Jalen Hurts second-year pro and current quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles He’s arguably the most successful football players in National Football League (NFL) history. Off the field, Hurts has established himself as a player development juggernaut. He can lay claim to a world championship, two Super Bowls, two Pro Bowls, and a Super Bowl MVP award. Even with such accolades, the most powerful man in transportation today is failing on performance. Unfortunately, this scenario has led to widespread alarm among fans and analysts alike.
It’s been a particularly brutal year for Hurts this season. He’s still taking a ton of pressure, already getting sacked 18 times so far this season, good for third-most in the league. There’s one other thing putting a ton of pressure on him—the offense. They currently lead the NFL with 22 three-and-outs, last in the league in converting third downs (28.3 percent). The situation only gets worse for Hurts when you consider that he’s had to adjust to five different playcallers throughout his fledgling NFL career. This now applies to his current offensive coordinator, Kevin Patullo.
Hurts’ game statistics paint an incomplete tape of conflicting performance metrics. He’s averaging 29 pass attempts per game, up from 24 attempts last year. He’s currently third among qualified quarterbacks for touchdown-to-interception ratio. This season, he takes home a staggering 8.0. Further, Hurts shows a fourth-best 10.2% off-target percentage, showing that there’s definitely some room to improve when it comes to his passing accuracy.
You might be wondering In terms of offensive matchups, seven of Hurts’ eight touchdown passes this season have come against man coverage. He still struggles against physical defenses. In fact, defensive back blitzes pressure him on 22.5% of his dropbacks. Still, Hurts has proven to be the best quarterback under duress and has made great strides versus blitzing teams the past few years.
Even with all these obstacles, Hurts has handled everything with a poise and leadership that is beyond his years. He’s orchestrated nine game-winning drives over the past two years alone. With a highly proficient starter career mark of 50-22, he has shown to be one of the best performers around. His dual-threat ability is apparent when you look at his rushing stats. The Eagles were very much a team that relied on a strong defense and running game, as he accumulated 630 yards rushing with 14 rushing touchdowns this past year.
That adjustment with a new offensive coordinator in Kevin Patullo has proved a learning curve for Hurts. Patullo’s system is a good fit with what Hurts is already used to and helps make the adjustment period much easier. “I think it’s like having all the same ingredients but having a different chef in the kitchen,” Hurts remarked, encapsulating the essence of the coaching shift.
With increased autonomy comes greater responsibility. Hurts understands that he leads the team and must be better when things go wrong, and he takes responsibility for his failures. “I got to be better. I take ownership for it,” he stated. “A lot of autonomy, a lot of opportunity with the ball in my hands and given those situations, I have to be wiser and more detailed with it.”
“You’re good with that because he’s right a lot of times of what he’s seeing,” Sirianni noted, emphasizing the quarterback’s capability to read defenses effectively.
Whether on it or off, as Hurts continues to develop and grow, what’s clear is his desire to get better and to win. The Eagles’ front office ascribes significant potential growth to him. They are committed to creating a culture that values growth and resilience.
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