Jalen Hurts Expected to Have Larger Role on Monday Night

Eagles head coach Doug Pederson said on Saturday morning that he and his quarterback, Carson Wentz, were “in this together.”

Yes, they are as responsible as anyone for the sinking 3-6-1 boat the Eagles find themselves in, but now it appears they are about to turn to someone they hope can help plug the leak after a report emerged Sunday morning that indicated rookie quarterback Jalen Hurts spent more time taking first-team reps than at any point in the season and will have a larger role in Monday night's game against the visiting Seattle Seahawks.

Throughout the week leading up to Monday’s game, Pederson and Wentz were asked whether or not Wentz would remain the starter. Both said Wentz will remain the starter despite leading the NFL in interceptions with 14, to go along with four lost fumbles and a 58.4 completion percentage.

Now it appears the Eagles are getting Hurts ready for a larger role if Wentz were to struggle early against the Seahawks or if the Eagles continue to slide further away from first place in the weeks that follow.

The Eagles have struggled early in games, with just two touchdowns on opening drives all season and averaging just 3.8 points in the first half of the last five games.

Whatever the case, Hurts appears head for a role larger than the one single snap he took against the Cleveland Browns last week.

NFL reporter Ian Rapoport first reported that Hurts took more first-team snaps but didn’t say that a complete turn to Hurts was in the works.

Rapoport believes that Hurts will play “two or three plays at a time” without Wentz on the field.

Pederson was asked point blank on Saturday if Hurts was getting any more work than usual during practice.

“As far as the plays and the snaps, I mean, he hasn't gotten any more than he would get throughout the course of the week normally since we've been playing him,” said Pederson. “I'm not going to reveal any game plan plans with him at this time.”

Later in press conference, the coach added that he likes where Hurts is so far in a rookie season that began as a surprise second-round pick after a college season in which he was a Heisman finalist at Oklahoma.

“I think for a young rookie quarterback he's right where he needs to be,” said Pederson. “He keeps improving each week with the terminology and the mental side of learning the game.

“Playing obviously helps (the learning curve). That's one of the things as we went along this year, having the two quarterbacks on the field, it really has helped some of our production offensively, yards per carry, whatever it might be.

But, yeah, it's definitely given him some game experience. It's only been like a play here, a play there. Just being out there can only help him moving forward.”

So far, all of Hurts’ 31 snaps have come with Wentz on the field, typically lined up wide without much of a role except to take a few steps off the line of scrimmage. In that scenario, a defense hasn't had to account for Wentz, which in turn means it is usually 10 players vs. 11 on defense.

The Eagles have also been very predictable when Hurts enters a game. He has run the ball 12 times for 56 yards while passing the ball just twice, though completing both throws for 27 yards.

The Eagles need to beat the Seahawks in order to remain in first place in the NFC East. Currently, the Washington Football Team holds the lead by percentage points after beating the Cowboys on Thanksgiving to lift their record to 4-7.

Wentz reportedly had a good week of practice, but he has had those in previous weeks as well without much of a change in his play on game days.

“I've seen great leadership, great poise,” said Pederson when asked on Saturday what he has seen from Wentz during the week. “Obviously, he works extremely hard, working with the young guys after practice, things that he's done all season.

“He knows, just like I know, that things aren't going the way we had hoped for. He and I are in this together. We're going to get this thing turned around and fixed. Got a lot of confidence in him that he'll get it done. Got confidence in myself that I can get it done. He's had a really good week of practice.”

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