Jalen Hurts only played two offensive series in his first-ever preseason start. He went 3-of-7 for 54 yards, adding a four-yard scramble for good measure. After the game, the new starting quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles wanted to talk about someone else besides himself. Hurts wanted to talk about No. 16, his blazing fast receiver from Southern Miss.
“That guy is not a secret anymore,” Hurts said of Quez Watkins. “That’s not the first time I’ve seen [Watkins] take one of those screens. He’s, like, two-for-two on those screens in his career. I think he’s a great player.”
Hurts was referring to the 79-yard screen pass that Watkins zoomed into a touchdown late in the first quarter. The second-year playmaker caught that one from backup Joe Flacco (10-of-17, 178 yards), but Hurts barely missed hitting Watkins for a 98-yard score of his own. He chucked it from two yards deep in his own end zone, then watched the ball float a few steps beyond Watkins’ outstretched arms. He’d like to have that throw back.
“I’d like to have a 98-yard touchdown. Simple as that,” Hurts said. “I mean, I want to come on the field and complete every pass, score touchdowns every time I touch the field.”
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Hurts Explains ‘Smooth’ Communication with Coaching Staff
Thursday night’s preseason opener marked the first time Hurts and Nick Sirianni worked together as starting quarterback and lead play-caller. The new head coach actually relayed the calls to offensive coordinator Shane Steichen after dialing up the plays. Steichen was the voice in Hurts’ ear. The communication was smooth, according to Hurts.
“It was smooth, especially being out there with a new set of coaches,” Hurts said. “I always talk about having a new situation. Maybe you have new experiences that come along with that. It was good to get on the grass, get on the field with them, get that coaching from them and talk about what we saw on the field.”
Sirianni liked what he saw out of Hurts in those limited reps. It was a tale of two halves, according to Sirianni, one was “crisp” and the other one was “sloppy.” As far as Hurts’ individual performance, Sirianni pointed to a bullet throw to Dallas Goedert that went for 34 yards.
“I thought he handled it well. He made a really good check and great throw to Dallas for a big play,” Sirianni said. “He saw what defense was coming and checked the play. A ton of credit to him for that and making a perfect throw there. I thought he went with where we wanted the ball to go versus the defenses they were running. He had a couple drops in there, so I was really pleased with him.”
Watkins Gunning for Starting WR Spot?
It’s fair to argue that Watkins has done enough this summer to warrant a starting spot in the Eagles’ receiver rotation. DeVonta Smith is one projected starter on the outside, but he’s nursing a minor knee sprain and missing valuable practice reps at camp. Jalen Reagor — the other projected starter — has flashed here and there.
He had an up-and-down night in the opener, including a dropped pass and a questionable decision to let a punt bounce. Maybe Watkins snakes his spot. More likely, Sirianni unleashes him in specialized packages.
“He has good strong hands that can go up and make plays,” Sirianni said of Watkins. “He has that speed and can go up and make plays. So that’s a weapon that we’re hoping to continue to develop.
Watkins might be generating hype among the media and fan base, but he’s staying humble. When asked if he deserved a starting spot, the soft-spoken 23-year-old replied: “I’m just here to do my job, you know. To play ball.”
Eagles cornerback Darius Slay already put it out there that he believes Watkins can be one of the team’s best receivers.
“He’s one of the best in the league so getting that from him boosts my confidence,” Watkins said of Slay’s comments. “It means a lot.”
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