Picture by Sarah Stier/Getty Photos
The Jalen Hurts discourse has been far and wide this season. The NFC Championship is his alternative to outline it.
Each time the Philadelphia Eagles and Washington Commanders have performed this season, each beginning QBs have been injured. Of their first matchup, rookie QB Jayden Daniels was nonetheless nursing a rib damage and couldn’t actually transfer or throw the best way he used to, resulting in an Eagles’ victory. The second time, QB Jalen Hurts was knocked out of the sport with a concussion, and the Commanders got here again to win the sport.
Each sign callers ought to be wholesome when groups face once more within the 2025 NFC Championship Sport, which makes this sport actually attention-grabbing. My greatest query for the Commanders is how they will pressure QB Jalen Hurts to be uncomfortable within the pocket, and if their chaotic defensive fashion can pressure Philly off their sport.
This 12 months, the Jalen Hurts discussions have been … attention-grabbing. Whereas he’s an extremely proficient participant and an automated plus-one in probably the most feared run sport within the NFL, the passing sport has felt disjointed and out of kinds for nearly all the season. Whether or not you wish to blame Hurts, or offensive coordinator Kellen Moore for that, it may’t be missed that the Eagles’ dropback passing sport has been thrown off target.
This reveals up massively below strain, the place Hurts is a completely completely different QB. Amongst all QBs with at the very least 100 snaps below strain per Sumer Sports activities, Hurts has a -0.52 EPA per play, just one spot above QB Daniel Jones and never too far off from Will Levis. He additionally has a paltry 26.8% Success Price towards strain, which is in the identical area as Deshaun Watson. Not nice, Bob! This reveals up on the movie, the place the reply to this drawback isn’t that the offense isn’t constructing in lots of straightforward solutions or Hurts isn’t seeing them—it’s each.
Hurts was sacked seven occasions towards the Rams, and a majority of these sacks got here on simulated pressures that fooled Hurts and Kellen Moore. On this sack, the Rams present a mugged look that doesn’t change with the movement by RB Saquon Barkley. Philly is working double slants to Hurts’ left and a spacing idea to his proper. With everybody mugged and anticipating a blitz, Hurts takes the snap and expects to hit WR Devonta Smith the place the blitzing LBs had been presupposed to be. Nevertheless, one of many LBs blitz however the different drops on to Smith, and Hurts is compelled to return off it. You may make the argument that he ought to hit AJ Brown on the bottom of this play, however for probably the most half every little thing is wadded up and Hurts takes a sack.
Whereas that one reveals off a passer that couldn’t get to the bottom of the play, some ideas simply bought discovered by the Rams. There’s not many locations to go together with the ball on this passing idea. You may see from the top zone view that Hurts needs to go for the comeback path to WR AJ Brown, however comes off of it as a result of good protection. To the entrance aspect of the idea, every little thing is accounted for. There’s nowhere to go together with the ball, and Hurts isn’t going into inventive mode so he takes a sack (Jared Verse additionally decleated Mekhi Becton on this rep).
The sim pressures kicked the Eagles’ butt in passing conditions on Sunday, and it is just a little worrisome. This was a monster play by Jared Verse, however the place does the ball go on this scenario?
— JP Acosta (@acosta32jp.bsky.social) 2025-01-20T15:41:22.858Z
This stands out as a result of whereas the Commanders’ protection isn’t precisely a dominant unit, they thrive on chaos. They need explosive performs for the protection, that are sacks, interceptions and fumbles. Washington completed the common season twelfth within the NFL in sacks, however towards Hurts and Philadelphia, they solely sacked Hurts twice and bought strain on 14 of his 40 dropbacks. Most significantly, Hurts didn’t flip the ball over towards the Commanders. What I assumed was attention-grabbing going again via the snaps that the Commanders’ protection performed towards Hurts was how little simulated pressures and video games they performed to attempt to get the Eagles’ QB off-balance. This one labored of their Week 11 sport, after they introduced a blitz and performed man protection behind it.
Hurts has Devonta Smith on a shallow route, however decides to not take it and eats a sack.
There’s a straightforward repair to all of those simulated pressures getting the most effective of Hurts and the Eagles’ passing sport: by no means put your self in these conditions within the first place. Most groups are going to unleash these form of pressures on apparent passing downs, nevertheless it’s actually arduous to do them on third and 4. Within the Eagles’ first matchup with the Commanders and Hurts being wholesome, Philly had a 47% Success Price and 0.15 EPA per run on early downs. This offense remaining on schedule opens up so many extra avenues for his or her playcalling, however most significantly it permits them to by no means be in a scenario the place they must move the ball.
Take the primary huge Saquon landing, for instance. It’s third and 4, and the Rams line up with three of their defensive linemen to 1 aspect, and each linebackers to the opposite aspect. Hurts sees this, realizing the down and distance, and checks right into a run play as a result of they’ve a very good likelihood at hitting LA arduous with a run. Subsequent factor , Barkley takes off for a landing.
I believe that is actually good by Hurts understanding the down+distance and in addition who they’re taking part in towards. Mekhi Becton despatched Rozeboom to the higher room pic.twitter.com/W3SEsuk9e4
— JP Acosta (@acosta32_jp) January 20, 2025
The Commanders must win on early downs on this sport, beginning up entrance. Defensive tackles Jonathan Allen and Daron Payne must play their finest soccer, which comes after taking part in top-of-the-line video games of their lives towards the Lions. If the Eagles can reside in 2nd and 4 or 2nd and 5, they’ll win the sport. Nevertheless, if Philly will get compelled into apparent passing conditions, which Jalen Hurts reveals up?
