The Philadelphia Eagles are on a mission, attempting to turn the heartbreak of losing in last year’s Super Bowl into triumph this time around. Thanks in large part to the MVP-caliber play of quarterback Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia recorded yet another come-from-behind victory on Sunday night, this time by a 37-34 score against the Buffalo Bills.
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The Eagles trailed 17-7 at halftime and 24-14 at the start of the fourth quarter, but two quick touchdown tosses put them back on top. After a Buffalo TD with 1:52 remaining, Hurts got Philadelphia into field goal position to send the game into overtime. The Bills then kicked a field goal to open the overtime scoring, which set the stage for Hurts’ heroics.
His game-sealing play came on a 12-yard scamper to give Philadelphia the thrilling victory.
THE EAGLES WIN A THRILLER IN OT! #BUFvsPHI pic.twitter.com/sZpCdrwc7d
— NFL (@NFL) November 27, 2023
Sunday’s contest marked the fourth consecutive one in which the Eagles trailed at halftime yet emerged victorious, which ties an NFL record. With this latest win, Philadelphia is now 10-1 — the best record in the NFL — and two games ahead of the San Francisco 49ers, Detroit Lions and Dallas Cowboys in the NFC.
What’s more, the fourth-year pro achieved his fourth game-winning drive this season and his 27th regular-season win in his last 29 starts. Hurts’ five touchdowns on Sunday — three through the air and two on the ground — are a career-high for the MVP front-runner.
“There aren’t too many guys that I’ve played with — probably nobody that I’ve played with — that’s been more clutch down the stretch,” Eagles center Jason Kelce said, according to ESPN. “He’s been so good in crucial situations when things have to happen. That’s a trait not to take lightly.”
The 25-year-old Hurts, rather, framed Philly’s success as a total team effort.
“We continue to find ways to win,” he said in his postgame press conference. “We play together. We’ve shown our resiliency day in and day out, game in and game out. We’ve been challenged in a number of different ways, but we always find a way. And that’s something you can’t really take for granted, and it’s hard to quantify.”
— Jalen Hurts (@JalenHurts) November 27, 2023
As fans and media members alike remark on Hurts’ calmness under pressure, Hurts knows it is rooted ultimately in God’s Word. In a video with GQ Magazine last year, Hurts revealed that his daily Bible devotional and its accompanying journal are an essential part of his life.
“This is really important to me because I’m a man of God,” he said in the video. “Waking up every morning and having a routine where I can gain some wisdom, learn His Word, and just walk by the Spirit, I strive to do that daily. And I challenge myself to spread that Word organically.”
Hurts said his favorite Bible verse is John 13:7, which says, “Jesus replied, ‘You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.'”
“My daily devotional has been a pivotal part of my life,” Hurts continued. “I [also] have my journal. I always write down the things that I’m grateful for. Dedicate some time to giving gratitude to where I am, where I’ve come and Who’s coming with me.”
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Hurts, who wrote “In God I Trust” in his Instagram bio, has been vocal about his faith for years, even dating back to his college days at Alabama and then at Oklahoma, where he was a finalist for the 2019 Heisman Trophy.
The 2019 campaign was his first and only with the Sooners after three at Alabama. He made the tough decision to transfer after losing his starting job to now-fellow NFL quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.
“I understand that God put those obstacles and challenges in my life for a reason,” Hurts wrote in January 2019 in a piece for The Players’ Tribune. “He wanted me to feel the pain I felt for a reason. He wanted me to understand the importance of never losing faith — and of always staying true to myself. He had NOT brought me this far just to leave me there.”
He continued later, “I know everything will unfold according to God’s timing. I am blessed to be where my feet are; my trust is in His hands.”
Then last season, as an established pro in the days leading up to Philadelphia’s Super Bowl appearance, Hurts was asked in a press conference to share more about his faith.
“I really lean on Him and I try to keep Him in the center of everything that I do, because I know without God, I wouldn’t be where I am today,” Hurts replied. “I wouldn’t be the man I am today without having that faith in Him, without integrity and leadership and diligence and all those things.
“I think the biggest thing is you get so influenced by so much around you, you just want to pray that you’re the person that God calls you to be. So that’s what I’m gonna do — be what God called me to be.”
Hurts knows God has called him to be an NFL quarterback of a team making another Super Bowl push, and he knows it’s ultimately for God’s glory. Hurts will continue to seek to leverage the on-field success for God’s glory as he and his Eagles teammates enter the regular season’s stretch run.
Next up for Philadelphia is an important home matchup on Sunday against the 49ers (8-3), who are in hot pursuit of the NFC’s No. 1 seed in the playoffs. Kickoff is set for 4:25 p.m. ET.
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