Hurts It Is

For once, Doug Pederson isn’t playing games. He didn’t delay an announcement to try to gain a competitive advantage. He didn’t avoid the question with double talk and a confusing non-answer. Doug got right down to business.

Breaking News: QB Jalen Hurts will start this Sunday against the Saints. pic.twitter.com/VgGU54flLf

— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) December 8, 2020

“I have come to a decision and I am going to go with Jalen Hurts this week against New Orleans. I looked at the whole thing and decided that for this week to look for that spark again to try to get the team over the hump.” – Coach Pederson

— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) December 8, 2020

It had to happen. Stevie Wonder could see this was the smart move.

That isn’t an insult to Carson Wentz. This doesn’t mean the Eagles are done with #11. He’s just in a bad way right now and the coaches have to put someone else on the field. It had to happen.

Hurts isn’t going to magically play like Patrick Mahomes or Justin Herbert. There is a reason he fell to the bottom of the second round. And most young QBs struggle when they get on the field. If you’re expecting four TDs and 300 yards, think again.

The Eagles had to shake things up, though. The offense wasn’t gaining yards or scoring points, and those are kind of important things to do. Wentz wasn’t getting the ball to his wide receivers. Miles Sanders has been a non-factor in the passing game all year. He and Wentz have not been able to get on the same page. That’s not all on Wentz of course, but it was another consideration when thinking about who to play.

The offense’s issues go well beyond Wentz. You can’t fix everything in the middle of the season so you make the biggest change you can, hoping there will be a transcendent effect. If Hurts can get the ball to open receivers, it gives them a chance to make plays. If he can make something happen with his legs, it can extend a drive.

Right now Wentz is a mess. Watch these clips. This is a QB who has lost his confidence and has major issues.

@Eagles struggle the way all bad teams do. They simply don't execute in any phase of the game. Here is some of those issues which prompted a QB change. It's obvious it's not all on the QB, but it starts with the QB. #BaldysBreakdowns pic.twitter.com/uozkzO8mEe

— Brian Baldinger (@BaldyNFL) December 7, 2020

.@eagles blow play after play on the opening drive of the game! No team in the #NFL executes this poorly. NONE! #BaldysBreakdowns pic.twitter.com/YpZ9Db5HKN

— Brian Baldinger (@BaldyNFL) December 7, 2020

Again, Wentz is not alone. You see missed blocks. You see comical mistakes. You seen receivers struggling to get open. The thing that stands out is Wentz. He isn’t the same guy that was on the field last December. His head just isn’t right. I think getting him off the field is the smart move for both the team and him. His problems aren’t going away. The fear would be them setting in long term by keeping him out there.

Hurts is far from a sure thing. He might struggle as well. But he does offer hope and that’s something this team needs right now.

Some people said Hurts only had success because of his legs. That’s not true. The throw to Jalen Reagor came from the pocket and had great touch and accuracy. Hurts gave his receiver a chance to make a big play and that’s just what happened.

Some people said Hurts faced soft coverage. Not true. Re-watch his throws. He’s got covered receivers on almost every play. There was one pass to Zach Ertz where the TE was wide open. The Packers kept pressure on Hurts and tried to shut him down.

Hurts will now have a full week of practice. He’ll have reps with the line and receivers to try and get on the same page. Hurts will be facing the #1 defense in the league so that will be a tough task. If Wentz got the start, it would be an impossible task.

There will be bad throws and missed reads. There will also be successful scrambles and impressive throws. I don’t think Hurts is likely to do enough to win, but I will gladly settle for being entertained. The Eagles offense has been as boring as it is bad in recent weeks. That changed when Hurts came on the field on Sunday evening.

Let’s hope his energy and confidence carry over to this week. The Eagles will need that to have any chance of success on Sunday.

*****

This could be a one-game change. Or it could be for the rest of the year.

Pederson and his staff will watch Hurts closely. If the moment looks to big for him, they can always go back to Wentz. If Hurts is even a notch better than Wentz, he’ll likely keep the job.

The most Eagles thing possible would be for Hurts to look great on Sunday and for half of the next week before getting hurt. That would force Wentz back onto the field and it would drive a lot of fans crazy.

Just find a way to entertain me and I’ll be okay.

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