'Rat Poison': QB Hurts Draws Dak Comparisons As Eagles Face Cowboys
PHILADELPHIA - It’s ironic that, for years, Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys fans would go back and forth in the Twittersphere arguing which of their quarterbacks was better.
Carson Wentz this …
Dak Prescott that …
It got downright ugly at times - and then, in 2020, things got a bit ugly for each of them.
Prescott's been out for the season since Week 5. Wentz is now parked on the bench and into the breach steps Philadelphia rookie Jalen Hurts, and wouldn’t you know who he's being compared to by the Cowboys?
Dak Prescott.
“Jalen was held in high regard in our building throughout the draft process,” said Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy. “That comparable came up a number of times, especially when Dak came out of Mississippi State.
“You look at their skill set and their ability to play both in the pocket and out of the pocket. They goth came from heavy quarterback-run systems in college. They ran the RPO, the zone-read and what they were asked to do, and how they have been able to translate that to the pro game.
"Stating the obvious here, but Jalen is off to a really, really good start here the last two-and-a-half games. I’ve been really impressed with him since he came into the game against Green Bay and particularly the last one against Arizona.”
Hurts revealed this week that Prescott hosted him on a visit to Mississippi State before Jalen committed to Alabama. And, yes, he is aware of some of the comparisons between himself and Prescott.
“I heard it some,” said Hurts. “I have a lot of respect for Dak coming in and doing the things that he’s done. I’m praying for a healthy recovery for him. I have a lot of respect for him and his game. I always said it, Aaron Rodgers, Deshaun Watson, Russell (Wilson), those are all a great group of quarterbacks that I love to watch play.”
Hurts ended up at Oklahoma but grew up in Houston, with a godfather who was an employee of the Texans, so Hurts hung around the team’s workout facility across the street from what is now NRG Stadium.
He sounded mostly ambivalent about the Cowboys when asked about the rivalry between the Eagles and Dallas, but he was made aware quickly just what it means in these parts.
“It’s a big thing for the city of Philadelphia,” said Hurts. “…It’s a great rivalry and I’m excited to be a part of it.”
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This week, when asked how he stays away from social media and the distractions around him, he said, “I try to stay away from the rat poison.”
That's apparently Nick Saban thing at Alabama. "It’s all external factors,'' Jalen said. "I’ve talked about that a little bit, external factors. It does no good for us and what we’re trying to do as a team.”
The loser of Sunday’s afternoon game at AT&T Stadium will be out of contention for a division title and playoff spot. If Washington beats Carolina, both Philly and Dallas will be eliminated.
“We’re obviously in the situation that we’re in," said Hurts. "Regardless of whatever goes down, it’s about us, not looking at the scoreboard, not worrying about anything external, but going out there and playing our best game.''
In other words, it's not about the "comps.'' It's not about the "ugly.'' And it's not about the "rat poison.''
Get the latest SI Eagles news from Ed Kracz in Philadelphia here.
