Q. Jalen, what have the last few days been like?
JALEN HURTS: Yeah, just progressing, taking it a day at time. Was able to participate today and be involved in stuff, so just taking it a day at a time.
Q. Feel like you're still on track to play Sunday?
JALEN HURTS: Yeah.
Q. You feel like you'll be able to play like you usually do, run?
JALEN HURTS: Every game is different. Just want to take it a day at time and continue to progress.
Q. How is the finger? Is that getting any better as time goes on here?
JALEN HURTS: Over time it's getting better.
Q. Not 100% though?
JALEN HURTS: (Shakes head.)
Q. What do you see from Washington's defense on film since the last time you played them?
JALEN HURTS: Really well coached group. They fly to the ball, fake the passer, got great defensive backs. I think they're a great team obviously to be playing consistent ball like they have. They're a really good team. Really good group on defense for sure.
Q. Obviously you have to focus on the Washington defense. When you face someone who is having a like Jayden Daniels, does it -- I don't know, do you pay attention to it? Do you notice it?
JALEN HURTS: In what regard?
Q. In general playing the position.
JALEN HURTS: Yeah, you're always watching ball. You see the game on, played Saturday and we played the next day, go to meetings and pass and you definitely see all the competition out there and everyone going out there and competing.
We noticed it's a really good team. Great quarterback, great wide outs and well coached group. Be a great challenge for us.
Q. When you're watching film of them, of their defense, especially from that last game and you're not in there, how difficult is that? Do you think about if I'm in there, this could have been a different game? Just out of not a shot at Kenny, but just out of...
JALEN HURTS: No. I didn't think that way. It's about the group, and ultimately executing as a group. Sometimes things function differently from player to player. Ultimately it's about winning, and I've always been in support of that, trying to find a way to win.
Q. What was it like as a young quarterback having Zach Ertz, a veteran, what did you learn from him? What was it like being around him?
JALEN HURTS: I felt like our time was very brief, but I know he's a very hard worker. Bonded in the weight room. That's for sure. His work ethic and all the time he spent into taking care of his body; the little things that come from adjust being fresh and ready to go.
He's had a very long and great career being able to -- he's still making a huge impact playing big time ball.
Q. How much pride do you take in the turnaround of the team turnover-wise this year? If you looked at Sunday's game, teams that had zero turnovers are the ones that won. You guys struggled with that early on. How much pride do you take that you guys turned that around this year?
JALEN HURTS: I take great pride in winning. That's the most important thing. That's the only thing that matters. It looks different. It's looked different throughout the course of my years here.
It's always been about winning. Winning the turnover battle is important to that. It's very important.
Q. There is a German rookie on the squad of the Commanders who is protecting Jayden Daniels. His name is Brandon Coleman. Did you notice him already? Do you have any thoughts about him?
JALEN HURTS: Center? What position does he play?
Q. Defensive tackle.
JALEN HURTS: No, I have not. I have not.
Q. With your teammates saying you checked out of plays on Saquon's long touchdown runs, how gratifying is that part of the game and how much does it help to have that control there to be able to do that and enhance getting a better play like that?
JALEN HURTS: Those are things I'm just doing my job. That's been a big part of our success in being able to get to some of the things we want to when we want; obviously Saquon being able to make some real explosive plays, explosive runs in those moments.
So just everybody doing their job. Guys blocking down the field. Getting things set up up front. All of it comes together.
Q. How often do you get back into the lounge, and is it important for the quarterback to do things like that?
JALEN HURTS: Depends on who I see in there. Depends on who on I see in there. Sometimes I get a little triggered and, you know, come get you some a little bit. (Smiling.) I won today, so...
Q. Was it Isaiah Rodgers?
JALEN HURTS: Yeah.
Q. Jalen, when you raised your arms when Saquon went on that 70-yard touchdown...
JALEN HURTS: And DK. Don't want to be talking crap about 'em, but they did lose today though.
Q. Raising your arms, the touchdown signal there, Barkley is two yards off the line of scrimmage. How do you know that play was going to go the distance?
JALEN HURTS: What I saw from my vantage point, I just knew he was going to hit the crease and go. Some of it is also -- a lot of it is our execution, what we been able to do, and also just the feel of the game I guess. Confidence in him being able to make play in that moment.
I saw it. We were communicating back there and getting on the same page, and we were able to get everything set so he can make a big time play.
Q. Being in the NFC championship game for the second time in three years for you, how's this experience different and does it seem like you've had to overcome a lot more challenges to get back here? How do you approach just what this feeling is like?
JALEN HURTS: I'm taking it one day at a time. I don't know that this is a moment to reflect and tell the story, decompress, so...
Q. By Slay's own admission his career is winding down. You've been around him now for five years. What perspective do you have on type of player and teammate that he is?
JALEN HURTS: I think Slay coming in, seeing him in kind of a different scheme early on and me being in a place where I was learning football myself and now kind of having a better grasp of what defenses do and seeing the game, seeing him evolve and play at a high level and all those different things, he's been able to play ball at a high level for a very long time.
It's been a big part of our team's success this year and our defense's success this year. I know that those young defensive backs in that room have been able to learn from him with some of the nuggets and cues he's been able to give away.
I know it's been a great ride for him and I know he wants to finish it on a high note.
Q. Think the tattoo on his leg is him or Odell?
JALEN HURTS: Ask him that. That ain't for me to discern there.
Q. Jalen, it seems like just about every year you've had some unfortunate late-season injury. Do you ever feel just unlucky or snake-bit that the timing happens around playoff time?
JALEN HURTS: It's a part of the game. I accept whatever comes with that. You know, I told you guys I've submitted myself to doing whatever it takes to win. Some things come with that.
Ultimately you got to make the adjustments you need to make to be able to play at a high level. Won't be any excuses going in or coming out.
Q. Jalen, now that you've had a few days to look at the film from that game, you were sacked seven times, which is a high number. Did you see common themes in those sacks and more specifically the safety? What do you think went wrong?
JALEN HURTS: I think there is always an urgency to try and get the ball out. There are a ton of different things that go into the effectiveness of a play. I think all 11 just have to be on the same page; we weren't doing that, what our MO is and what we're trying to accomplish in certain moments and everybody being on the same page. I know I always take the brunt of that and I own that.
I try and control what I can and be better in everything so we can win, which we did. But, yeah, keep progressing.
Q. Obviously you guys still have to play well. How advantageous is it to be able to play this game at The Linc? Secondly, you seem pretty locked in usually during the game. Do you ever feed off the energy of the fans at The Linc?
JALEN HURTS: Every game is different to that respective question. Every game is different. When you're at home in The Linc, just the environment in a playoff game, I think the defense feeds off it, the team feeds off it. Everybody feeds off one another. That's something we'll need this week going into a challenge, a big challenge in front of us.
It's going to take the whole stadium, the whole city and everybody being on the same page to bring this thing home. Just want to take it a day at a time. Want everybody to be ready for that moment come game time.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports