On Second Watch: ‘No B.S’ Eagles’ QB Has Bigger Goals Than MVP
BALTIMORE – The numbers weren’t impressive unless you skip them to look at the bottom line to a refrain that’s become common at the NovaCare Complex: ‘Jalen Hurts is a winner.’
It’s hard to argue with that assessment after Sunday’s signature 24-19 Eagles win at Baltimore, which improved Hurts to 10-2 this season and 44-19 overall as the starting quarterback in Philadelphia.
If we exclude his rookie season playing behind Carson Wentz and the 2021 campaign where he was finding his footing as a first-time starter, his record stands at 35-8 in the regular season, boasting an impressive .814 winning percentage.
On an afternoon filled with MVP candidates like the Eagles’ superstar Saquon Barkley and the Ravens’ dynamic duo of Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry, Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni took the opportunity to remind everyone that Hurts also deserves to be in the conversation. This came while he answered a question about whether the Philadelphia offense holds back for a four-minute offensive strategy to close games.
“Jalen did a good job. You can’t say enough good things about how Jalen managed that four-minute,” Sirianni said. “You’ll say ‘Well, game manager,’ That’s all B.S. Jalen played an awesome game.”
Ironically, while Hurts was managing the game brilliantly, Sirianni was addressing the aftermath of a stat sheet that reflected 11 of 19 for 118 yards, highlighting a passing offense that was nearly non-existent in the first and third quarters.
“Jalen played an awesome game,” said Sirianni. “His stats are going to say, ‘We didn’t throw it a lot.’ We were 11 of 19. He had 118 yards, but that guy made runs when he needed to and made good checks. He managed the game during a critical four-minute offense to use the clock as much as possible.”
“We haven’t thrown much in the fourth quarter over the past month and a half,” he continued. “Jalen’s stats may not reflect it, but he deserves MVP consideration just as much as Saquon does.”
Hurts appreciated his coach’s intentions but reiterated his commitment to the team’s objectives. “I appreciate his intentions with it. I have a lot of love for Coach,” Hurts stated. “My focus is winning and doing what I need to do to help this team win.”
While MVP is an individual accolade and a secondary goal for others like Barkley, it doesn’t detract from Sirianni’s desire to elevate the conversation around a quarterback who consistently finds a way “to keep the main thing the main thing,” guiding his team to victory through any means necessary.
“Jalen Hurts deserves MVP consideration because of how clean of a football game he’s playing,” Sirianni argued. “Look at his quarterback rating over the last month and a half. Jalen Hurts is a winner, and he’s playing great football. He may not have eye-popping stats, but his team’s success in the fourth quarter speaks volumes. He doesn’t create those stats single-handedly.”
Hurts himself appeared unfazed by the talk surrounding the MVP conversation. “I just think it’s a term,” the quarterback said regarding the label of game manager, which many use in a backhanded manner. “Everyone can be called that depending on the day, but the reality is, players at every position are asked to manage the game to some degree. It’s the quarterback’s responsibility to execute, play clean football, and initiate the plays that are called.”
As pundits may debate whether Hurts is more of a playmaker than a game manager, and where he ranks among his peers, one thing is certain: Hurts has bigger goals in sight.
