The Philadelphia Eagles had a chaotic 2020 season.
Carson Wentz looked broken, and a slew of injuries to their key players led them to miss the playoffs after a three-year streak.
With Wentz struggling to get his act together, Jalen Hurts took over but did little to reverse the team’s fortunes.
This Jalen Hurts video 😂
(Via @JeffMcDev)pic.twitter.com/fP5bxzUwdu
— PFF Fantasy Football (@PFF_Fantasy) November 23, 2021
His woes led Eagles fans to question if he’s the rightful franchise quarterback.
Those doubts are dead because they turned the tide by winning three of their last four games.
More importantly, Hurts is a massive part of their recent success because of his versatility.
The Hurts Hype Train Got Derailed
Hurts was impressive during the Eagles’ season-opener against the Atlanta Falcons.
He completed 77 percent of his passes for 264 yards, three touchdowns, and zero picks.
The former Alabama and Oklahoma standout also added 62 rushing yards.
While those numbers are impressive, they defeated the Falcons, which has one of the worst defenses this season.
More proof of @JalenHurts leadership skills. He took every off. player to lunch/dinner 1-on-1 to get to know them better. "Not even about football," said @BaldyNFL. "Who they are. Their background. Their life experiences. There's a lot of QBs who have no ability to do that."
— Paul Domowitch (@pdomo) November 24, 2021
It was also the first week of 2021, and not all players were already in game shape.
Unfortunately, his naysayers amplified their criticism when the team lost five of their next six games.
As always, Eagles fans were quick to criticize him when the team started to struggle.
But that stretch was a brutal one for Philadelphia because they went up against teams like the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Kansas City Chiefs, and Dallas Cowboys.
Video of hurts breaking ankles and celebrating with my jersey! Unbelievable experience @JalenHurts @nflnetwork @nfl @Eagles pic.twitter.com/2Bz2ttO6n1
— Duane Allison (@DuaneEaglesFan) November 22, 2021
However, a shift in their offensive philosophy helped the Eagles revive their season and postseason hopes.
The Eagles Pounded The Ground
It took a while before Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni embraced the run game as their focal point on offense.
That decision is a no-brainer because he has talented running backs like Miles Sanders, Kenneth Gainwell, Boston Scott, and Jordan Howard.
Hurts also contributed to their ground game’s success by adding three touchdowns in November.
But as their opponents start to wear down because of their physical run offense, he dials up the passing attack to connect with his receivers.
Jalen Hurts THE QB1 🦅 pic.twitter.com/kQ0ybGFYjV
— PFF Fantasy Football (@PFF_Fantasy) November 24, 2021
As a result, his completion percentage improved, and they kept on winning despite throwing fewer passes.
In their first seven games, Hurts attempted an average of 34.6 pass attempts per game.
That number dropped to 19.5 in their last four contests, but his completion rate improved to 63.2 percent.
He’s not forcing the passes either because he gained fewer than 200 yards in each of those assignments.
In contrast, Hurts had completion percentages of 52.2, 52.9, and 46.2 during their skid.
Joining In On The Fun
The Eagles’ shift to the run game helped maximize Hurts’ talents even more.
He could be devastating as a pseudo-running back, and it showed during their recent wins.
Hurts averaged 64.25 rushing yards per game, and his lowest output was at 55 yards.
The second-year quarterback also scored three rushing touchdowns versus the New Orleans Saints in Week 11.
JALEN HURTS.
3 rushing TDs on the day! #FlyEaglesFly
📺: #NOvsPHI on FOX
📱: NFL app pic.twitter.com/jLi51cKEI4— NFL (@NFL) November 21, 2021
The change in offensive philosophy allowed them to have average winning margins of 22 points per game.
These results strengthen the case for Hurts as the Eagles’ starter.
He might not have the best stats, but his play style suits their system well.
Without a doubt, Hurts is a significant contributor to their recent success.
Jalen Hurts tried to tell everyone
pic.twitter.com/UOdEEdB4EQ— Lyle (@WalkWithLyle) November 21, 2021
From looking dead in the water, the Eagles are now in the hunt for a postseason spot.
With their quarterback question settled, the team can set their sights on fortifying their roster in other questionable positions.
NEXT: 3 Reasons The Eagles Are Back In The Playoff Conversation