Picture by Sarah Stier/Getty Photos
The Jalen Hurts discourse has been far and wide this season. The NFC Championship is his alternative to outline it.
Each time the Philadelphia Eagles and Washington Commanders have performed this season, each beginning QBs have been injured. Of their first matchup, rookie QB Jayden Daniels was nonetheless nursing a rib damage and couldn’t actually transfer or throw the best way he used to, resulting in an Eagles’ victory. The second time, QB Jalen Hurts was knocked out of the sport with a concussion, and the Commanders got here again to win the sport.
Each sign callers ought to be wholesome when groups face once more within the 2025 NFC Championship Sport, which makes this sport actually attention-grabbing. My greatest query for the Commanders is how they will pressure QB Jalen Hurts to be uncomfortable within the pocket, and if their chaotic defensive fashion can pressure Philly off their sport.
This 12 months, the Jalen Hurts discussions have been … attention-grabbing. Whereas he’s an extremely proficient participant and an automated plus-one in probably the most feared run sport within the NFL, the passing sport has felt disjointed and out of kinds for nearly all the season. Whether or not you wish to blame Hurts, or offensive coordinator Kellen Moore for that, it may’t be missed that the Eagles’ dropback passing sport has been thrown off target.
This reveals up massively below strain, the place Hurts is a completely completely different QB. Amongst all QBs with at the very least 100 snaps below strain per Sumer Sports activities, Hurts has a -0.52 EPA per play, just one spot above QB Daniel Jones and never too far off from Will Levis. He additionally has a paltry 26.8% Success Price towards strain, which is in the identical area as Deshaun Watson. Not nice, Bob! This reveals up on the movie, the place the reply to this drawback isn’t that the offense isn’t constructing in lots of straightforward solutions or Hurts isn’t seeing them—it’s each.
Hurts was sacked seven occasions towards the Rams, and a majority of these sacks got here on simulated pressures that fooled Hurts and Kellen Moore. On this sack, the Rams present a mugged look that doesn’t change with the movement by RB Saquon Barkley. Philly is working double slants to Hurts’ left and a spacing idea to his proper. With everybody mugged and anticipating a blitz, Hurts takes the snap and expects to hit WR Devonta Smith the place the blitzing LBs had been presupposed to be. Nevertheless, one of many LBs blitz however the different drops on to Smith, and Hurts is compelled to return off it. You may make the argument that he ought to hit AJ Brown on the bottom of this play, however for probably the most half every little thing is wadded up and Hurts takes a sack.
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Whereas that one reveals off a passer that couldn’t get to the bottom of the play, some ideas simply bought discovered by the Rams. There’s not many locations to go together with the ball on this passing idea. You may see from the top zone view that Hurts needs to go for the comeback path to WR AJ Brown, however comes off of it as a result of good protection. To the entrance aspect of the idea, every little thing is accounted for. There’s nowhere to go together with the ball, and Hurts isn’t going into inventive mode so he takes a sack (Jared Verse additionally decleated Mekhi Becton on this rep).
The sim pressures kicked the Eagles’ butt in passing conditions on Sunday, and it is just a little worrisome. This was a monster play by Jared Verse, however the place does the ball go on this scenario?
— JP Acosta (@acosta32jp.bsky.social) 2025-01-20T15:41:22.858Z
This stands out as a result of whereas the Commanders’ protection isn’t precisely a dominant unit, they thrive on chaos. They need explosive performs for the protection, that are sacks, interceptions and fumbles. Washington completed the common season twelfth within the NFL in sacks, however towards Hurts and Philadelphia, they solely sacked Hurts twice and bought strain on 14 of his 40 dropbacks. Most significantly, Hurts didn’t flip the ball over towards the Commanders. What I assumed was attention-grabbing going again via the snaps that the Commanders’ protection performed towards Hurts was how little simulated pressures and video games they performed to attempt to get the Eagles’ QB off-balance. This one labored of their Week 11 sport, after they introduced a blitz and performed man protection behind it.
Hurts has Devonta Smith on a shallow route, however decides to not take it and eats a sack.
View submit on imgur.com
There’s a straightforward repair to all of those simulated pressures getting the most effective of Hurts and the Eagles’ passing sport: by no means put your self in these conditions within the first place. Most groups are going to unleash these form of pressures on apparent passing downs, nevertheless it’s actually arduous to do them on third and 4. Within the Eagles’ first matchup with the Commanders and Hurts being wholesome, Philly had a 47% Success Price and 0.15 EPA per run on early downs. This offense remaining on schedule opens up so many extra avenues for his or her playcalling, however most significantly it permits them to by no means be in a scenario the place they must move the ball.
Take the primary huge Saquon landing, for instance. It’s third and 4, and the Rams line up with three of their defensive linemen to 1 aspect, and each linebackers to the opposite aspect. Hurts sees this, realizing the down and distance, and checks right into a run play as a result of they’ve a very good likelihood at hitting LA arduous with a run. Subsequent factor , Barkley takes off for a landing.
I believe that is actually good by Hurts understanding the down+distance and in addition who they’re taking part in towards. Mekhi Becton despatched Rozeboom to the higher room pic.twitter.com/W3SEsuk9e4
— JP Acosta (@acosta32_jp) January 20, 2025
The Commanders must win on early downs on this sport, beginning up entrance. Defensive tackles Jonathan Allen and Daron Payne must play their finest soccer, which comes after taking part in top-of-the-line video games of their lives towards the Lions. If the Eagles can reside in 2nd and 4 or 2nd and 5, they’ll win the sport. Nevertheless, if Philly will get compelled into apparent passing conditions, which Jalen Hurts reveals up? Learn Extra