When looking at the two teams set to joust for this year’s Super Bowl crown, it’s easy to side with star-power over facts. Most casual fans on the street would argue that Patrick Mahomes is a better QB than Jalen Hurts, but coming into Super Bowl LIX, those waters aren’t so clear.
Jalen Hurts: Inside the numbers
Much has been said about Hurts specifically this season. His numbers are down (mostly) across the board, with the QB throwing 2,908 yards in 2024, his lowest total since his debut year. His touchdown passes are understandably lower too, and people seem to correlate one of the worst-ranking passing offenses in football with a struggling QB, but it couldn’t be further from the truth, and Hurts reminded us of exactly why on Sunday.
The Eagles have run their offense through Saquon Barkley. A generational signing was followed up by a similarly generational season, with the former Giant claiming the NFL’s rushing title and ending just yards away from the All-Time single-season record. Of course the passing offense is going to take a hit when facilitating that.
But running the ball is one thing, being able to pass in order to support it is something else entirely. Jalen Hurts ended 2024 with the highest completion percentage of his career, led 3 4th quarter comebacks, and scored 14 rushing touchdowns. By keeping possession and dictating the tempo, the Eagles can really hammer Saquon Barkley effectively without needing to force the ball into dangerous situations.
On Sunday, the league was reminded what Hurts can do through the air. After flutters of it in the snow, Jalen Hurts launched an all-out assault on the Commanders, playing some of his best football he has all season. On top of that, he audibled the opening offensive play, pushing Saquon to the endzone on a euphoric run. That was the third (by my count) time he’s done that this postseason.
Efficient, composed, and lethal when he turns up the dial, Hurts is a different quarterback from the one who beat the Chiefs in 2023, and came heartbreakingly short in 2022. As for Patrick Mahomes, well, that’s a different story.
Patrick Mahomes: Cause for concern
Is he still the best quarterback in Football? Maybe, but the answer isn’t as clear as it once was. Patrick threw for the fewest yards and touchdowns of his career since 2019 and recorded 11 interceptions – more than double what Hurts accounted for in 2024. Mahomes also recorded a career-low in yards per attempt, yards per catch, and a career-high in sack percentage.
It’s not like he was posting atrocious numbers, he’s still incredible but the difference between a Jalen Hurts ‘regression’ and a Patrick Mahomes ‘regression’ is important, especially when most fail to even speak about what’s happening in Kansas City.
One is contextualized by the arrival of the most dominant running back in football and a change in offensive philosophy. The other started the year very slowly, throwing more picks than touchdowns through the opening stanza behind a wounded offensive front. That doesn’t subtract from a clear drop in accuracy and decision-making, and those traits that once made him alien-like, highlight that he is mortal after all.
Jalen Hurts vs Patrick Mahomes: Who has the edge?
So when looking at the QB matchup, instead of the Taylor Swift-induced excitement and the blinding lights of a star, remember what matters. The Chiefs, by their standards, have not been up to par for most of this season, battling the 10th-ranked easiest schedule in the league and making it look difficult. When the defense is giving up 30+ more yards per game than it was in 2023 and the quarterback isn’t playing as well, the wheels wobble…whereas the Eagles have the most dominant defense in the NFL, the most dominant running back, and a quarterback in Jalen Hurts who has tweaked his own technique and priorities to accommodate both.
Mismatch? Hardly.
Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images
