Jalen Hurts’ biggest weakness isn’t what you think it is
Jalen Hurts is currently in the midst of an amazing season. He’s second in the MVP ranking right now and is the leader of an Eagles team that sits at 13-1, the best record in the NFL. It’s safe to say that he has taken the jump all Eagles fans wanted, but even the most optimistic of fans couldn’t have predicted this coming into the season. But despite all the greatness Hurts has displayed on the field this season, there is one thing he refuses to do, and it drives me crazy. That being sliding or avoiding hits in general.
Now listen, I’m sure we’ve all seen the video of Hurts squatting 600 pounds, it’s very impressive and has clearly paid dividends for him on the field. But when you see the number of hits he takes on a weekly basis, you can’t help but wonder how sustainable it is.
Jalen Hurts is listed at 6-foot-1, 223 pounds. While certainly not “small” he still doesn’t have the body to go through the abuse a quarterback like Josh Allen goes through. But, for whatever reason, Hurts refuses to slide and always seems to stay up and take the hit.
It appears it’s already starting to catch up with him. Midway through the third quarter in the Eagles’ game against the Bears, Hurts kept the ball on a read option and took a big hit as a result.
I love the grit and determination that Hurts shows on every play. He fights for every yard and plays every play like it’s his last. But the Eagles had another quarterback who did that, and he tore his ACL and went from being the face of the franchise to a backup in Washington.
Now, I’m not saying Hurts will turn into Carson Wentz, I sure hope not. But what I am saying is that I would love to see him get down more often. I get wanting to fight for every yard, but sometimes it’s better to just get down and avoid the hit, especially when you are 12-1 playing a team with three wins.
There is a time and a place for hero ball and for the Eagles right now, that hero ball is not needed. The focus should be on continuing to win games and staying healthy for the playoffs. Hurts adopting the art of sliding would go a long way in accomplishing that goal.
Thankfully Hurts’ injury doesn’t appear to be too serious. His status versus the Cowboys this weekend is in question, but it seems like he should be perfectly fine come playoff time. While that should be a relief for all Eagles fans, I know many became nervous upon hearing the news, because I know I did.
Jalen Hurts is an incredibly intelligent player and I’m sure he will soon realize that he should slide more. I certainly hope that happens sooner rather than later, because an injury to Hurts would be fatal for the Eagles’ season. But hey, we all know what happened last time a backup quarterback took over for the Eagles, so maybe it wouldn’t be a bad thing.
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