Hurts, Eagles burning for a rebirth in the Crescent City

NEW ORLEANS — In a city brewed of Catholicism, Cajuns, Creoles and Voodoo; of historically brutal subjugation and Confederate plantations, yet an unwavering acceptance and promotion of the weird and free; of the Old South mixed with France, West Africa, the Caribbean, Spain and Sicily; of pre-Lent indulgence and subsequent redemption, the Eagles find themselves back in the Super Bowl and back in NOLA — the site of their first Super Bowl appearance 44 years ago, which didn’t go so well.

With a rich, explorative background of Jazz and Blues, New Orleans is a place of dichotomy, of excess and spirituality, of sins and salvation, of catastrophic tragedy and rebirth. It wears this tapestry of the human condition on its sleeve, unapologetically earth and sky.

Into this colorful gumbo, with a metro and state economy based more than ever on event tourism and commercialism, the Eagles touched down this week and aim to block out all distractions as they prepare to meet the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday in Super Bowl LIX.

The Birds lost here in Super Bowl XV to the Oakland Raiders 27-10 in January of 1981. And they lost to the Chiefs 38-35 just two years ago in Super Bowl LVII in Arizona. Quarterback Jalen Hurts doesn’t intend to lose again.

“As far as my teammates who may not have experienced a game like this before or been in these types of moments, treat it like any other moment,” Hurts said Wednesday. “It’s all about your focus. It’s all about keeping the main thing the main thing, truly, approaching everything diligently, daily, trusting the work, staying in a routine so you can prepare to do what you need to do and execute.”

Hurts was nearly flawless against the Chiefs two years ago — 27-of-38 for 304 yards and a touchdown, plus and another 70 yards and three scores on the ground — except for a costly, unforced fumble in the second quarter, which Kansas City’s Nick Bolton returned to the end zone. It was a pivotal swing.

Now, Hurts and the Eagles are seeking a rebirth of their own here on the bayou, even if some people doubt the quarterback, pointing to his tendency to hold the ball too long and the Birds’ run-based offense around Saquon Barkley.

In fact, Hurts admits that his doubters fuel him.

“It’s no secret,” he said. “It’s just who I am in my mentality. My approach is always to find ways to better myself. It’s always looking internally first and then looking at my teammates and how I can better the guys around me as well.”

“I’ve always been focused on what I’m asked to do, and can I do it at a high level?” he said. “And then also processing the way that I’m being taught to see the game and then how I already see the game. And, obviously, you have that burning desire to win. All those things are a priority to me.”

In 2023, after starting 10-1, the Eagles collapsed. Jalen Hurts ended up with a career-high 20 turnovers and began a 10-game turnover streak that extended into this season. But he snapped that pattern a few months ago and cut those 20 turnovers in half.

He also has adjusted to a different kind of turnover — having his fourth offensive coordinator in a five-year span that also saw a change at head coach, from Doug Pederson to Nick Sirianni. And his current OC, Kellen Moore, is a favorite for the head coaching vacancy here with the New Orleans Saints.

“It’s always this openness to learn as much as I can and take in the new ideas that they bring in, but also knowing there’s a way you see the game as well,” said Hurts, who repeatedly has emphasized winning rather than numbers. “So, I think with all the changes that have been here and all the changes I’ve been through, I’ve been the only constant in that, in terms of how I play the game. And, ultimately, the desire to win kind of oversees all of those things.”

“I’ve just been very diligent in it, been open-minded, coming in with open arms and taking it all in so I can continue my development. It’s just been the work,” he said. “Again, you can attest all of these different things to change in continuity, in the sense of you want to find a rhythm with one person (coach), and it’s been a challenge to that.

“Whatever stats are out there — good, bad or indifferent — I ask myself, ‘Did I win?’”