PHILADELPHIA — It was far from immediately obvious, what became a roller-coaster return Sunday for Jalen Hurts as he commenced playoff football in Philadelphia. Moments after a gift of a turnover on the opening kickoff by Green Bay’s Keisean Nixon, Hurts stepped right up on a second-and-nine, then stepped back, then did a hesitant little soft-shoe before finding Jahan Dotson in the back of the end zone for an 11-yard touchdown pass. It was a testament to Hurts’ patience, and appeared to be the start of something big, especially when Packers quarterback Jordan Love almost threw a pick on his first play of the ensuing series. But of course this was an NFL playoff game, where anything can happen and despite more Packers mistakes as the game went along, they almost shredded Eagles fans’ patience through the bulk of the first half. Playing along was Hurts, who after completing his first six passes of the game missed on his next seven as the offense went into stall mode. Finally, Hurts hit DeVonta Smith for a long one deep into the third quarter. That completion promptly sparked a run of three in a row and seven of eight, as Hurts presided over a 22-10 win-is-a-win kind of Wild Card victory over the Green Bay Packers at Lincoln Financial Field. The game featured steady and solid work from the Eagles’ defense, who certainly bent during a few Love-led drive efforts but rarely yielded points when it mattered. After that slip-up of a start, the Packers fell behind by 10, couldn’t cash in during the first half, finally got to within six points at 16-10 at the start of the fourth quarter, then suddenly had trouble stopping the Eagles’ offense. “They’re a good team … they did some good things,” Saquon Barkley (25 rushes, 119 yards) said later. “But at the end of the day, stats don’t matter except that 1 in the win column. We got that.” They also get that the offense played well below par, no matter what the numbers said. “Going forward, we have to be our biggest critic,” Barkley said. “That’s what we’re going to be and we’re going to see what we can improve on.” For No. 1, that message should come through loud and clear. Hurts ultimately was rewarded by his defense, the Eagles again wearing down an opponent as the game grew old. But also on display was the way a streaky Hurts coming off a two-game concussion absence can still make such a difference. He would wind up hitting seven of his last eight passes to finish a relatively pedestrian 13 of 21 for 131 yards, but was productive with touchdown passes to Dotson and Dallas Goedert, and was consistent when it counted down the stretch. He also was elusive when he had to be, rushing six times for 36 yards. “He was just getting back out there, getting the feel of it,” Smith said of his quarterback. “It’s not easy, going through what he’s been through. So I can’t really speak on him, but we came up with opportunities and that’s all that matters. “We just keep right to the end. Things didn’t always go our way offensively but we continue to grind through it.” That Hurts was streaky in the passing game is likely a fact that will be lost to history even by the time the Birds find out who their next playoff opponent will be. But it’s something he and the Eagles have to be well aware of as they approach their divisional round game next weekend. “It was execution. It was rhythm,” Hurts said later. “We have to find our rhythm earlier in the game. First and foremost, our defense played their tails off. They played their tails off and created turnovers. And I think, ultimately, when you have those opportunities, you have to take advantage of them, and that starts with me. “It’s all about winning. That’s the only thing we’ve got to the point we are. So, it’s about finding ways to win.” One play that showed his rust came on a third-and-a foot or so, where offensive coordinator Kellen Moore cleverly sought to line up in a “tush-push,” but had Hurts fake it and step out into a roll. He had A.J. Brown relatively open, needing to lead him over his right shoulder. Instead, the pass fell about 10 feet to the right. Little consequence, since Hurts successfully gained the foot or so needed for a first down on the ensuing push, and it would lead to a 30-yard Jake Elliott field goal that helped keep the Packers at bay. “We won a football game against a really good team,” Barkley said. “It’s playoff football. There are 14 teams in and it’s the best 14 teams. We’ve got to do what we need to do. Even if we came out here and won 40-3, we would have found what we needed to improve on, find out who you have next and get ready.” That’s the same self-imposed walking orders the Eagles operated under during a regular season that included a wholly unexpected 10-game winning streak. It was during that time that Hurts had similar outings, unimpressive stats but favorable scoreboard numbers. And of course … “I know we have all these stars and all these weapons, but the only thing that matters is winning the game,” Barkley said. “I’m going to say that until I’m blue in the face because I truly believe it. Stat lines is over. It don’t matter here. What you did in the regular season, it don’t carry over. The only stat line that matters is wins, and that’s our mindset.”