Jalen Hurts' numbers don't pop off the screen, but the Philadelphia Eagles quarterback continues to manage his club to Ws -- eight consecutive after Sunday's 24-19 road win in Baltimore.
"You can't say enough good things about how Jalen managed that four-minute," head coach Nick Sirianni said on Sunday. "You'll say, 'Well, game manager,' That's all BS. Jalen played an awesome game. 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 make runs. He made good checks. He managed the game in a four-minute [offense] to take the clock down to use as much time as he can."
The Eagles have smartly leaned on Saquon Barkley, particularly late in games. The star back hasn't let them down thus far. Meanwhile, Hurts hasn't been asked to do much through the air. His last 275-plus-yard passing game came in Week 3, but he's protected the football, made key plays with his legs and plowed into the end zone on the regular.
"We haven't thrown in a lot in the fourth quarter in the past month and a half of the season," Sirianni added. "Jalen's stats aren't going to say this, but Jalen deserves, like, Saquon deserves, being an MVP consideration. Jalen Hurts deserves to be an MVP consideration because of how clean a football game he's playing. Look at his quarterback rating throughout the last month and a half of the season. Jalen Hurts is a winner, [and he's] playing great football. He may not have the stats, but because his team's winning in the fourth quarter. He doesn't get to make those stats. He's just done such a good job."
Calling a quarterback a game manager has become a blind pejorative when, in reality, all the best quarterbacks manage the games. Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Patrick Mahomes. Game managers. And when their teams need a play, boom, the play is made. Hurts has had a similar effect for Philly.
For his part, the Eagles quarterback isn't worried about being called a game manager.
"I just think it's a term," he said. "Everybody can be called that depending on the day, but the reality is, everyone that plays a position is asked to manage a game to an extent. So, it's the quarterback's job to go out there and do what he's asked to do -- execute, play clean football and initiate the plays that are called."
Hurts' play has been clean, generating 20 touchdowns to two giveaways since Week 6 (six touchdowns, seven giveaways in Weeks 1-4).
After last year's late collapse spilled over into the early stages of 2024, Hurts and Sirianni underwent a bye-week bonding, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported on Sunday. The process has helped Philly go on a run.
Even if he's not in the MVP conversation, Hurts' steady leadership has the Eagles keeping pace with the Detroit Lions for the potential No. 1 seed in the NFC.
"I appreciate his intentions with it," Hurts said when asked about his coach's comments. "I have a lot of love for coach. My focus is winning and doing what I need to do to help this team win."
The past eight weeks, all Philly has done is win.
