Getty Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson stiff arms a Los Angeles Chargers defender during Sunday's game.
All the talk about Jalen Hurts not being the franchise quarterback in Philadelphia may be overblown. Sure, the record isn’t up to snuff for the organization’s gold standard but that doesn’t mean the man under center hasn’t done enough.
Hurts has put up some incredibly gaudy statistics in 10 career starts. The 23-year-old has thrown for 1,480 yards and eight touchdowns this season while rushing for 300 yards and another five scores. While many skeptics are pointing at too many designed runs for Hurts – and lamenting a lack of touches for Miles Sanders – it’s important to put Hurts’ rushing statistics in perspective.
According to Pro Football Focus, the dual-threat quarterback is ahead of Lamar Jackson in total fantasy points from rushing production dating back to Week 14 of 2020. Hurts only trails Derrick Henry, Jonathan Taylor, David Montgomery, Alvin Kamara and Ezekiel Elliott in that department.
Some other not-too-shabby milestones for Hurts include a career-high five rushing scores in 2021, the second-most by an Eagles player since Michael Vick in 2010. And he’s just the third NFL quarterback since 1950 to produce eight or more rushing touchdowns in his first 10 starts. And Hurts has also recorded at least one touchdown in 11 consecutive games.
Jalen Hurts is the first Eagle with at least 5 rushing TDs in the first 6 games of the season since LeSean McCoy in 2011 (6 TDs). #FlyEaglesFly
The bottom line hasn’t been where the Eagles want it, though. Philadelphia has dropped four of its last five contests to fall to 2-4. Stats don’t mean much after tough losses.
“I see it as I’m not doing enough. I’m not doing enough right now to win,” Hurts told reporters on October 14. “I’m not doing enough to start fast. We all know that this is a team sport and that it takes a collective group, and it takes all eleven. But that one in the eleven is me, and it starts with me, and I will be better.”
Jalen Hurts first 10 career starts:
199-341 (58%) / 2399 yards / 13 TD / 7 INT
99 rush / 572 yards / 8 TD
3-7 record
Lamar Jackson first 10 career starts:
155-258 (60%) / 1977 yards / 12 TD / 3 INT
146 rush / 728 yards / 5 TD
8-2 record
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NFL Analyst Thinks Eagles Might ‘Ruin’ Hurts
Former Pro Bowl safety Ryan Clark has been watching Hurts and the Eagles from afar. The player-turned-analyst gave a brutally honest take during a recent appearance on ESPN’s “First Take” show.
Clark ripped into first-year head coach Nick Sirianni for not being “inventive” or “creative” in his play-calling. He thinks the organization is ruining Hurts.
I do believe in Jalen Hurts, but here’s the problem: the Philadelphia Eagles are going to ruin Jalen Hurts. He’s accounted for 85 percent of the offense this year, both in the run and in the pass. [Thursday] night, you called nine total runs for running backs. Nick Sirianni can’t believe that this is the way to bring along a young QB. It’s only been 10 games into him starting.
What was Clark’s solution? Sirianni needs to give up the play-calling duties to someone else on his coaching staff.
Torrey Smith Defends Hurts
Former Eagles receiver Torrey Smith rushed to Hurts’ defense on Twitter when a user questioned the quarterback’s ability to read defenses. The fan also complained about Hurts’ accuracy and arm strength before Smith shut him down. The two-time Super Bowl champion wrote: “I played with a qb that couldn’t read coverages and he started.”
Smith’s comment led to a whole another debate over which teammate he was talking about. The retired receiver played with Carson Wentz and Nick Foles in Philadelphia, so obviously a few people thought he was referring to Wentz. Other popular guesses were Cam Newton, Colin Kaepernick, Joe Flacco. Smith didn’t reveal the name.
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Jalen Hurts Hurdles Lamar Jackson in Key Offensive Stat