said.

And the Eagles did a few more times to seal the outcome. The Tush Push has been essentially the lone designed run for Hurts this season. When he has run, it has mostly been on scrambles. He broke off back breakers against the Cowboys, but the Chiefs contained him and he took off only twice for 16 yards.

Asked about the dearth of zone reads or quarterback draws that were a large part of the offense, Hurts said, “That’s a conversation for Coach Patullo.”

The season is long.

“I’d be lying to you if I said that we were established and we know exactly who we are,” said Hurts, who has yet to have a turnover. “But who knows who they are in Week 2? Who knows who they are in Week 1? Who knows who they are in that first quarter of the season?

“And so it’s just about staying diligent, staying together and finding ways to win.”

And winning they have done. The Eagles are 50-20 in Sirianni’s five seasons. His .714 winning percentage is fourth all-time. Hurts has been the starter in 47 of the victories. He’s not always flashy, but he’s willing to do whatever it takes.

“When you talk about playing winning football,” Hurts said, “play within yourself.”

Jones tried to make it about style points.

“He said a lot of stuff out there,” Lane Johnson said of the Chiefs All-Pro. “He’s probably one of the best [bull] talkers. Top notch.”

But Hurts, who wasn’t asked about Jones after the game, topped him in points and trash talk.

“NSFW,” Johnson said about Hurts’ response.

Not safe for work.