He's back! Jalen Hurts is active folks! And, let's all hope the latter half of a popular phrase is also factual when referencing the Philadelphia Eagles' franchise quarterback. Let's hope 'he's better than ever'.
We realize there's no exact science involved in determining how long it should take someone to recover from a concussion. Nature must always take its course, and the recovery from a brain injury can't be rushed.
Still, for whatever reason, we hadn't seen Jalen Hurts in a very long time, and it felt like the Eagles star was in the NFL's concussion protocol longer than players are normally. We hope that isn't a sign of anything. We hope he's completely recovered.
Also read: Four predictions for the Eagles vs. Packers Wild Card Round grudge match
The numbers don't lie! The stats further prove the Eagles are lucky to have Jalen Hurts back for a Wild Card game vs. the Packers.
No disrespect is intended to Tanner McKee and Kenny Pickett. They filled in admirably during Jalen Hurts' absence, but this Eagles team's best chance of winning comes with their QB1 in the lineup.
Jalen has taken his share of criticism, more than his fair share sometimes. That can probably be said about every QB. This is Philly though. There's no end to the length of time his game will be analyzed.
Here's our case study. Jalen is a winner and a gamer, and Philly is better when he's in the lineup.
Jalen Hurts has thrown one interception since Philadelphia returned from its bye week.
Don't turn the ball over. That final instruction is given to every QB before kickoff, and Jalen Hurts has taken better care of the football lately. Since Philly returned from its Week 5 bye week, he has thrown one interception.
No other NFL QB has thrown fewer.
Philly's recipe for success is one that often works during the postseason: play defense, run the ball, protect the football.
Expect Jalen to be his usual steady self. Expect a good offensive showing from the Birds all postseason.
Jalen Hurts ranks 3rd in the NFL in passer rating since the bye week.
114.0 is Jalen Hurts' passer rating since Philly's Week 5 bye week, when he really settled in and got in a zone. He has gotten more familiar and more comfortable with Kellen Moore's offense weekly. That's resulted in fewer turnovers and 14 TDs since the break.
Don't blame the high rating on 'dinking and dunking'. Jalen ranks 3rd in yards-per-attempt over the same span. He is pushing the ball down the field.
The Birds do rank near the bottom of the league in pass attempts, but that may change in the postseason. Trust us on this. Jalen WILL BE READY!
The Eagles were 10-0 in ten consecutive Jalen Hurts starts before his injury vs. Washington.
Regardless of how it looks and regardless of how they get it done, the most important stat on a QB's resume is number of wins. Jalen is that winner that we speak of.
He has won 64.4% of his starts. He boasts a 46-20 record for his career. That includes a 12-3 record this season.
He was 10-0 in his last ten games before being tagged with the loss in Landover vs. the Washington Commanders, and when he left with a head injury, he was winning in that one.
Sure, there are parts of his game that can be improved. That can be stated about everyone though. Every NFL team brings its defense to a football game.
Sometimes, QBs are ineffective, but in Jalen's case, that is certainly the exception not the rule. Something tells us he's ready. We're certain he has been thinking about this moment since the confetti fell on the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LVII.