Philadelphia Eagles' Jalen Hurts Still Finding Ways to Win: Numbers vs. Impact
PHILADELPHIA - Many observers believe the Jalen Hurts you’ve seen this season hasn’t been the same player that finished No. 2 in the MVP race to Patrick Mahomes in 2022.
Or has he?
The mindset with NFL defensive coordinators entering the 2022 season was to make the Philadelphia Eagles star quarterback beat them after a solid Year 1 as a starter that ended with Todd Bowles highlighting some of the then-second-year quarterback’s deficiencies in the NFC Wild Card loss to Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
From there, perhaps Hurts’ greatest strength was activated, a relentless work ethic that put him in Southern California with former Major League pitcher Adam Dedeaux to improve the QB1’s mechanics and footwork.
The first hint that Hurts had not only evolved but was ready to take a Josh Allen-like spike in accuracy and effectiveness came in Week 2 of the 2022 campaign when then-Minnesota defensive coordinator Ed Donatell arrived with the idea that he was going to make Hurts beat him.
The results were a 26-for-31 (83.9) passing effort for 333 yards and the Eagles were off and running during a special season that came up just short in Super Bowl LVII.
Tasked with coming up with a new plan after watching the third-ranked offense in the NFL toggle seamlessly between run and pass, the ideas from three of the most imaginative defensive minds this season had one common thread – force someone other than Hurts to beat them.
New England and Bill Belichick, the Vikings’ Brian Flores, and Bowles’ Tampa Bay Buccaneers all went heavy zone with the idea of keeping eyes on Hurts at all times.
On the surface, it has looked good when it comes to limiting the quarterback statistically but that’s opened the door to a running game that has been historic with fourth-year back D’Andre Swift, who came into this season with a career-high of 617 yards on the ground, looking like Marshall Faulk in his prime.
Swift barely played in Week 1 but gouged Minnesota for 175 yards and Tampa for 130 on just 16 carries. In just two real opportunities Swift, who is a Philadelphia native, is second in the NFL with 308 yards rushing at a mind-blowing 6.8 yards per carry.
As a team Philadelphia is averaging 185.7 rushing ypg, trailing only Miami (188.3), and has amassed at least 425 yards and 200 rushing yards on consecutive games for the first time since 1950 en route to a 3-0 start.
Hurts, though, has been pedestrian on paper with an 84.5 passer rating and 100 yards on the ground over 31 carries.
“I think it’s all beneficial,” Hurts said this week in advance of Sunday’s game against Washington when asked about how opposing teams are dealing with him. “Everything is beneficial.”
Jalen Hurts keeps finding ways to win games (USA Today).
If there is any frustration, the stoic Hurts isn’t showing it preferring to default to the team’s unbeaten record and the run of 20 wins in his last 21 regular-season starts.
“By losing. You come up short, you learn from it and you ask yourself what’s more important?” Hurts asked rhetorically.
The answer, of course, is winning.
And winning while gaining experience against different looks will only lead to more success down the road.
“I try to simplify it as much as I can and I think that’s the approach you have to have playing this position,” Hurts explained. “We want to execute. It’s about execution and what you do, so you get different looks, you see different schemes, and play against guys with different philosophies and you learn from those things.
“You learn from the good, you learn from the bad and you grow and move forward with it. I think that’s the beauty of experience.”
Hurts and the Eagles host the Washington Commanders at 1 p.m. ET on Sunday.
