Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts has been at the center of all the talk around the NFL regarding the most recent unflattering report about him.
Eagles reporter Derrick Gunn shared after the team's 16-9 win over the Detroit Lions in Week 11 that players were growing frustrated with Hurts' on-field performance. Some of that frustration included him being too conservative with the football and not forcing it down the field.
Former Eagles head coach Dick Vermeil shared some coaching insights with SportsRadio 94 WIP on the Hurts situation. When Vermeil was asked about whether Hurts should be more aggressive or keep playing his game, the Super Bowl-champion coach gave some sound advice to Hurts.
"I would say be who you are and not restrict him from running, because defensive line pressure can create good quarterback draws. But they aren't designed. Sometimes, your offensive line prevents that from happening because they're doing such a good job of pass protection. That may not be true this year. It was true last year, and I think those guys always include a few running plays that are specifically designed for him to run. They haven't done as much as they did last year, but I think from what I hear, the RPO factor is not as involved in the offense this year as it has been in the past. So, we get that, which reduces the number of times he touches the ball, but I really believe the more time he touches it, the less man-to-man coverage you get the next time around."
Hurts is doing all the right things for Eagles
The players on the Eagles can be frustrated all they want, but do they remember what happened two years ago when former offensive coordinator Brian Johnson let Hurts rip it? That resulted in 15 interceptions and an early exit in the NFC Wild Card after a 10-1 start, which ended with the team losing six of its last seven games.
This season, Hurts has just one interception, and the offense in general has just four turnovers. That has led to an 8-2 start, and while the offense doesn't have the explosive plays fans are used to, they are winning the most crucial battle on the stat sheet: the turnover battle.
The reality is, there are some limitations to Hurts' play that may never make him like the Patrick Mahomes of the world. He also has traits most quarterbacks don't, including decision-making and playmaking abilities.
Read more: Jalen Hurts haters don't want Eagles fans to see stats comparison to NFL legend
Hurts is doing his job well, so fans and his teammates should be grateful. Half the league would be lining up at the door to get Hurts if they had the chance.