Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts hasn’t done much wrong this season, which is why he’s a dark horse MVP candidate, and the franchise’s unquestioned franchise quarterback. Even if you want to get into the dumb discussion regarding his status as a system quarterback (Hint: Every quarterback is a system quarterback), there’s enough great things Hurts can do, both as a runner and as a thrower, to nix that whole thing.
Case in point was this utterly ridiculous pass Hurts completed to receiver DeVonta Smith with 7:47 left in the first quarter. The Eagles had third-and-3 at their own 39-yard line, Hurts was flushed out of the pocket to his left, and he then uncorked this banger of a sideline throw to Smith, who had vaporized cornerback Jaylon Jones with a nasty inside-out move.
What a throw & catch from Jalen Hurts to DeVonta Smith on 3rd down! 🔥 #Bama pic.twitter.com/6Hs14pHoXp
— 𝗙𝗢𝗟𝗟𝗢𝗪 @𝗙𝗧𝗕𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗱𝟳 (@FTBeard7) December 18, 2022
That was good for 21 yards, putting the ball at the Chicago 40-yard line. Then, Hurts got a little too cute on this throw to A.J. Brown. This time, Hurts was flushed to his right, he failed to account for dropping cornerback Kyler Gordon, and it was Gordon who picked off the pass. Oof.
Then Jalen Hurts throws an INT on the next play… #OUDNA lol pic.twitter.com/ONtoVjlNwe
— 𝗙𝗢𝗟𝗟𝗢𝗪 @𝗙𝗧𝗕𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗱𝟳 (@FTBeard7) December 18, 2022
So… yeah. Jalen Hurts giveth, and Jalen Hurts taketh away. As we said, there have been far more good plays than bad in Hurts’ 2022 oeuvre, but that interception was a real howler.
