ESPN points out Eagles QB Jalen Hurts' biggest weakness this season
ESPN put out an article on Friday that highlights each NFL starting quarterback's biggest weakness and it of course included a critique about Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts. Aaron Schatz pointed out that Hurts, the frontrunner for the NFL MVP award, hasn't been that great under pressure this season. From ESPN: This is a surprise […]
ESPN put out an article on Friday that highlights each NFL starting quarterback's biggest weakness and it of course included a critique about Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts.
Aaron Schatz pointed out that Hurts, the frontrunner for the NFL MVP award, hasn't been that great under pressure this season.
This is a surprise because he is such a dangerous scrambler, but Hurts has been only an average quarterback under pressure this season. Without pressure, Hurts has an 82.4 QBR, which ranks second in the NFL. With pressure, Hurts drops to 25.5 in QBR, which ranks 12th. Take out scrambles, and Hurts drops even further to 10.7, which ranks 22nd in the league.
However, performance under pressure is generally less consistent than performance from a clean pocket, and Hurts is no exception. In 2021, Hurts ranked sixth in the league with a 49.7 QBR under pressure.
Hurts is also a good example of how weaknesses can be addressed, especially for young quarterbacks. Last year, Hurts was poor at throwing to the middle of the field and threw to the middle less than any other starting quarterback. But this year, Hurts is above average on throws to the middle and passes there with an average frequency (40% of his throws).
Let's be honest — ESPN had to find a weakness for Hurts and they had to stretch to find something.
Pressure makes every quarterback's job harder. And it's not like Hurt is bad under pressure — he's just not quite as good. ESPN points out that his QBR is No. 12 in the NFL when he's under pressure. Not bad for a guy who was an afterthought for many NFL teams a couple of years ago.
Hurts is still a young quarterback. He's going to continue to improve in this area as he gains experience. Hurts' has a high ceiling and there's certainly room to improve. Philly fans should be pumped about where Hurts currently is as a quarterback and where he could potentially go.
Featured image via Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports
