No matter the outcome on gameday, Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts has the same message for his team, for himself moving forward: The direction the Eagles must take is forward. There is no other choice.
So, as the 10-2 Eagles continue in this 2023 regular season with Sunday night's game at Dallas, the process continues unchanged. Consistency is the hallmark of success, and in the course of a long NFL regular season, any NFL regular season, staying the course is required.
"It's the same message every day we come in here," Hurts said on Wednesday at his weekly press conference. "Just getting better. Focus on the things we can control and get better."
Hurts is looking for a higher level of execution from the offense in Week 14 and having tight end Dallas Goedert back in the lineup – "he's another weapon" – will help. But regardless of who is on the field, the Eagles want to be better than what they were in Sunday's loss to the 49ers.
They know what is waiting in Dallas: A highly opportunistic defense with a dangerous pass rush led by linebacker Micah Parsons and a group of top-level players at the line of scrimmage looking to win and create a tie atop the NFC East.
What the Eagles need to do this week, Hurts said, is have strong focus and attention to detail every day.
"It's generally result-based, but it's just about executing in the end and finding ways to execute and I think to do so, everybody has to be on the same page," Hurts said.
Philadelphia's offense started fast on Sunday with two scoring drives against the 49ers but failed to put the ball in the end zone. Teams adjust, as they do every week. The Eagles just weren't able to sustain drives, and then San Francisco extended a 7-6 lead to 21-6 one drive into the second half before the Eagles closed the gap, only to have the 49ers stay hot offensively.
It was one of those games. They happen during the course of the season and the key is to stop the bleeding right now.
"It comes down to execution," Hurts said.
Hurts acknowledged that the Eagles "know you are going to get every team's best every time you play, especially when you're a good football team and have been able to do the things we've done. We've definitely been challenged and stretched out in a ton of different ways, but it's about remaining resilient through it and always responding in the right way.
"It's definitely a challenge for sure."
