Opinion: Jalen Hurts' impact in Philly, Tua's signs of growth, Kyler Murray handling pressure
Jalen Hurts infused the Philadelphia Eagles with life while making his first NFL start Sunday. With the rookie quarterback at the helm, Philadelphia snapped a four-game losing streak while knocking New Orleans out of the NFC’s top spot.
Hurts delivered some truly dazzling moments, passing for 167 yards and a touchdown and rushing for 106 yards on 18 carries. Under his direction, the Eagles’ offense looked better than it had all year. Philadelphia boasted great balance, and the added dimension of Hurts’ mobility added a level of unpredictability and greater explosiveness.
Hurts’ athleticism and decision-making also helped alleviate pressure on a battered line that has struggled to protect erstwhile starter Carson Wentz, who was prone to hold onto the ball too long while waiting for receivers to get open.
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In some ways, Hurts was the best thing for the Eagles at this point in a disappointing season. But Hurts potentially could further complicate matters for the franchise.
It’s far too early to pass judgment on the former Alabama and Oklahoma star, whom Philadelphia drafted in the second round. He looked good and for one day elevated his team in a way the benched Wentz has not for much of the year.
However, talent evaluators around the league caution that the true test for Hurts will come in the next three weeks as opponents have a better idea of how to defend him because they have more game film of his strengths and weaknesses.
That’s partly why Eagles coach Doug Pederson worked so hard to avoid showering Hurts with praise following the game, although many of his players publicly gushed over Hurts’ leadership skills, fearlessness and competitive nature and how that fueled them. This is a locker room accustomed to rallying around an underdog quarterback, and many of the players have no problem doing so again.
Pederson also knows that he has to walk a tightrope because of Wentz and numerous factors connected to him. If Hurts struggles down the stretch, Philadelphia could wind up having to turn back to the veteran, who has years remaining on his $128 million deal. And, if Hurts does play well, displaying potential that entices Pederson and Eagles brass to turn to him long-term, they’ll need a degree of leverage to try to ensure they get some kind of value in return for Wentz from potential trade partners.
Pederson rightfully has declared Hurts the starter for Sunday's game against Arizona. And he should stick with the kid for the remainder of the season because four games generally is what it takes to get an adequate evaluation of what a quarterback has to offer.
From there, the Eagles can begin to untangle the web that has engulfed their quarterback position.
Tua takes more steps
Hurts’ old Alabama rival Tua Tagovailoa and the Miami Dolphins fell short against the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday. But the outing featured continued signs of growth for Tagovailoa, who made his sixth consecutive start.
One of the questions entering the game involved the rookie's ability to engage Patrick Mahomes in a shootout, and Tagovailoa proved the answer was yes, while completing 28 of 48 passes for 316 yards and two touchdowns and running six times for 24 yards and a touchdown. Tagovailoa did see his five-game interception-free streak come to an end as Tyran Mathieu picked off a downfield pass that was tipped. But Tagovailoa displayed great poise throughout the game, especially in the fourth quarter with his team trailing 30-10.
The lefty directed touchdown drives of 80 (completing five passes in a row for all 80 yards of the march) and 75 yards while finishing 12 of 16 for 141 yards. He also moved his team in position for a late field goal.
Tagovailoa’s resilience and feel for the game at this early stage in his career ranked among his most impressive traits on Sunday. There were times when he held onto the ball too long and took inopportune sacks. However, many stretches of the game, he executed with great anticipation. He also displayed a veteran-like calmness while working through his progressions. This reflects a strong understanding of his playbook and what he is seeing from the defense.
He may not be a scrambler in the vein of Lamar Jackson, but he does possess the kind of mobility that enables him to extend plays and pull the ball down and run for chunks of yardage. He also displayed good accuracy throwing on the run on short, intermediate and deep throws.
Another impressive element to Sunday’s performance, Tagovailoa led the Dolphins back from double-digit deficit and threatened in the final minutes of play despite not having his top receivers or running back, who all missed the game with injury.
As Tagovailoa continues to develop, and Miami’s roster continues to improve, this squad could become a legitimate contender for years to come.
As go Murray’s legs, so go the Cardinals?
Kyler Murray and the Arizona Cardinals snapped a three-game losing streak and forced their way back into the playoff picture after beating the New York Giants 26-7 on the road in a virtual must-win situation. Arizona now holds the seventh spot in the NFC (7-6) with games remaining against Philadelphia, San Francisco and the Rams.
Murray turned in one of his better days in recent weeks, passing for 244 yards and a touchdown and no turnovers while rushing for 47 yards.
A big factor in the resurgence of Cardinals and their offense very well could be the fact Murray got back to running the ball at a healthy clip. After opening the season as a dynamic dual threat, Murray ran only five times in each of the three previous outings (all losses), and Arizona's offense suffered as a result. But on Sunday against the Giants, Murray ran 13 times (tied for second-most in a game for him this season), which helped keep the Giants defense off balance and created greater opportunities for his teammates.
The Cardinals are now 8-1 this season in games where Murray runs the ball more than five times.
One player that seemingly benefitted the most from a more wide-open offense: receiver DeAndre Hopkins, who after three straight quiet outings, erupted for nine catches for 136 yards
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