Eagles QB Jalen Hurts' Rushing Game in Question as Play-Calling Changes Take Center Stage
As the Philadelphia Eagles head into the playoffs, one question is on everyone's mind: will quarterback Jalen Hurts run more? The answer may not be a simple yes or no. While it's true that Hurts has historically been known for his ability to make big plays with his feet, the numbers from this season suggest that he's taken a step back in terms of rushing yards.
Hurts' average rush yards per game has dropped each year since becoming the full-time starter in 2021, including a significant decline from 2022 to 2023. This year, he averaged just 26.3 rush yards per game, which is nearly half as many as he did in his first full season. The drop-off in average per carry has also been noticeable, with Hurts averaging less than 4 yards per carry this season compared to over 5 yards per carry in his first year.
Despite the decrease in rushing yards, there's no question that running is still an important part of Hurts' arsenal. He's always been a threat to make something happen on the ground, and defenders have long looked for ways to slow him down. Even with a decreased rush total, Hurts was still able to pick up 143 yards and nine first downs on designed runs this season.
So why hasn't Hurts seemed more aggressive in terms of rushing? According to his own coach, Kevin Patullo, it's largely due to the play-calling. "The approach this year, and how the games have been called, with this coordinator, with Coach KP, it's just kinda gone that way," Hurts said in his weekly press conference. And the data supports this claim: Hurts averaged a career-low 1.7 designed rush attempts per game this season.
However, there's another factor at play here - scrambling yards. While designed runs are an important part of any quarterback's arsenal, scrambles are instinctual decisions that can't be explained by play-calling alone. According to NFL Pro, Hurts scrambled on a career-low 19.8% of his dropbacks this season, which suggests that he may not have felt the need to make as many plays with his feet.
As the Eagles head into the playoffs, it's hard to predict exactly what we'll see from Hurts in terms of rushing yards. The data does suggest that he may pick up a bit more on the ground than he did in the regular season - but the idea that he'll suddenly become a more prolific runner is probably an exaggeration.
Ultimately, what matters most for Hurts and the Eagles is finding ways to create big plays through other means. With a strong pass attack and a solid running back like Miles Sanders, there's plenty of ways to make things happen on the ground without relying solely on Hurts' rushing ability. As long as he can maintain his accuracy and avoid taking too many sacks, the Eagles should be just fine - even if that means we don't see quite as much of Jalen Hurts' famous feet in the postseason.
As the Philadelphia Eagles head into the playoffs, one question is on everyone's mind: will quarterback Jalen Hurts run more? The answer may not be a simple yes or no. While it's true that Hurts has historically been known for his ability to make big plays with his feet, the numbers from this season suggest that he's taken a step back in terms of rushing yards.
Hurts' average rush yards per game has dropped each year since becoming the full-time starter in 2021, including a significant decline from 2022 to 2023. This year, he averaged just 26.3 rush yards per game, which is nearly half as many as he did in his first full season. The drop-off in average per carry has also been noticeable, with Hurts averaging less than 4 yards per carry this season compared to over 5 yards per carry in his first year.
Despite the decrease in rushing yards, there's no question that running is still an important part of Hurts' arsenal. He's always been a threat to make something happen on the ground, and defenders have long looked for ways to slow him down. Even with a decreased rush total, Hurts was still able to pick up 143 yards and nine first downs on designed runs this season.
So why hasn't Hurts seemed more aggressive in terms of rushing? According to his own coach, Kevin Patullo, it's largely due to the play-calling. "The approach this year, and how the games have been called, with this coordinator, with Coach KP, it's just kinda gone that way," Hurts said in his weekly press conference. And the data supports this claim: Hurts averaged a career-low 1.7 designed rush attempts per game this season.
However, there's another factor at play here - scrambling yards. While designed runs are an important part of any quarterback's arsenal, scrambles are instinctual decisions that can't be explained by play-calling alone. According to NFL Pro, Hurts scrambled on a career-low 19.8% of his dropbacks this season, which suggests that he may not have felt the need to make as many plays with his feet.
As the Eagles head into the playoffs, it's hard to predict exactly what we'll see from Hurts in terms of rushing yards. The data does suggest that he may pick up a bit more on the ground than he did in the regular season - but the idea that he'll suddenly become a more prolific runner is probably an exaggeration.
Ultimately, what matters most for Hurts and the Eagles is finding ways to create big plays through other means. With a strong pass attack and a solid running back like Miles Sanders, there's plenty of ways to make things happen on the ground without relying solely on Hurts' rushing ability. As long as he can maintain his accuracy and avoid taking too many sacks, the Eagles should be just fine - even if that means we don't see quite as much of Jalen Hurts' famous feet in the postseason.
so i think its all about finding ways to create big plays without relying too much on hurts' rushing ability. like he has other threats on his team like miles sanders and the pass attack is strong, so they can make things happen even if hurts isn't getting as many yards on the ground 
. so lets not get too worked up about hurts' rushing stats just yet, and see how the team does as a whole
but before we jump to conclusions, lets look at the numbers... average rush yards per game dropped by like 50% from last year to this year 
and its true that play-calling is changing with new coordinator. 
but then theres the scrambling yards factor which seems to be down too 
i dont buy that it's all about the play-calling though... what if hurts just feels more comfortable passing the ball now? 
.
, always gotta take a shot at 'em. I mean, yeah, numbers are down on his rush yards per game, but that's just 'cause the opposing teams been better at stopping him 
. Don't need to see more of his rushing game in playoffs anyway, let him focus on throwing touchdowns 
and honestly it's kinda working he's still making big plays but now its more through the air lol like i get it coaches wanna mix things up but at the same time ur still Jalen Hurts aka the quarterback who can make something out of nothing 
anyway u gotta respect his decision to not be as aggressive with those runs this season, i mean we all know he's got the speed and elusiveness but now its more about finding other ways to get the job done 
. And let's be real, who needs to watch him scramble around like a chicken with its head cut off 
? It's just not as exciting as watching him throw a perfect pass downfield 
. And what's up with the play-calling changes taking center stage? Can't they just stick to what works? 
. According to coach Kevin Patullo, the approach this year is largely due to the coordinator, and the data supports this claim 
.
. Scrambling yards could be an indicator of his instincts as a quarterback, which can't be fully attributed to play-calling alone 
. As long as Hurts maintains accuracy and avoids taking sacks, he'll be just fine 
.
... like I get it, play-calling changes and all that 
. But you can't help but feel like Hurts is just chillin' on the ground more often 
. The stats are def not what they used to be, you know? 26.3 yards per game? That's like, a step back from where he was in 2022, when he was averaging 41.4 
. I'm all for Hurts being smart and reading the defense, but at the same time, we need him to be able to make some magic happen on his own two feet 
. Like, remember that one play last year where he took it all the way to the house? 
That's the kinda stuff I'm missing this season 
...
. Like, one day he's a beast on the ground, next day he's just kinda standing there 
. But seriously, it's not like he's completely lost his magic or anything... he's still got that crazy ability to make something happen with his feet.
.
. So we'll just have to wait and see how it all shakes out... maybe he'll surprise us and become a super-efficient runner who still makes highlight-reel plays 
. The thing is, as long as he can still make accurate passes and avoid taking sacks, I think the Eagles will be fine 
. The thing is, with Miles Sanders in the backfield, it's like... why bother with all that rushing when you've got a solid runner already? 
.