SÃO PAULO, Brazil — Despite all the months of talk about Jalen Hurts returning to his performance in 2022 — despite the offensive coordinator and playmaking changes made to get him back there, and despite the fact that he seemed to be on the right track after a strong training camp — the quarterback looked a lot like he did last season in the Eagles’ season opener.

Hurts was all over the map, which may have been because he was playing a game 5,000 miles away from Philadelphia on another continent. But it felt a lot like some of his performances during the epic collapse of 2023, except for the obvious: The Eagles won on Friday night.

And they beat the Green Bay Packers 34-29, despite Hurts’ three turnovers, three more that he almost suffered, and several other questionable decisions that could have sunk the Birds in South America.

Of course, it wasn’t all bad. The Eagles didn’t score four touchdowns and two field goals without their quarterback performing at times. Hurts had some impressive throws, some difficult runs, and if you looked closely, there were hints of how effective he can be in Kellen Moore’s new offense.

“I thought he did some really great things in some key moments,” Eagles coach Nick Sirianni said. “There will be plays he wants back, but he also had some really good moments.”

” READ MORE: Eagles grades: Jalen Hurts inconsistent performance against Packers while D-line struggles

But Hurts’ ill-advised pass that resulted in an interception on the first series and a fumble when he wasn’t ready for the snap on the second series could have been even more costly had Vic Fangio’s defense not limited the Packers to just six points.

“Those are things I control and need to get better at, and I take responsibility for that,” Hurts said. “But that’s the point. There are moments when you think, ‘Oh, well, we missed that opportunity, we didn’t capitalize on that opportunity, but how do we respond?'”

Moore’s response was to throw quick passes to receivers AJ Brown and DeVonta Smith and feed running back Saquon Barkley after the early turnovers. Those three, including the offensive line, were the heroes of a game that went back and forth as the Eagles defense started to look like the 2023 version.

” READ MORE: Saquon Barkley Show Saves Eagles’ Poor Defense and Jalen Hurts in NFL’s Brazilian Mishap

But Hurts’ teardrop touchdown pass to Barkley on a wheel route that gave the Eagles their first lead was a dream, and with the Eagles trailing 19-14 at halftime, he threw to Brown for a 67-yard touchdown that he credited largely to his receiver.

“AJ ran a great route,” Hurts said of Brown’s double play. “Caught the ball. He did the rest.”

The Packers took the lead again on their next possession, 26-24, and the Eagles offense managed three wins and shutouts on their next two series. A review of the film will provide more concrete answers, but Hurts seemed to hold onto the ball too long. His pass defense was solid.

“It felt like Jalen had a lot of time to throw the football,” Packers coach Matt LaFleur said.

” READ MORE: The Eagles receiver duo, AJ Brown and DeVonta Smith, impress on the home stretch against the Packers

Hurts looked completely different than he did in training camp. Of course, practice is not a game. But after not throwing a single interception in four weeks until the last practice, Hurts forced passes to receivers who were not free at Corinthians Arena.

On his first interception, he tried a deep post for Smith, with safety Xavier McKinney waiting for the ball. Hurts would have been intercepted in the fourth quarter if Brown hadn’t switched to defensive back and intercepted a pass. Later, he nearly threw a pick-six, but Keisean Nixon dropped the ball.

And then on that same drive, with the Eagles leading 31-26 and Barkley scoring his third overall and second running touchdown, Hurts threw a cross-body pass into the end zone on third down and was intercepted.

Brown slipped on the play and might have had a chance to prevent Jaire Alexander from making the easy catch, but it was another ill-advised decision by Hurts. Perhaps Moore can be blamed for not going to Barkley in this situation. A field goal would have given the Eagles an eight-point lead early in the fourth quarter.

But Hurts needs to protect the ball better. Last season, he had 20 turnovers – 15 interceptions and five fumbles. He nearly lost the ball again on a “tush push” attempt at the Packers’ 1-yard line that would have sealed the outcome. But Barkley saved the day by capitalizing on his fumble.

Hurts had moments of success on the ground. He gained a few yards during the Eagles’ seven-minute drive that essentially sealed the finale. But the quarterback’s plus-one run plays were largely blocked by the Packers.

The Eagles may not need Hurts as much in the running game as Barkley, but a few quarterback runs can go a long way in creating space for the running back. Moore is still figuring out what’s best for Hurts & Co.

“I’m going to continue to find that rhythm with him,” Hurts said of Moore.

A good start would be more movement before the snap. Moore’s offense used movement on 48 of 73 plays (65.8%), their highest mark in a single game since 2020, according to Next Gen Stats. Last season, the Eagles used movement at the lowest rate in the league in Sirianni’s scheme (35.1%).

Hurts was significantly more effective when a play included movement, going 15-of-21 for 212 yards and two touchdowns, according to Next Gen. Without movement, he went 5-of-13 for 66 yards and two interceptions. Giving Hurts more information on defensive coverage before the snap seems like a no-brainer.

For a home game, the Eagles offense had to deal with a fair amount of crowd noise. The atmosphere was more reminiscent of a Super Bowl, as the fans were almost split and casual players were present.

In addition, the space conditions led to a risk of slipping on both sides.

“You all saw out there that it was pretty difficult to get traction,” Hurts said. “Definitely a challenge on this field.”

But Hurts made no excuses. He knows he has to be sharper. He knows more blitzes are coming. The Packers, which is surprising given the Eagles’ major struggles against blitzes late last season and after the retirement of center Jason Kelce, haven’t tested Hurts as much with extra rushers.

Hurts forced Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley to take a step back in some ways. There was a lot of talk about the quarterback taking over more pre-snap against the blitz without Kelce. Hurts had to play more “hot,” but that also creates opportunities.

And on his first “hot” read, Hurts quickly got the ball to his free receiver.

“First hot shot of the year!!,” Kelce tweeted. “Good job bro.”

” READ MORE: Without Jason Kelce, Eagles QB Jalen Hurts will make the O-line protection calls

Hurts went the opposite way on his next hot read, but still managed a first down pass to Brown. It wasn’t perfect and far from it, but one game does not a season make.

“It’s an ongoing process,” Hurts said of the win against the Lightning. “Everything is an ongoing process. I know the perceptions out there. Bring it. Bring it and we’ll respond.”

Despite the shaky quarterback performance, they responded on foreign soil. The new Hurts may have looked like the old Hurts. But there were subtle differences, too. At least the offseason speculation is over.