To ascertain the difference between a legitimate starting NFL quarterback, one only needs to look at the QB play during the Eagles’ 34-6 win at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas yesterday. The Philadelphia Eagles improved to 7-2 on the NFL season with their first road win in Dallas since 2017 while simultaneously dealing a nearly fatal 6th NFL loss to their biggest NFC East rival. While there were certainly some bad plays from the Midnight Green-jersey-wearing quarterback, Jalen Hurts was crucial to ending Philly’s six-year road losing streak against Dallas.
Week 10 QB Comparison – Jalen Hurts vs. Cooper Rush
The statistics for Eagles starting signal caller Jalen Hurts do not jump out of the box score as particularly noteworthy. Hurts efficiently completed 14-of-20 passes with two touchdowns and an interception. The former Alabama QB added a pair of rushing scores for the Eagles in the win, but the fifth-year quarterback was also sacked five times for a loss of 25 yards. When push came to Brotherly Shove, Jalen Hurts stepped up and made critical plays in important situations to lead Philly to a massive victory.
On the other side of the field, Dallas’ replacement for Dak Prescott struggled mightly against one of the NFL’s top defenses. Cooper Rush completed 13-of-23 airballs for a whopping total of 45 yards. Eagles defensive lineman Milton Williams was gifted a place on the box score after Rush fumbled away a first down snap in the first quarter directly leading to Philadelphia’s opening points on the scoreboard for his only credited turnover on the day despite Dallas gifting Philadelphia five changes-of-possessions in the Week 10 loss.
Saquon Barkley sets up Hurts First Rushing Touchdown
Philadelphia faced a 3rd-and-6 from the 13-yard line that saw the pocket disintegrate in front of Jalen Hurts. The signal-caller did not panic instead finding Saquon Barkley on the check down 10 yards behind the line of scrimmage at the 22-yard mark. The shifty back made a juke move at the 15-yard line followed by a spin move that made three defenders miss which landed him on the Dallas 1. The first Philadelphia points on the afternoon came via a Jalen Hurts signature TD from the 1-yard line.
Hurts Blinded By The Light for an Interception in Arlington
Philadelphia’s next possession ended in Hurts’ only interception of the day. Split between the first and second quarters, Jalen Hurts pushed the Eagles down the field with a combination of throws and scrambles. In the final three minutes of the first quarter, Hurts passed for 50 yards on three throws while also adding an eight-yard gallop that earned an Eagles first down.
On the first snap of the second quarter from the Dallas 12-yard line, the field flipped direction to face into the direction of the setting Texas sun through giant glass windows. Hurts threw a ball into the light beams only to watch All-Pro cornerback Trevon Diggs jump the Dallas Goedert route in the end zone for an athletic turnover abruptly ending the Philly threat for points to start the second frame. Hurts missed a wide open Grant Calcaterra to the left of the play which he later acknowledged in his presser.
Perfectly Executed Two-Minute Drill to End First Half for Eagles
Following another Philadelphia stop inside their 10-yard line that forced a Dallas field goal that trimmed the Eagles’ lead to one point at 7-6, Jalen Hurts and the offense started at their 16-yard line. Two darts to A.J. Brown pushed the Eagles past midfield in 20 seconds. Hurts then used his legs on a 20+ yard scramble with barely a Cowboy in the state of Texas to stop him before he slid down at Dallas’ 23-yard line.
On a 2nd-and-1 from inside the 15-yard line, Jalen Hurts slipped a blitzing middle linebacker with a shimmy that would’ve made Phillies superstar Bryce Harper smile, rolled to his right, and fired a missile of a pass to Dallas Goedert for the Eagles’ second touchdown on the day with 23 seconds remaining on the AT&T scoreboard to put the Eagles up 14-6 before halftime.
Rushing Game Leads to Johnny Wilson’s First NFL TD
Philly and Dallas exchanged possessions early in the second half before Cooper DeJean’s punt return started the Philadelphia Eagles drive inside Dallas territory. For this possession, Kellen Moore leaned heavily on the run game with the combination of Saquon Barkley and Kenny Gainwell rushing Philly into another red-zone opportunity. Hurts capitalized on a 3rd-and-goal pass to rookie Johnny Wilson for his first career NFL touchdown.
Hurts Dashes for QB-leading 10th Rushing TD
Following a run-heavy series during their previous possession, Kellen Moore called a first-down shot play resulting in a 44-yard strike from Jalen Hurts to AJ Brown moving the ball up to the Dallas 31-yard line. Brown had 5 catches on the day for 109 yards with the 44-yard reception being his longest on the afternoon.
No Brotherly Shoving was necessary for Jalen Hurts 8-yard touchdown run to finish the drive as the 26-year-old quarterback received solid protection before scampering up the middle and into the end zone for his second rushing TD on the day. Jalen Hurts ranks second in the NFL with 10 rushing touchdowns trailing only Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry’s 12 journeys to the painted field in 2024.
Jalen Hurts finished the day with two passing touchdowns and two rushing scores with hand (or a leg) in every end zone visit Philadelphia made on the day. It can not be understated how important a win in Arlington, Texas could be for this Philly football squad. The last Philadelphia Eagles team to claim a road win at AT&T Stadium lifted the Lombardi Trophy at the end of the season in 2017 at Super Bowl LII.
Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-Imagn Images
