Jalen Hurts is preparing for his fifth consecutive postseason as the starting quarterback of the Philadelphia Eagles, and San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh is preparing to [try to] stop him.
Doing so may be easier said than done, however, as Hurts has shown a consistent ability to block out noise and elevate his game in the biggest moments.
Robert Saleh on Jalen Hurts: 'You can't faze him'
Hurts’ unflappable nature was praised by Saleh ahead of the Wild Card matchup between the Eagles and 49ers.
“You can’t faze him,” Saleh said of Hurts. “… The young man’s got elite presence. [He’s] a damn good football player.”
As a dual-threat quarterback, Hurts poses a unique challenge for defenses as he’s capable of breaking off a big play with his legs if his receivers are well covered. Saleh will be tasked with trying to limit his production.
Niners head coach Kyle Shanahan also discussed the challenges that Hurts’ presents due to his ability to extend plays.
"Any time you have a quarterback who's capable of doing that, who also is a threat every single play throughout an entire game with his legs, it's an issue whether he uses it or not. When somebody is a threat like that, you have to adjust certain things that you don't have to worry about versus other people,” Shanahan said. “Whether they do it or not, you know they have to honor it. That slows down your defense as a whole."
Hurts has a 1-0 record against the 49ers in the playoffs in his career, as he and the Eagles bested San Francisco in the NFC Championship game in 2023. He'll look to improve that mark to 2-0 this year.
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