Quarterback Jalen Hurts has been named NFC Offensive Player of the Month for September after leading the Eagles to three straight wins to kick off the 2022 campaign. While doing so, he put up career-high performances, exemplifying his commitment to improvement as he navigates his second year as a full-time starter. Nonetheless, Hurts is laser-focused on the competitive season of football ahead; he says, "It's just the beginning."
His recent success is a product of his tireless persistence and even-keeled demeanor. Offensive Coordinator Shane Steichen said on Tuesday that he's seen Hurts in the NovaCare Complex working towards improvement at all hours.
"It's a part of me. This is my comfort zone, my safe haven, being here, being around the building and doing football," Hurts said. "This is what I do. This is what I've always done."
And it shows. He's been a deep-ball threat to opposing teams – he has a QB rating of 123.1 on passes 10+ yards in the air, good for first in the NFC – and when he doesn't have an open read, his legs have carried him with ease; he's recorded 167 rushing yards for three touchdowns. Hurts is one of just two NFL quarterbacks with 1,000+ total yards through Week 3; he's the only signal-caller in the NFC with those numbers.
But even as the statistics begin to pile up, he preaches his mantra that he'll settle for nothing less than "the standard" – and it's one that's been raised each week.
Notable stats through Week 3 of the 2020 season:
• Hurts' 9.3 yards per attempt is No. 1 in the league.
• Hurts is the only QB in the Super Bowl era to average 300 pass yards (305.3) and 50 rush yards (55.7) over the course of a team's first three games.
• Hurts has the highest passer rating of any QB in the NFC (106.5).
• Hurts' 19.3-point improvement in his passer rating from last season is the highest of any NFC QB.
• Hurts improved his completion percentage by 9.3 from 2020 to 2021, the second-highest mark over the past 10 seasons. Well, it's up another 6 percent as he's completing 67.3 percent of his attempts this season.
• Hurts has won his last six regular-season starts dating back to last season. Over that span, he's averaged 313.5 passing and rushing yards, scored 12 total touchdowns, and has a 104.2 passer rating.
• Hurts leads all NFL QBs with three rushing touchdowns.
Here's a comprehensive game-by-game recap of his outstanding performance so far this season:
Season opener against the Detroit Lions
• Jalen Hurts combined for 333 yards and recorded the Eagles' first rushing touchdown of the season.
• Hurts threw for 243 yards on 18-of-32 passing and rushed for 90 yards and 1 TD on 17 carries.
• Philadelphia tied the game, 7-7, at the start of the second quarter after Jalen Hurts capped a 13-play, 82-yard drive (7:55) with a 1-yard rushing TD.
• During the Eagles' possession, Hurts completed 6-of-7 attempts for 77 yards and rushed for 16 yards and a score.
Week 2 against the Minnesota Vikings
• Jalen Hurts combined for 390 yards and three touchdowns on Monday Night Football.
• Hurts completed a career-high 83.9 percent of his attempts (26-of-31) for 333 yards.
• Hurts completed 11-of-11 attempts for 151 yards and one touchdown to open the game. It marked the longest streak of consecutive completions to start a game in his career.
Week 3 against the Commanders
• Jalen Hurts finished 22-of-35 passing for 340 yards and three touchdowns.
• Hurts became the first Eagles quarterback to throw for 275+ yards (279) and 3+ touchdowns in the first half of a game since Donovan McNabb in 2008 vs. St. Louis.
