Philadelphia Eagles coach Doug Pederson is naming Jalen Hurts his new beginning quarterback, and the rookie will begin Sunday towards the New Orleans Saints.
Carson Wentz, the staff’s franchise quarterback up to now, will again up Hurts.
“We’re not the place we need to be as an offense,” Pederson stated, based on the staff’s web site. “I checked out the entire thing and determined that for this week to search for that spark once more to attempt to get the staff over the hump, to attempt to get all people enjoying higher.”
Hurts got here off the bench within the Eagles’ 30-16 loss to the Packers on Sunday and outperformed Wentz. Hurts completed 5-of-12 for 109 yards with a landing and an interception whereas dashing 5 occasions for 29 yards. Wentz ended 6-of-15 for 79 yards and was sacked 4 occasions.
“Carson is like all of us proper now, he is disenchanted. He is annoyed,” Pederson stated. “He is been knowledgeable by all of it. He helps his teammates and that is what you need to see from him, the chief of the staff. I do know generally the quarterback will get numerous the blame like the pinnacle coach does. It is the great with the unhealthy. It isn’t about Carson Wentz. It isn’t about one individual. We all know we’ve got points on offense and it has been a battle for us all season. That is the place the frustration lies a little bit bit, however he is been a professional and would count on nothing much less.”
Wentz, 27, has been mired within the worst season of his profession, coming into Sunday’s recreation ranked first in interceptions (15) and sacks (46), thirty first in completion proportion (58.1%) and thirtieth in yards per try (6.02).
Hurts performed 33 snaps over the primary 11 video games, lining up all around the formation whereas getting used largely as a gadget participant. With rising requires Hurts to take extra snaps in latest weeks, Pederson has maintained that Wentz is the Eagles’ starter. Hurts, although, noticed a rise in first-team reps at quarterback previous to their Week 12 recreation towards the Seattle Seahawks, based on sources.
Hurts tossed the primary landing move of his profession halfway by the fourth quarter, hitting receiver Greg Ward for a 32-yard strike on fourth-and-18. Fellow Eagles rookie Jalen Reagor made it a one-score recreation with a 73-yard punt-return landing a little bit over a minute later, however the comeback bid ended there, because the Packers’ Aaron Jones broke off a 77-yard TD run and Hurts adopted with an interception.
“Any expertise and any alternative to the touch the sector, it solely sort of raises the worth of that participant. It is sort of has been that approach all yr, and in the present day Coach gave me that chance,” Hurts stated after the sport. “With all my coronary heart, I had each intention of coming in and getting it executed and profitable the sport, however we got here up quick, and that solely lights a fireplace in all people transferring ahead.”
Hurts racked up 52 touchdowns for Oklahoma final season — 32 passing and 20 dashing — whereas ending second within the Heisman Trophy voting behind Joe Burrow. The Eagles shocked many by choosing Hurts 53rd total in April’s NFL draft regardless of having given Wentz a four-year, $128 million extension in the summertime of 2019.
