This Eagles season has been a rollercoaster. There’s been so much bad that has completely diminished any good the previously happened. The truth that people tend to ignore is that things were once great. Carson Wentz was once great, Doug Pederson was once regarded as a genius, and Howie Roseman was once considered to be the best GM in the NFL.
The selection of Jalen Hurts caused a ripple effect in Philadelphia. Howie Roseman infused the team with youth which was something all fans wanted, but it came with an extra burden of concern surrounding the long-term future at quarterback.
Jalen Hurts is not the franchise QB that all of Philadelphia and the national media want him to be just yet. It’s easier to tear down something good (Wentz) than it is to offer words of encouragement or ideas on how to help the $100 million quarterback.
The Eagles once took the easy way out and released Terrell Owens. Owens went on to terrorize the Eagles as a Dallas Cowboy. They also traded away Donovan McNabb to Washington once upon a time and while he didn’t terrorize Philadelphia, he left a void that hadn’t been filled since the drafting of Carson Wentz. Michael Vick was a beaut in midnight green but he never led them to the promised land. Nick Foles had a phenomenal 27 touchdowns and 2 interceptions season, but outside of his 2017 miracle, had never shown enough consistency to become a long-term starter. Longevity at quarterback isn’t exactly something this team has been blessed with.
In his three starts as an Eagle, Jalen Hurts has a completion percentage of 55%. Now, most of the national media have complained about the fact that Wentz went from 69% to 63% between 2018 and 2019 but everyone also knows that Wentz has had a carousel of weapons around him during that span. Imagine trying to play with new receivers each week with no true rapport built. Even with this season being his worst, Carson has a completion percentage of 57%. Even with an inconsistent offensive line that made him the most sacked QB of the season, inconsistent play-calling, and more, he’s still posting a marginally better completion percentage than the rookie.
If Hurts played all 16 games this season at his current average of 282 passing yards per game, he would finish the season with 4,512. Of course, that is speculative, assuming he has no down games below 282 yards.
The more you rely on the pass, the more time you’re using by staying in the pocket. As you all have learned from Wentz this season, the longer you’re in the pocket with the ball in your hands, the more likely you are to be sacked due to this inconsistent offensive line. Hurts has learned this the hard way as he’s been sack 9 times in his three starts despite his incredible athleticism. He also has 9 fumbles.
If we’re looking at what the numbers tell us in that regard for a whole 16 games, Hurts would’ve been sacked 48 times this season…which by no coincidence is two sacks less than how many times Wentz was sacked, which was 50.
It’s not all bad when it comes to Hurts. The rookie has been able to score touchdowns and help the team when needed except against the Dallas Cowboys, which we’ll talk more about soon. Hurts currently has five passing touchdowns in his first three starts. At this pace, he would’ve finished a 16 game slate with 26 touchdowns, which is great but it’s also average in comparison to other QB’s in the league. In fact, the top 10 QB’s in the league currently have an average of 34.5 touchdowns with only one rookie in the mix.
Wentz was having a terrible season this year so at his rate, he was on pace to only have 21 touchdowns which wouldn’t give me any leverage in a Wentz vs Hurt’s debate. That’s not what this is. Instead, this is a reality check for fans and media members alike. Since when did the Philadelphia Eagles become so entitled that they could afford to throw a QB away after one bad season?
If Hurts started all 16 games with his current averages then he would’ve finished the season with 21 turnovers which is less than ideal. So here’s where I’m getting at. It’s more beneficial if the Eagles enter next season with both QBs on the roster. Why? Because now you know what you have in Jalen Hurts but you also know what you’ve always had in Carson Wentz.
One way or another, both QB’s have shown that there are various flaws on this roster and it starts with the coaching staff. If the Eagles want to be a true QB factory then you stick with both players, use the high sack rate and poor season as the excuse for sitting Wentz and back him next season. You also focus on the development of Jalen Hurts so that you are ready to move on from Wentz if the time comes. Don’t get cute and set the franchise back this offseason. Get smart and start fixing the pieces and people around both of these quarterbacks.
Photo by Kyle Ross/Icon Sportswire
