It’s been a roller-coaster season for Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts, to say the least.
Despite being 4-2, Hurts’ play and his relationship with head coach Nick Sirianni have been under the microscope all season. Hurts has also been without top playmakers A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith, and Dallas Goedert at different times, and has had a rotating offensive line due to injuries to Lane Johnson, Jordan Mailata, and Mekhi Becton.
Hurts has struggled with turnovers and holding onto the ball for too long. He’s thrown four picks and lost three fumbles. In the first six games of the season, Hurts has been sacked 18 times, including six in one game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
However, he hasn’t turned the ball over the last two games, which coincided with Brown returning from a hamstring injury.
Hurts and the Eagles have championship-or-bust aspirations, as the Birds look to rebound from last year’s late-season collapse. If they want to get back to the Super Bowl, it starts with Hurts.
But one NFL analyst has his doubts on Hurts’ performance.
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NFL analyst says Philadelphia Eagles’ Jalen Hurts ‘not playing very good football’
During an appearance on the “Russ Tucker Podcast,” NFL analyst Greg Cosell torched Hurts’ play so far this season.
“They're a difficult offense to watch right now. Jalen Hurts is not playing very good football… He's just not seeing things clearly right now… that really handicaps and hamstrings your offense when your quarterback just can't execute basic concepts.”
— Ross Tucker Podcast (@RossTuckerPod) October 24, 2024
Some concerning words from… pic.twitter.com/OSJyPRQUIl
“They’re a difficult offense to watch right now. Jalen Hurts is not playing very good football. They’re a running football team,” Cosell said.
Kellen Moore replaced Brian Johnson as Eagles’ offensive coordinator. It’s the third different offensive coordinator Hurts has had in the last three seasons.
The Eagles currently rank ninth in total yards (362.2 yards per game), 22nd in passing yards per game (195.5), and 17th in points per game (22.3). However, the Birds are second in rushing yards per game at 166.7, thanks to Saquon Barkley.
The Eagles have won their last two games — against the Cleveland Browns and New York Giants. In last week’s blowout win over the Giants, Hurts threw for just 114 yards, but didn’t turn the ball over. He also threw one touchdown and rushed for two others.
However, Cosell believes Hurts needs to play better than he did against the Giants if the Eagles want to go on a successful playoff run.
“The Eagles can’t sustain, if they want to be a true playoff team, they can’t sustain the way they played last week,” Cosell explained. “Your quarterback has to be a bigger factor.
“Jalen Hurts, for whatever reason, and he’s played a lot of football games… he’s just not seeing things clearly right now. Basic concepts, he’s not seeing, and that really handicaps and hamstrings your offense when your quarterback just can’t execute basic concepts and that’s what he’s struggling with right now.”
Fans have been clamoring for Hurts to revert back to his MVP-like season in 2022 when the Eagles went to the Super Bowl. If he’s able to tap into that, the championship is for the Eagles’ taking.
Hurts and the Eagles look to continue their winning streak against the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday.
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