Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (1) looks on against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

Buccaneers edge rusher praises Eagles' Jalen Hurts

Originally posted on Tampa Bay Buccaneers on SI
By Jeremy Brener | Last updated Sep 23, 2025 9:00 AM ET

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are going into Week 4 with their toughest matchup yet against the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles.

Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles is embracing the challenge of facing off against one of the league's premier teams.

"I mean, they're battle-tested. Like I said, they won the Super Bowl — that's where we're trying to get to. We know they're a quality team coming in here," Bowles said of the Eagles.

"We think we're a quality team they're going to play. So, we've just got to limit our mistakes and focus on us right now. It's a big game four – that's all it is, it's a big game four. It's not going to break us and it's not going to make us if we win. At the same time, it's a quality opponent coming in here that we can test ourselves against and see where we are."

Eagles have tough matchup vs. Bucs

Part of what makes the Eagles so dangerous is quarterback Jalen Hurts, who willed the team to victory in comeback fashion against the Los Angeles Rams in Week 3. Edge rusher Yaya Diaby spoke on just what makes Hurts a great player.

"He is really good. He can step forward, he can run left [and] right. Some right-handed quarterbacks, they can only [scramble] right, but he can go left, he can go through the middle, he can go right — he can go everywhere," Diaby said. "For us, we just have to go in with a great pass rush plan and keep him in that pocket and get a whole lot of guys in his face, and I feel like we will be fine."

The Eagles will be a test for the Bucs, but they should be ready to fight. The Bucs have proven over the first three weeks that they are not ones to give up, especially against a team projected to beat them.

The Bucs want to be where the Eagles were a year ago, and so far, Philadelphia hasn't lost since Week 16 last season against the Washington Commanders. Their last loss before that? It was against the Buccaneers in Week 4 at Raymond James Stadium exactly a year ago.

It's been done before, so now it's up to the Bucs to do it again.