In a move many assumed was coming after the rookie replaced Carson Wentz in last week’s loss to the Green Bay Packers, Eagles head coach Doug Pederson is reportedly naming Jalen Hurts his starting quarterback. Hurts will start this Sunday against the New Orleans Saints, with Wentz serving as his backup.
Adam Schefter broke the news on Tuesday afternoon.
In relief of Carson Wentz on Sunday, Jalen Hurts went 5-for-12 with 109 yards passing, one interception, and one touchdown while rushing for 29 yards. He flashed his potential and his mobility, but he also dealt with many of the same issues that have plagued Wentz this season: a terrible offensive line, receivers that can’t separate, and an offense (or at least offensive playcalling) that appears to be broken, boring, and unimaginative.
Hurts provided a spark against the Packers, but Green Bay did have the game well in hand by that point and was playing soft defense. It will be interesting to see how he fares against a tough New Orleans defense that will be able to prepare for him this week.
The Eagles confirmed the move shortly after the Adam Schefter report:
Is starting Jalen Hurts the right move?
Regardless of your feelings about Carson Wentz and his play or the decision to draft Jalen Hurts, starting Hurts for at least the next few games is probably the right move. This is a bad football team, and Wentz is playing the worst football of his career while everyone around him looks equally as bad. There is no real benefit to continuing to run him out there behind an offensive line that is getting him killed every week.
By starting Hurts, the Eagles can see just how broken this offense is while also seeing what the rookie has to offer. Is Jalen Hurts the starting quarterback of the future? Probably not. Was drafting him in the second round a poor use of resources? Yes. But this is the mess the Eagles got themselves into. They might as well see what he can do while also giving Wentz a mental and a physical break.
At this point in the season, it is in the Eagles’ best interest to lose out and secure the highest draft pick possible. They won’t do that on purpose, of course, especially since Doug Pederson may very well be coaching for his job over the final month of the season. If Pederson is able to spark the offense and the team as a whole over the final month, he could absolve himself of some of the blame and earn another year to prove he can right the ship. If he can’t, it’s likely the Doug Pederson era in Philadelphia is over just a few years after he delivered the city its first Super Bowl.
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Mike Maher is the editor and publisher of The Birds Blitz. Follow him on Twitter @mikeMaher and @TheBirdsBlitz and check out his archive for all of his latest stories about the Eagles and the NFL.
