Jalen Hurts versus Jared Goff: Week 8 tale of the tape

Can Jalen Hurts lead the Eagles to victory in Week 8 versus the Lions?

Following a season-opening 38 of 57 performance, one in which he threw for 338 yards and three scores (versus one interception), Jared Goff has cooled. He’s done so in a hurry.

Goff hasn’t eclipsed 300 yards passing since that game, and over the course of the Lions’ last three contests (versus the Minnesota Vikings, Cincinnati Bengals, and Los Angeles Rams), he’s thrown one touchdown versus four interceptions.

If there’s any cure for that type of dropoff in production, it’s, no doubt, playing Jonathan Gannon’s defensive scheme, one in which he has the horses, or enough of them at least, but refuses to let them compete. Philly’s safeties have played so far off of the line of scrimmage at times that it feels like opposing offenses are only playing nine guys.

We’ve seen Goff make mincemeat of the Philadelphia Eagles’ defense before (a 20 of 27, 267-yard, and three-touchdown passing performance in 2020 for instance). Jalen Hurts is capable of making plays, but like Goff, he’s cooled following a scorching start to the season,

Hurts completed 77 percent of his passes in Week 1 versus the Atlanta Falcons, but lately, it looks like he’s struggling to make every throw. Can he turn it around versus the Lions?

Here’s how we see this one playing out. The Eagles have better players than Detroit does, even if it doesn’t seem like it sometimes. Jared Goff, right now, is a better quarterback than Jalen Hurts is. Expect Goff to have the better statistical performance, but expect the Birds to pull this one out. Prediction: Eagles 27, Lions 17