Joe Davis and Greg Olsen’s alternate reality: Ignoring the Jalen Hurts injury that knocked him out of the game on the 11th play

The Commanders beat the Eagles 36-33 on Sunday in what Joe Davis and Greg Olsen called a “PREPOSTEROUS” comeback win for Washington.

Joe Davis and Greg Olsen: “PREPOSTEROUS”

"PREPOSTEROUS!!"

Fox's Joe Davis on the call as Jayden Daniels hits Jamison Crowder for the game winning touchdown in Washington!! pic.twitter.com/E0zqhwq7BQ

— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) December 22, 2024

If you just listened to Joe Davis and Greg Olsen, you’d think Washington summoned divine intervention to pull off this win while Commanders’ fans acted like they just won the Super Bowl.

Back here in reality, the Commanders didn’t perform a miracle—they knocked Jalen Hurts out of the game on the 11th play, and everything spiraled from there.

Hurts, who has carried the Eagles all season, took a brutal, dirty hit early in the first quarter. It was so obvious and egregious that if it had happened to Patrick Mahomes, the NFL would have sent Commanders players packing for a suspension before the next snap.

Since it was Hurts? No flag. Not even a mention of how questionable the hit was by the booth.

Jalen Hurts exits game early after hit to the head:

Jalen Hurts #eagles

Being evaluated for a concussion after this hit pic.twitter.com/CS0gRQD5hp

— Tom Christ, PT, DPT, OCS, FAAOMPT (@FantasyInjuryT) December 22, 2024

The Eagles were already leading when Hurts left, dominating in every phase of the game. Enter Kenny Pickett, who hasn’t seen meaningful NFL action in forever—and it showed.

Suddenly, Philly’s offense went from unstoppable to sputtering. The Commanders didn’t “find a way back into the game.” The Eagles handed it to them by losing their quarterback.

But Joe Davis and Greg Olsen? They spent the rest of the game waxing poetic about Washington’s “grit” and “resilience,” acting like the Commanders overcame insurmountable odds to pull off some Disney-level comeback.

Are we sure Joe Davis knew that Jalen Hurts left the game?

There’s a good chance Joe Davis doesn’t know Jalen Hurts isn’t playing pic.twitter.com/QsKXRobWae

— Kyle Pagan (@CBKylePagan) December 22, 2024

What game were they watching? Did they forget Hurts was knocked out? Did they not see Pickett under-throwing every deep ball or struggling to keep the offense moving?

The Eagles offense went from three touchdowns in the first quarter with Hurts to four measly field goals for the rest of the game. That’s not a “miracle comeback”—that’s a backup quarterback being thrown to the wolves.

At no point during their fawning over the Commanders did Davis or Olsen connect the dots that the entire game changed because Hurts was sidelined. No acknowledgment that Washington’s defense could stack the box because Pickett couldn’t hit an open receiver. No mention of how the Eagles’ offensive rhythm completely fell apart the moment their MVP left the field.

Instead, we were treated to breathless commentary about how “crazy” it was that Washington stayed in the game despite turnovers.

Someone tell Joe Davis, who keeps saying it’s preposterous that Washington leads Philly, that the Eagles DON’T HAVE THEIR STARTING QUARTERBACK.

— Jimmy Traina (@JimmyTraina) December 22, 2024

Crazy? Really? It’s not crazy when the other team loses its best player and has to rely on a backup quarterback who struggles to make basic throws. It’s not resilience when the Eagles’ offense is effectively neutered, leaving the defense gassed from being on the field all game.

They’re also shocked that Saquon hasn’t been as successful with a backup QB in

— B (@bho14) December 22, 2024

What made this broadcast so insufferable wasn’t just the ignorance—it was the refusal to address the obvious. Anyone watching could see how the game changed the moment Hurts was out. Pretending that Washington’s win was anything but a direct result of that injury insults the intelligence of every viewer.

The Eagles lost Jalen Hurts in the first quarter of today's game, and Greg Olsen and Joe Davis didn't mention him throughout the rest of the game.

They just keep saying how impressive it is that the Commanders were in the game today.

One of the weirdest broadcasts ever.

— Mike Maher (@mikeMaher) December 22, 2024

Sure, the Commanders made plays down the stretch. But to call it a miracle without acknowledging the literal game-changing moment on the 11th play is unacceptable. Hurts wasn’t just a subplot—he was the story. Ignoring that fact wasn’t just bad analysis; it was disingenuous.

Joe Davis and Greg Olsen didn’t just miss the mark—they missed the whole point of the game. Their refusal to acknowledge the significance of Hurts’ injury and its impact on the Eagles’ offense turned what could have been a compelling broadcast into an exercise in frustration.

Commanders fans can celebrate the win, but let’s not rewrite history. This wasn’t a miraculous comeback. It was a game where the Eagles lost their leader and were forced to limp through with a backup quarterback. And for the booth to act like that wasn’t the entire story? That’s the real embarrassment here.

More from the Philadelphia Eagles:

• WATCH: CJ Gardner-Johnson ejected for basically nothing in the 3rd quarter, Eagles-Commanders game >>
• DeVonta Smith’s rare drop highlights tough 36-33 loss for Eagles on Sunday vs the Commanders >>
• Commanders somehow survive Hurts-less Eagles, celebrate like they won the Super Bowl >>

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