Dallas Goedert has actual evidence toward how much Philadelphia Eagles teammate Jalen Hurts has improved over the course of the last two years. Not only has Hurts become one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL, but Goedert has ascended with him into one of the best tight ends in the league.
Excuse Goedert for putting Hurts amongst the elite quarterbacks in the game, yet alone behind Patrick Mahomes.
“I think Jalen has to be at the top,” Goedert said on where Hurts ranks amongst the game’s best quarterbacks, via the “Pardon My Take” podcast. “I think he should be top three, top two. It’s hard to take anything away from Patrick. You go down the list and there’s probably 10 quarterbacks that could be in the top five, depends on what fan base you are.
“But personally speaking, Jalen is top two.”
Goedert has enough to back up the runner-up for the NFL MVP award (Mahomes won the MVP). Hurts completed 66.5% of his passes for 4,280 yards with 25 touchdowns to just six interceptions for a 100.8 passer rating in his 18 starts (including playoffs), while also having 903 rushing yards and 18 rushing touchdowns. Hurts reached 5,183 total yards and 43 total touchdowns to just seven turnovers in his 18 starts, as the Philadelphia Eagles were 16-2 in those starts.
Hurts had one of the best games of his career in the Super Bowl LVII loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, completing 27 of 38 passes for 304 yards with a touchdown and a 103.4 passer rating. He also added 15 carries for 70 yards and three touchdowns, becoming the first quarterback to rush for three touchdowns in a Super Bowl.
Hurts is the first player in NFL history with 300 pass yards, 70 rush yards and three rushing touchdowns in a game, accomplishing this feat in the Super Bowl. He finished with 374 total yards and four touchdowns.
Not only did Goedert go to bat for Hurts, but he also revealed how much defenses hated the “Tush Push.” The Eagles were 37 of 41 (90.2%) on quarterback sneaks last season, 36 of 39 (92.3%) with Jalen Hurts. Even though an attempt to outlaw it was tried in the offseason, the move was unsuccessful.
The Eagles had a cheat code that defenses couldn’t stop.
“Oh they hated it,” Goedert said. “Every time. They’d call us p——. Called us ‘soft.’ Tell us ‘run a real play.’ And we’re like, ‘Well don’t give us third-and-1 and fourth-and-1.'”
Hurts and the “Tush Push” were a lethal combination in 2022, and both will be back in 2023.
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Author: Jeff Kerr
July 12, 2023 | 5:12 pm
