Philadelphia Eagles' Jalen Hurts Can Set NFL Record in Week 16 vs. New York Giants
Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts tied a single-season NFL record Monday evening, which got about as much celebration as Lt. Dan at a New Year's Eve party after a crushing late-game loss in a 20-17 decision to the Seattle Seahawks.
Nonetheless, with two rushing touchdowns in the Monday Night Football loss, Hurts now has 14 on the season. That surpassed his previous career-high of 13, and tied the single-season record owned by Cam Newton, who also had 14 rushing touchdowns in his rookie season with the Carolina Panthers in 2011.
Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts has a chance to make NFL history in Week 16.
Bill Streicher/USA Today
Of course, when Newton set that record, there were only 16 regular season games, as opposed to the 17-game format that the NFL shifted to in 2021. But it only took Hurts 14 games to tie the former NFL MVP's single-season record, and he has a shot to move into sole possession in the 15th game of the season, which will come at Lincoln Financial Field against the New York Giants on Christmas Day.
Under first-year offensive coordinator Brian Johnson, the Eagles have become far too reliant on uncreative screen passes, quarterback draws and receiver A.J. Brown coming down with 50/50 balls. So there's a good chance they'll need a rushing touchdown or two in Week 15, even to beat a Giants team that is 5-9.
Hurts, though, is hardly without blame for the three-game losing streak that the Eagles now find themselves in the midst of. He threw two interceptions in Monday evening's loss to the Seahawks. Granted, Hurts was playing through flu-like symptoms, but he now has 12 interceptions on the season. He had 19 interceptions across his first three seasons. Hurts also has eight fumbles this season. While that's not a spike from what he did over his first three seasons -- when he had nine each year -- it feels more glaring when added to the interception spike.
Early in Hurts' career when he was very raw as a passer, one of his most redeeming qualities was that he protected the ball. He maybe didn't make every throw you would expect from a top-tier NFL quarterback, but he didn't give the ball away. He's grown exponentially as a passer since being selected in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft, but with that, there has to be a balance between taking shots when Brown is well covered and living to see another play.
Hurts is on the cusp of breaking an NFL record, which a month ago seemed like it could be at the forefront of his case for MVP. Instead, while Hurts continues to rack up rushing touchdowns, there are legitimate questions to be asked about why he's regressed from the form he showed in 2022.
