Green Bay Served as Jalen Hurts' Starting Block
PHILADELPHIA - Be a thermostat and not a thermometer is a phrase you might hear in a corporate board room or the Eagles' media house.
On Wednesday, you heard the sentiment coming from the starting quarterback of the 9-1 Philadelphia Eagles.
"I just try not to ever get too high, never get too low, and that’s in every area of my game," Jalen Hurts said as the 9-1 Eagles continued preparation for Sunday night's game against the 4-7 Green Bay Packers.
"You talk about the temperature of the room, I set the temperature. ... I set the emotion and just go. It’s in the preparation, it’s in the trust in the people around you, it’s all-inclusive of those around you."
A thermostat, of course, regulates the environment while a thermometer simply reflects it.
For many years the highest-end thermostat in the NFL has been Aaron Rodgers, the reigning two-time MVP, and a record four-time overall winner.
Sunday could serve as a changing of the guard as there is little chance for a three-peat for the aging Rodgers, 38, while the emerging Hurts, 24, is on the perceived shortlist, albeit a distant second or third behind Kansas City's Patrick Mahomes.
Upstaging Rodgers in prime time during a standalone game could open some eyes although that's not a concern for Hurts. Watching Rodgers go about his business over the years has had an impact on the Philadelphia QB, though.
"I have a tremendous amount of respect for guys [that] they play the game in their way, and they’re efficient in the way they do it," Hurts said. "Aaron Rodgers has been one of the most consistent quarterbacks throughout his time and I have a lot of respect for him."
Hurts has been great in 2022 for many reasons starting with a prodigious work ethic that has turned the third-year signal caller from good to great.
During his rookie season in 2020, Hurts got his first real opportunity to play QB after then-coach Doug Pederson benched Caron Wentz during a game in Green Bay.
That was no milestone moment for Hurts, who played thermostat in a 30-16 loss, finishing 5-for-12 for 109 yards after he replaced Wentz that day.
The Eagles haven't looked back since and, in hindsight, it was the first domino in the shift from cost-effective rookie backup to a star in line for a massive contract extension this offseason.
"Not really," Hurts said when asked if he thinks about his debut. "I know it was my first time ever really playing in the NFL was against Green Bay. That’s the reality of it."
Fast forward 29 starts and Hurts is the thermostat aiming to lead his team past one of the greatest QBs to ever play the position.
-John McMullen contributes Eagles coverage for SI.com's Eagles Today and is the NFL Insider for JAKIB Media. You can listen to John, alongside legendary sports-talk host Jody every morning from 8-10 on ‘Birds 365,” streaming live on YouTube. John is also the host of his own show "Football 24/7 and a daily contributor to ESPN South Jersey. You can reach him at jmcmullen44@gmail.com or on Twitter @JFMcMullen
