Why Jalen Hurts suddenly is questionable for Eagles at Seahawks. Geno Smith also iffy
Now both teams have their quarterbacks iffy for a Monday night showcase in Seattle.
The Eagles announced Sunday they downgraded Pro Bowl quarterback Jalen Hurts to questionable to play against the Seahawks at Lumen Field Monday night because his weekend illness got worse. Philadelphia said Hurts was traveling separately from the team Sunday to Seattle to keep his sickness from spreading.
Hurts did not practice in Philadelphia Saturday. He “still hopes to play,” ESPN reported Sunday morning. He has 3,192 yards passing with 19 touchdowns, 10 interceptions plus 12 rushing TDs this season.
Hurts’ illness means there will likely be game-time decisions on whether both starting quarterbacks will play Monday evening.
The Seahawks’ Geno Smith also is questionable. That’s because of the groin injury that kept him out of Seattle’s game at San Francisco last weekend.
Smith practiced Thursday, Friday and Saturday, a sign pointing toward him playing Monday night. Backup Drew Lock took some of Smith’s basic hand-off reps with the first-team offense to preserve Smith’s leg.
Lock started his first NFL game in two years last weekend. He threw a touchdown pass to DK Metcalf then two interceptions in the fourth quarter of the Seahawks’ 28-16 loss at the 49ers.
Smith said Friday his leg felt better. When asked if he expects to play he said “we’ll see.”
Seahawks coach Pete Carroll wasn’t about to give the Eagles free information on Seattle’s quarterback situation Saturday when the Seahawks’ injury report for the game came out.
“He made it through the week. He made it through with the work that he’s done, and he’s still questionable,” Carroll said of Smith. “We’ll wait and see what happens on game day.”
Smith said he has been getting “around-the-clock” treatment on his leg, early mornings and late at nights this week.
Hurts’ backup is Marcus Mariota. The former University of Oregon star has played in two Eagles games this season. The 30-year-old, ninth-year veteran played the end of Philadelphia’s last two games, blowout losses to San Francisco and last weekend at Dallas.
The Eagles-Seahawks game originally had been scheduled for Sunday. The NFL and ESPN flexed it to Monday night as the New England Patriots dropped to 10 losses. New England had been scheduled to host Kansas City in this Monday night slot.
That game change to a day later may prove to be the reason Smith and Hurts are able to play, if they do.
This story was originally published December 17, 2023 at 12:35 PM.
