Explaining the Success Of Eagles' QB Jalen Hurts

PHILADELPHIA - “Wins and losses are not a quarterback stat,” is a stipulated sentiment among the intellectual elite that populate the industry of what has been dubbed the “ultimate team game,” according to the Book of Nick Sirianni.

Outsiders who try to debate against that and boil down Sunday’s Eagles game against the 2-2 Denver Broncos down to Jalen Hurts vs. Bo Nix need to retreat to the comfort of “hot take” sports radio because they are considered the least common denominator among the think tanks that push the NFL forward.

In many ways, the current 4-0 Eagles prove that by inventing new ways to win each week in a precarious existence that has bled over to special teams over the past two games.

So far this season, Philadelphia has been outgained in every game, yet are only one of two remaining unbeatens in the league. That kind of outlier has only happened twice in the first month of an NFL season since 1940. The only other team to pull off that was the 2012 Arizona Cardinals, and reality quickly came calling with the Cardinals finishing that season 5-11.

With Halloween approaching, the only thing scarier than the channel guide over at SHUDDER is the Eagles’ offensive stat sheet.

Saquon Barkley is averaging 3.1 yards per carry and under 60 yards rushing per game. A.J. Brown has played four different halves of football in which he hasn’t had a single catch and is averaging 37.8 receiving yards per game. DeVonta Smith is only slightly higher than that at 39.5.

Ugly Offense

The Eagles simply can’t sustain the way they are currently playing. However, inside the NovaCare Complex, there is a calm self-assurance to this team.

“When you know your process [is sound] and there's things that you need to help you win football games like getting [the playmakers] the football, I think in the long run it takes care of itself,” Sirianni said this week. “We're early in the season, obviously we are pumped that we're 4-0, but we know there's a lot of things to get better at and that's exciting.

“That's really exciting.”

Barkley also doubled down on the process, which produced the Lombardi Trophy in the lobby back in February.

“A big reason why I signed to Philly was because of those guys over there in that corner (the offensive line). No matter how well the run game is going or if we're struggling, my faith will never waver with guys over there,” Barkley said. “I know how talented they are. I know how hard they work. We gotta do a better job, starting with me of getting the running game going. So yes, [the confidence] comes from the reps we put in, it comes from the success we had in the past. Just generally believing in those guys up front and believing in the whole system that we have in place that it's going to work."

Just like hope is not a strategy, belief is not in the game plan, however.

Which brings up to the quarterback.

First-year offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo is taking plenty of barbs over the slow offensive start with all the offensive talent, and the question was asked of me on Birds 365, who has gotten better with Patullo taking over for now-New Orleans Saints head coach Kellen Moore.

Players like Jordan Mailata and Lane Johnson (when healthy) are performing to their standards but my answer to who's actually gotten better shocked many in the listening audience. It was Jalen Hurts.

The problem is Hurts’ strides are antithetical to what’s expected out of quarterbacks. His efficiency running the football is unmatched. He’s the best ball-security QB in football with one turnover in four games, he’s never handled the blitz better than he did in the first half in Tampa last week, and his ability to manipulate things at the line of scrimmage and canning from run to pass or vice versa, depending on the defensive look, is getting better and better.

Yes, the ball often doesn't come out on time, he’s risk-averse to a fault at times, and he’s never going to be the kind of high-volume passer outsiders want.

Which brings us full circle to wins and losses. By now, you know Hurts is 56-23 as the Eagles’ QB1 (50-20 in the regular season and 6-3 in the playoffs), a .709 winning percentage in a parity-driven league. If you want to rewind to college Hurts was 38-4 at Alabama and Oklahoma, meaning he’s won at a .777 clip since football became very serious in his life.

Yet, I’ll remain the first in line to tell you wins and losses aren’t a quarterback stat. The difference in sound thinking is to not ignore the outliers. Sound statistical studies embrace them. Dumbed down – the exception proves the rule.

Hurts is the exception because he’s embraced a loophole in professional football. Winning ugly is still winning. The style points will come, but will remain inconsistent from week to week.

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