Why the Lions Need to Worry about Eagles QB Jalen Hurts

Truth be told, at 0-7, Detroit needs to worry about everything and everybody.

However, when the Eagles come to town to play the Lions this Sunday, they specifically need to worry about quarterback Jalen Hurts.

Here are the reasons why.

To begin, the Lions need to worry, because of the offensive attack that Hurts plays in. The Eagles run a heavy dose of "RPO," which stands for "run-pass option."

That presents a problem, as it gives Detroit more to watch and more to defend.

Hurts lines up in the shotgun formation, and operates this offense like a magician. He is an excellent ball handler, who sells the play-action fake, and he therefore can run a mean-looking option. For a split second, it is hard to tell who has the ball in these situations, and by that time, it can be too late.

Who has the ball? Is it Hurts, or is it the running back?

This offensive attack provides the optical illusion of two different players both having the ball in their hands at the exact same time, and it is at that exact moment when defensive linemen and linebackers need to react.

Of course, we all know both players do not have the ball in their hands at the same time. However, this offensive look provides defenders with that momentary pause to try to figure out which player actually has the ball.

Detroit has a hard enough time when it can see the ball.

While studying three games of Hurts' on NFL Game Pass this season (against Atlanta, Dallas and Carolina), it became obvious to me that Hurts looks most successful when running a quick, high-tempo attack. In fact, he is even more effective in the hurry-up.

If an opposing defense is either not more talented than Philadelphia from a matchup and personnel standpoint or fails to be aggressive enough as a unit in attempt to disrupt Philadelphia's tempo, it can spell a long and miserable afternoon.

Meanwhile, Detroit currently has the No. 25 overall ranked defense, while Philadelphia possesses the No. 21 overall ranked offense.

As for Hurts, he can hurt a defense in a variety of ways.

He is a true dual-threat passer who looks comfortable in the Eagles' offense. He fits this scheme like a glove, as he thrives in a short, quick-hitting passing game. However, he also has the arm strength to drive the ball downfield in the intermediate-to-deep route levels with authority.

Hurts plays smart and he is patient. He looks like he knows where he is going with the ball, and nothing seems to rattle him. If nothing is there, he will just take off and run. He keeps coming no matter what the score is.

Philadelphia was down late, 41-14, to Dallas, and Hurts managed to drive the Eagles into the end zone. There is absolutely no quit in this guy.

He is not only a magician when it comes to ball handling, but he can also make something out of nothing because of his ability to move around. Hurts has excellent "escapability" in the pocket, and he has a knack for blitz recognition. He can easily sidestep incoming pressure, roll out and throw a strike, like it is second nature.

Philadelphia also has a lot of offensive weapons at his disposal, and he does a nice job spreading the ball around.

However, do not let any of that fool you - - especially this week.

Hurts will give the Lions every bit of what Baltimore QB Lamar Jackson gave them earlier this season. Hurts is averaging 7.1 yards per completion on the season and 5.5 yards per run. Hurts is as relentless as he is talented.

That is not a good sign for a defense that has looked like it has been chasing its own tail more than the opponent this season.