Jalen Hurts had one of the worst performances by any quarterback in NFL history on Monday night’s loss to the Los Angeles Chargers. His five turnovers were the most by any Eagles player since Donovan McNabb’s rookie season, and he had a passer rating of 31.2.
That led to some speculation about his status as the team’s starter. The Eagles have dropped three consecutive games, and while offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo has shouldered most of the blame, Hurts’ inability to see the middle of the field and erratic throws and decision-making have also hurt the team.
However, that doesn’t mean he’s in any serious jeopardy of losing his starting job, at least not this season. That’s why head coach Nick Sirianni made sure to pour cold water on those rumors.
Benching Jalen Hurts would be ‘ridiculous,’ says Nick Sirianni
"No, I think that's ridiculous," Sirianni told 94 WIP. "I know every time I go out on that field with Jalen Hurts as our quarterback, we have a chance to win the game. That's something that's been proven. We've won a lot of football games. This is the most ultimate team game. You win together as a team, you lose together as a team. It's never just one thing."
Hurts hasn’t been that good this season, and he became the first player to have two turnovers on the same play. However, even with four picks and one lost fumble, he won a Super Bowl for the Eagles less than a year ago.
Also, it’s not like the Eagles have a promising rookie or a proven veteran waiting to take his spot. Tanner McKee and Sam Howell are his backups, and neither of them would give this team a better chance to compete and win a Super Bowl.
The Eagles have gone five consecutive games without scoring at least 22 points. Their most recent wins came against teams scoring seven and nine points, respectively.
Patullo’s scheming and play-calling have drawn plenty of criticism, and it feels like the team isn’t using their weapons to the full extent of their potential.
Some might think that he’s trying to coach around Hurts’ limitations to make sure he doesn’t put the ball in harm’s way, whereas others might feel like Hurts is regressing because of the scheme.
Whatever the case, the Eagles’ shotgun-heavy offense isn’t getting the job done, and the reigning Super Bowl champions don’t look like the team to beat right now.