Eagles are not messing around with Jalen Hurts' health as they look toward another playoff run

The Philadelphia Eagles are going the extra mile in terms of Jalen Hurts' health as they wrap up the back end of their regular season schedule and look toward a playoff run. 

Over the mini-bye, Hurts followed a lower-body strengthening program and then took things lightly at Wednesday's practice as he tended to an ankle injury. 

Considering Hurts has a history of playing injured during the post-season, the Eagles are trying to make sure that isn't the case this year. 

"That's the goal," Hurts said. "Really, throughout the course of the year, just really making sure you're doing the things you need to do to stay on top of stuff. That's kind of what we're doing. A lot of other players are doing it as well."

Hurts battled through a knee injury for most of the 2023 season and didn't catch a break until Week 10's bye. During the previous year, he dealt with a shoulder injury that carried over to the Eagles' Super Bowl run. And during his first season as a starter, it was an ankle injury. 

However, it isn't just Hurts' health that the Eagles are considering. They're looking out for other key players as well.  

"I think everything is about that," Hurts said. "I think that's for all of us too, the whole entire team being ready to go at this time of the year. I think it's the mentality of where we are. We're in a phase of the year where things could very easily -- well, they didn't end the way we wanted to -- and so that's at the top of mind and in the back of my mind as we enter this phase, and put the emphasis on finishing strong. Putting ourselves in a good place."

The Eagles' bye week came earlier this season in Week 5 so the mini-bye was perfect timing as they look to round out the season and completely avoid what happened last year. 

"It's kind of crazy how it's played out because we've had this early bye week and then we've had this time here," Hurts said. "And so, even when we talk about our game in general, assessing things and taking the bye week through the same process, and seeing how we can become more efficient and clean up the little things. Just having those conversations and trying to build."

A healthy Hurts and the Eagles will look to add to their six-game win streak when they take on the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium in Week 12.