Jalen Hurts was a late scratch for the Philadelphia Eagles during Week 13 of the 2021 NFL season.
With their star quarterback sidelined, Gardner Minshew took over and led the team to victory.
That win kept the Eagles’ playoff hopes alive with a 6-7 record.
You want to see how much this win and this moment meant to Gardner Minshew?
This is @GardnerMinshew5 after the game with an emotional moment with his dad, who tries to make it to every one of his games
🔥🔥❤️❤️ pic.twitter.com/lxOtlBmYrz— John Clark (@JClarkNBCS) December 5, 2021
However, it also sparked some talk about handing the full-time starting duties to Minshew.
Philadelphia will be making a huge mistake if they succumb to these opinions.
Hurts is still their best option to win, and a quarterback change would do more harm than good.
Jalen Is Still Their Guy
Give Minshew credit for being ready when needed.
He finished the game with an 80 percent completion rate and threw two touchdowns with zero interceptions.
Hurts’ backup has been solid even as the starter for the Jacksonville Jaguars.
In his two seasons with Jacksonville, the quarterback from Washington State completed 63 percent of his passes for 5,520 yards, 37 touchdowns, and only 11 picks.
What did Gardner Minshew do to his sleeves… pic.twitter.com/Md0sbChWgi
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) October 31, 2021
Those numbers prove that the Eagles got another able starter when they got him for a conditional sixth-round selection in the 2022 NFL Draft.
It’s nice to have that assurance that they still have a shot at winning games even with their starter sidelined.
However, those who call for giving Minshew a chance to be the starter must pump their breaks.
The Mississippi native achieved his impressive performance against the New York Jets.
Even the worst quarterbacks play like Pro Bowlers when they face the Jets.
Gardner Minshew is dealing:
11/11
165Yards
2 TD
158.3 Passer Rating pic.twitter.com/B3kaQPnf40— ESPN (@espn) December 5, 2021
Therefore, it’s best to take Minshew’s numbers with a grain of salt because their opponents can make any quarterback look great.
Hurts would have had a big day if he were healthy, and who knows how many rushing touchdowns he could have had against New York.
Besides, the former Alabama and Oklahoma standout is the best overall option in the Eagles’ current offensive scheme.
His ability to scramble gives Philadelphia a shot at gaining positive yardage every play.
Gardner Minshew was so fired up after the win. Check him out with Eagles fans.
He signed the mustache sign. And he says he sees the guy with the stache at all of his games!
— John Clark (@JClarkNBCS) December 5, 2021
When their play is not going to plan, he can take off to move the chains.
There are criticisms regarding his throwing accuracy, especially after his three interceptions against the New York Giants.
But there are also games when he completed close to 70 percent of his passes.
Yet as a run-first team, Hurts fits the bill better than Minshew.
Switching Quarterbacks Isn’t The Solution
The Eagles aren’t doing too bad this season, and they are just one spot below the current seventh seed, the San Francisco 49ers.
With four games left and their playoff chances high, replacing Hurts as their starter isn’t the best decision.
Such a swap might cause head coach Nick Sirianni to lose the trust of the locker room.
That sentiment could cause a collapse, jeopardizing their postseason hopes.
#Eagles QB Jalen Hurts going with the backwards cap for team walk-through pic.twitter.com/gPQSjQVLYa
— Josh Tolentino (@JCTSports) November 24, 2021
Likewise, Sirianni might not recover from that potential change, and he need not look further for a great example.
Philadelphia was in disarray when Doug Pederson went to Hurts because Carson Wentz played terribly.
As a result, he lost his job, and Wentz went to Indianapolis, where he’s back to playing solid football.
“Jalen Hurts did not lose his job.”@keyshawn thinks it’s ridiculous to believe that Gardner Minshew should start for the Eagles. #KJM pic.twitter.com/w7aTV27hji
— Keyshawn, JWill & Max (@KeyJayandMax) December 7, 2021
While that turmoil brought the Eagles a starter that can give them wins, changing play-callers on a whim could do more damage to the team’s morale.
Therefore, they must stay with Hurts at the top of the depth chart and hope he won’t miss much time.
NEXT: Gardner Minshew Shows How Much It Means To Win In The NFL