How Can Jalen Hurts Beat the Saints?
PHILADELPHIA – Confidence and swagger.
Those are the two adjectives that have come up most when various Eagles and coach Doug Pederson have been asked about rookie quarterback Jalen Hurts and his personality.
Some players even mention the two in the same sentence, like Jordan Mailata did on Thursday.
“From day one, since Jalen stepped in the building, he’s brought this type of swagger,” said the Eagles’ left tackle. “He’s always had this confidence. You could tell as soon as he walked in, he was a confident guy. He’s always had that confidence.”
Those intangibles are nice to have, but it will take more, much more, to secure a win in the first start of his career Sunday against the 10-2 New Orleans Saints.
Hurts is going to have to use his legs. He’s going to have to rely on the running game, with Miles Sanders, Jordan Howard, and Boston Scott.
He’s going to have to hope his pass protection holds up long enough to make a play and he’s going to have to hope his receivers can get open against a secondary that includes one of the game’s best corners in Marshon Lattimore and former Eagles safety Malcolm Jenkins, who figures to have a good handle on the what the Eagles are trying to do on offense having played against it in practice for the previous six seasons when he was in Philadelphia.
In short, it is the same laundry list of things the Eagles needed to have happen – but never did – when Carson Wentz was the quarterback.
“I think in order to get him success, you've got to attempt and try to establish a little bit of the run game, that helps,” said head coach Doug Pederson. “Then he can be a part of that, I think and just go out and maybe try to find some easy completions. he quick game or a screen here and there, something that can just kind of get him into the flow of the game.
“This is the number one defense, it's no easy task. Obviously, he's facing a really good opponent this week. It's our job as coaches, it's my job as a play-caller to try to help him that way and get him into the flow of the game, and then we'll see what happens from there.”
ESPN analyst Louis Riddick said on ESPN on Thursday that this matchup will be “like ice skating up hill for Jalen Hurts.”
Riddick, who used to work for the Eagles from 2009-2013 and might make a good candidate to replace GM Howie Roseman should owner Jeffrey Lurie remove Roseman from his personnel role, said the Saints defense is filled with “hunters and dogs on all three levels.”
In other words, confidence and swagger will only carry Hurts so far.
“It’s the game now, so you can see a new focus for him,” said defensive end Brandon Graham after two days of practice with Hurts at the helm. “He looked like he’s having fun. A lot of guys are supporting him and going out and we have a bit of energy. That’s a good thing especially in the state of where we are right now. I could just see his confidence growing as the week goes.”
An effective run game, with a tweaked offense potentially allowing for more run-pass-option plays, figures to be the biggest key to victory.
“(RPOs) should definitely help the running game even more, even though it has been as consistent as it is,” said Miles Sanders, who had carries for just 31 yards in last week’s loss to Green Bay. “But it should definitely open up the running game even more because defenses are going to have to respect Jalen’s legs and what he can do with the ball, so hopefully it’s tough for (opponents) and we can take advantage of that.”
What does Las Vegas think?
Here are some Hurts prop bets for Week 14 from Jim Shapiro with www.BetOnline.ag:
Total Passing Yards
Over/Under 215½
Total Rushing Yards
Over/Under 45½
Total Passing TDs
Over 1½ Passing TDs +175 (7/4)
Under 1½ Passing TDs -250 (2/5)
Total Interceptions
Over ½ Interceptions -200 (1/2)
Under ½ Interceptions +150 (3/2)
Completion Percentage
Over/Under 59½
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