Consider this if you need an idea of how important the quarterback position is in a Super Bowl game. During the last eight games, the MVP award was won by someone playing the position. That puts pressure on Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts, and it does so for good reason.
He and his teammates want to dethrone the two-time-defending champion Kansas City Chiefs. To do so, he'll have an important role in that coming to fruition.
Hurts has shown he’s up to the challenge. His greatest performance in eight playoff appearances came vs. these same Chiefs in Super Bowl LVII. In short, QB1 lit them up.
He completed 27 of 38 passes, throwing for 304 yards. Not only did he throw a touchdown pass but he ran for three, leading Eagles rushers with 70 yards.
Had the Eagles beaten Kansas City, Hurts would have undoubtedly been selected as the game's MVP. On Sunday, he will earn his opportunity for retribution.
The opponent is the same as the last time Hurts was on this stage. Philly tackles Patrick Mahomes. He has three recent Super Bowl MVP trophies in the display case. Travis Kelce is playing. They are led by Andy Reid.
This isn't the same Chiefs team Hurts and company met two years ago though, but here's the kicker. Hurts isn't the same either.
Also read: List of every Eagles player who will be a free agent after Super Bowl 59
Jalen Hurts is wiser and more experienced to play in the big game.
Hurts is coming off his best playoff performance since Super Bowl LVII, a 55-23 dismantling of the Washington Commanders two weeks ago. He completed 20 of 28 passes for 246 yards. He threw a touchdown and rushed for three more.
Hurts says the game is not about the numbers and considers himself more of a 'game manager. That isn't true though. He has shown he can command the offense and carry it when he needs to be relied upon.
Unlike the last Super Bowl, Hurts has the experience of navigating media week and all the distractions that come with the biggest game in sports. He has started 36 games. He has won 26 of them. Each game has helped him mature into a better version of himself.
In short, no one is more ready for this game than Jalen, and guess what? This, time he has brought along reinforcements.
Hurts has an added insurance policy in Saquon Barkley.
Barkley is 30 yards away from breaking the 2,476 full-season rushing record. It stands at 2,476 yards and includes both regular and postseason numbers.
His presence and production have taken the pressure off Hurts to shoulder everything. The formula has worked. Look no further than the Divisional Round for evidence. Jalen enjoyed a modest playoff game vs. the Los Angeles Rams and threw for 128 yards.
Barkley rushed for 205 and scored two touchdowns. We haven't even discussed the brilliance of others. Dallas Goedert, A.J. Brown, and DeVonta Smith are threats in the passing game. That offensive firepower has got to make the Chiefs anxious.
K.C. knows Hurts can beat them with his legs. He can also beat them with his arm. He began the offensive assault vs. the Rams with a 44-yard gallop to the end zone, but he can carve up defenses through the air with the best of them.
Hurts’ worst playoff performance was his first in 2022 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He threw 20 incomplete passes. He tossed two interceptions and lost a fumble. Philly fell by a 31-15 final score.
That game gave Hurts a taste of how intense playoff football is and how critical the role of the quarterback is. But, more importantly, an intense will to win has been instilled. Losing Super Bowl LVII only elevated that.
Hurts has lived up to his vow. He has not thrown an interception in his last seven playoff games. He did have the costly fumble vs. the Chiefs in his last Super Bowl appearance though. Mahomes has won the previous two Super Bowl MVP awards. Can Hurts claim the trophy for himself?
Turnover-free football and an Eagles win certainly make that more of a possibility.
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