The Philadelphia Eagles outlasted the Green Bay Packers in a 34-29 win to start the season and despite plenty of impressive performances from the likes of Saquon Barkley and Quinyon Mitchell, franchise QB Jalen Hurts played at a level far from his best.
One of the most uneven, yet the most important performances came from Philly’s signal-caller. Unless you live under a rock, you know that the team’s success will almost solely fall on Jalen Hurts’ shoulders after a poor second half of last season raised concerns. The weapons are there, the offensive coordinator seems to be a good fit, but it ultimately will come down to if Hurts can turn the corner and return to his 2022 form that yielded him a five-year, $255 million extension.
Jalen Hurts vs Green Bay: The Good
This isn’t a smear piece. If you are a Jalen Hurts hater and hoping that’s what this is, sadly you’re mistaken. The QB did make plenty of good throws, decisions, and orchestrated a game-sealing drive late in the fourth to secure the victory that only elite quarterbacks in the NFL are able to perform.
Overall, Hurts completed 20 of his 34 passes for 278 yards throwing two touchdowns but also had two interceptions. One of the best throws he made was on the Barkley touchdown. He placed the pass where Barkley could make a play on it, dropping it over a pair of Packers for the teams’ first touchdown on the season.
That is the Jalen Hurts we saw in 2022. Moves the pocket slightly and delivers an accurate strike where only his guy can get it.
One of the most promising signs was the success Hurts had against the blitz. It was no secret last year, especially during the second half downward spiral, that the blitz was somewhat of an ‘Achilles Heel’. Whether it was the play calling with no check-down options, to Hurts not processing the blitzes fast enough, it was apparent that offensive coordinator Kellen Moore and the offense made sure that would not be the case in 2024.
According to NextGen Stats, Hurts was 6-for-7 for 91 yards with a touchdown, good for a 158.3 which was tied for the best passer rating of any QB heading into Monday night. He seemed to know where his quick outlet was before the pressure forced him to scramble or throw the ball away which is a welcoming sign moving forward.
Another encouraging sign was the success he had when the offense used motion, per NextGen Stats.
Without Jason Kelce at center to help identify defenses, Hurts welcomed the extra responsibilities and mentioned how he needed to take more ownership in that department. It looked like the motion helped him determine if the Packers were in zone or man coverage, making life a little easier on Friday night.
That late drive to put the game on ice was one of the final boxes Hurts checked. The 16-play, 67-yard drive ate up 7:25 off the clock and resulted in a short field goal by Jake Elliott to give Philadelphia a five-point lead. Hurts did most of the damage that drive with his legs, but connected with DeVonta Smith on a pair of pivotal second down plays converting a first down on a 2nd and 13 and then this 2nd and 8 to put them on the doorstep of the endzone.
Jalen Hurts vs Green Bay: The Bad
The game got off to an awful start for Jalen Hurts. He forced a bad throw on the first drive deep inside their own territory and was picked off by Xavier McKinney. Then in the fourth on what was a promising drive, Hurts tried to play “Hero Ball” and forced a throw into the end zone. That’s one concern that can derail this offense. If Hurts thinks he can play a style of backyard football, he will struggle and in turn, this high-powered offense will sputter.
Another example was this play here. I’m not sure if there was confusion on the actual play-call, but you can clearly see all the receivers thought this was a handoff.
The two interceptions thrown for Hurts makes it five straight regular-season games dating back to last season where he’s thrown a pick and the second game where he had a pair of interceptions thrown during that stretch. Last season, Hurts threw 15 interceptions and had five fumbles lost which was the fourth-most turnovers by a quarterback in the league last year.
Lastly, every opposing team, fan and even the broadcasters in the booths know that when Jalen Hurts has to flush the pocket he goes to his right. It’s become predictable – A crutch that he’s relied on over the last year-plus and defenses are ready for it. It won’t be easy, but Hurts will need to force himself to roll out to his left at times which requires more athleticism, which he has, to get back into a throwing position.
Overall Thoughts:
I personally gave Jalen Hurts a B- on his first game of the season. If you watched the games in Week 1 there was sloppy play across the board due to the shortened preseason and starters not suiting up for any significant playing time during those games. There was a handful of positives that he showed, especially against the blitz. The turnover rate is starting to become a factor but give it a few more weeks to see if Hurts can get back to his 2022 form.
REUTERS/Carla Carniel
