Q. Jalen, how would you describe the mindset of our your football team going into the NFC Championship game?
JALEN HURTS: Just really trying to embrace the opportunity and take advantage of the opportunity. Everybody has worked really hard this week and worked really hard all year to be where we are.
We just want to take advantage of it.
Q. To get back to the NFC title game after two years, what's it taken to get there?
JALEN HURTS: Sorry?
Q. To get back to the NFC title game, the journey this team has taken in between, what has it required?
JALEN HURTS: Work, evolution, winning.
Q. How has this week gone for you personally?
JALEN HURTS: Been fine. Regular routine.
Q. What have you notice from Dallas Goedert since he has come back from his knee injury? How has he has contributed to the offense and off the field as well?
JALEN HURTS: Yeah, I think he's been able to make plays when his number has been called.
Q. Seems like Saquon, with all the stats that he has is really a team-first oriented guy. When did you learn that about him?
JALEN HURTS: I've always known that about him. His eagerness to work in the off-season, experiencing a lot of losing and coming into a situation where he's just focused on winning.
He put forth the right type of effort and all the other things kind of have gone in his favor in terms of his personal success. I know that's something that we're all proud of. I'm proud of that and to be a part of that. I know he wants to be a part of something greater.
Q. Physically you said you wanted to see how the week went, how it would progress. How did it progress?
JALEN HURTS: It's been progressing, like Coach said.
Q. Are you going to wear a brace of any kind on game day?
JALEN HURTS: I anticipate so.
Q. The second game against Washington obviously you left early but you were moving the football pretty well to that point. Can you take anything away from that?
JALEN HURTS: Say that again.
Q. The game in Washington, obviously you left early, but you guys were moving the football well offensively early in the game. Can you take something from that?
JALEN HURTS: I mean, you take away from every rep, but ultimately it's a really good team we're about to play and just got to control what we can and go execute.
I don't think there is any reservation or anything like that. Whether I'm on or off, the goal is for the team to win and there is a ton to learn from all the tape.
Q. A lot goes on between and you the center. How have you managed this week with multiple options in practice?
JALEN HURTS: It's been great communication, great operation. It's always been that. We always share a lot of reps throughout the week with a number of different guys.
Q. Without giving away too much game or anything, how are you personally able to stay so locked in and even keeled and focused on what is right in front of you? That's a quality that many people have lauded you for for years.
JALEN HURTS: It's a part of the game and believe part of the position. It's my nature. It's who I am and who I've been. A lot of is it my testimony and experiences that are unprecedented and, you know, mini camp, so to go through some of those things, all of those things, I lean on those things and I'm very excited and looking forward to this opportunity.
You know, I know this team is as well. So I know I'm always a reflection of my teammates, and vice versa. So we just want to go out there and take advantage of it.
Q. Washington's defensive coordinator came out and said if you run they're going to hit you. It almost seemed like a warning the way he said it. I know they talk about that stuff in meetings. Is it something you have to watch out for in this game in the way they played you?
JALEN HURTS: Every game is different. Every game there is always an intent out there on the other side of ball. Ultimately you want to make it about what you do and go out there and play clean ball.
Q. You were saying earlier one of the things over the last two years is your evolution and everything. What do you think the biggest thing is as far as how you've evolved during that time, from last time you were here?
JALEN HURTS: You asked me something similar couple days ago, so I still sit in the same place in terms of not being able to reflect in fullness and look at this as a moment of arrival. Nothing has been accomplished yet, so...
Q. Saquon has described you a few times as having what he calls the "it" factor. Is that an expression you've heard used for you before and how do you interpret that?
JALEN HURTS: Something I've heard my whole entire life, and it's just what it is.
Q. I guess your interpretation of it? He says -- I'm paraphrasing here -- he said you can't define it but you know it when you see it. You look at your career in college and the NFL and you win a lot. He says you have that "it" factor to win.
JALEN HURTS: Yeah. I don't know what it is. Keeps people talking so must be something good.
Q. Mailata said yesterday that he thought you were a little bit more fired up this week than maybe most weeks. Is that...
JALEN HURTS: He's more fired up and trying to project his energy towards me. Just been taking it a day at a time. Whatever floats his boat.
Q. Does it soak though, him projecting it?
JALEN HURTS: Just taking it a day at a time. I think there is just a -- I mean, there is an excitement for the opportunity and you got to look at these opportunities with the high expectations you have for yourself and as a team. You got to embrace them and take them as they come.
So I think everyone has done a good job being diligent and taking it a day at a time and ultimately doing what -- having whatever-it-takes mentality. That's definitely what's been it for us here right now.
Q. What are some of the things you've done this week and the team has done to reduce the number of sacks?
JALEN HURTS: I mean, nothing in particular that comes to that. As I said the other day, takes all 11 for those things to happen. I think to answer your question, number one1 thing is just communicating, being on the same page, understanding the MO of what we're trying to accomplish so we can execute in the fashion we want to.
Q. You guys winning, some of the receiver stats aren't like we've seen them in the past. Dallas Goedert was talking about how everybody is blocking and doing the dirty work for the running game. How did it evolve that this team became so unselfish together just for winning and that's all that matters?
JALEN HURTS: I think that's a natural thing that comes. Look at a lot of the great teams, the evolve over time. It's been four years since I've been the starting quarterback here and it's always kind of looked different. Since Coach Sirianni has been here it's evolved and changed over time, but we been able to find success in that.
It takes a team to win games and that's the number one mission of this team. It has to be. No one can forget that. So I know personally I've never played the game for stats, even though I know it's a measurement that other people will judge.
But they don't know anything. At the end of the day it's about what the team, the individuals on the term determine is success. If we want to do what we want to do and obviously have our goals, the number one thing is to win, you know. You measure strictly off that.
So it takes a team to do something like that and accomplish something special in winning games, how you do it really doesn't matter.
Q. There is last the passion between your two teams; the last time you guys played in the regular season we saw CJ got ejected. Jalen Carter incurred a penalty. As an even-keeled person inherently, how do you encourage the players to both be themselves but also strike that balance and not cross the line?
JALEN HURTS: Just as you say. Just as you said. You have to be yourself and also put the team first out of yourself and into the group, out of yourself into the team. Got to have a selfless approach to it because you never want to do anything that's detrimental to the guys around you.
That's the number one thing that I always take that approach with, and I never want to do anything that's going to hurt my guys. I never want to let them down. So as we go into this game it's a hell of a moment and hell of an opportunity, but you got to make it about what you do. Got to make it about us and how we execute and play with discipline and the type of focus. It's always going to come back down to that.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports