As Jason Kelce confirmed during ESPN’s Monday Night Football broadcast, Jalen Hurts was not himself physically during the Philadelphia Eagles’ 2023 tailspin.
Already one of the most productive dual-threat quarterbacks in NFL history, Hurts’ mobility was noticeably off last season. While the team’s vaunted ‘tush-push’ play can weigh down the QB’s rushing average, his 3.9 yards-per-carry mark was by far the lowest of his career. Hurts had eight games last season where he averaged less than 3 yards per tote.
In Monday night’s home opener against the Atlanta Falcons, Hurts flashed his vintage form in front of a packed house at the Linc.
With the passing game severely hampered by the absence of A.J. Brown, Hurts was a difference-maker with his legs. He averaged 6.8 yards per carry, rumbling for 85 yards and a touchdown on 13 carries.
Hurts’ efficiency in the run game was even better when those 13 attempts are broken down. Three of his attempts were tush-push plays (netting 5 yards), and one as a kneel-down at the end of the first half (-1). Hurts’ nine true carries, including scrambles, netted 81 yards — an average of 9.0 per carry.
The best news for Eagles fans? Hurts gained 50 of those yards on four scrambles, including a 23-yarder in the first half that sent the home crowd into a frenzy. The fifth-year pro has always been dominant in short-yardage, but the threat of big plays in the run game — with defenses forced to key on Brown, DeVonta Smith and Saquon Barkley on every play — opens up a dimension that was missing for the Eagles during the latter part of 2023.
This stunning Week 2 stat proves Hurts is back
All told, the 85 rushing yards Monday night was the most for Hurts since Nov. 21 2022, when Hurts went off for 157 yards on 17 carries in a home game against the Green Bay Packers. Including the postseason, Hurts had his biggest night on the ground in 26 total games. After a 2023 season marred by an inability to improvise off script over the second half of the season, it's great to see Hurts looking explosive and burning defenses again when plays break down.
Side note: Hurts is on all-time history watch entering Week 3 against the New Orleans Saints. He moved one rushing touchdown shy of tying Steve Young for fourth all-time among QBs.
MORE EAGLES NEWS:
Eagles predicted to land six-time Pro Bowler to help struggling defense
Philadelphia Eagles named potential landing spot for do-it-all Colts linebacker
NFL picks, predictions Week 3: Philadelphia Eagles at New Orleans Saints
Eagles roster longshot outshines starters in just 9 snaps vs. Falcons
Eagles Week 2 snap counts: Cooper DeJean remains stuck in Vic Fangio's dog house
Ex-Eagles 1st-round pick trolls Pats on IG, promptly gets released
