Nobody is sending Jalen Hurts to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton just yet, but it may be time to send him to the Pro Football STATS Hall of Fame in … Stat-en Island, of course!
The dude is a stat machine.
So in honor of his first NFL start, here’s our very first 10 Amazing Jalen Hurts Stats column!
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TOPPLING A GIANT: Hurts is the second quarterback in NFL history to beat a team on a winning streak of at least 9 games in his first career start. Ron Jaworski of the Rams ended the eventual Super Bowl-champion Steelers' 11-game winning streak on the last day of the 1975 season (despite completing just six passes).
CARRYING THE LOAD: Hurts’ 18 carries are tied for 8th-most in NFL history by a quarterback. Since 1962, only Lamar Jackson [twice], Tim Tebow and Bobby Douglas have had more. The previous high by an Eagles QB is 15 by Jack Concannon vs. the Steelers in 1966 [15-for-129]. His last three rushing attempts were kneel downs.
ELUDING PRESSURE: Hurts is the 13th quarterback to make his first career start for the Eagles since 1982 (when sacks became an official NFL stat) and the first to not get sacked in his first start. Since opening day of 2015, 58 quarterbacks from around the NFL have made their first NFL start and only two didn’t throw an interception or get sacked - Dak Prescott in 2016 and Hurts on Sunday. The last QB who didn’t get sacked, didn’t throw an interception and threw at least one TD in his first start was E.J. Manuel of the Bills in 2013.
BUCK, BRYCE AND CHARLIE: Hurts is the fourth Eagle in the last 40 years to rush for 100 yards in his first career start, the first since Bryce Brown had 178 yards against the Panthers in 2012. The others are Charlie Garner (111 vs. the 49ers in 1994) and Correll Buckhalter (134 vs. the Cards in 2001).
WHO IS NORRIS WEESE?: Hurts is also the first quarterback in NFL history to rush for 100 yards in his first start and only the sixth rookie quarterback with a 100-yard game. Here’s a look at those six:
- Norris Weese (Broncos), 1976 [did not start]
- Aaron Brooks (Saints), 2000 [3rd start]
- Robert Griffin III (Washington), 2012 [6th start]
- Marcus Mariota (Titans), 2015 [12th start]
- Josh Allen (Bills), 2018 [7th start]
- Jalen Hurts (Eagles), 2020 [1st start]
AN AUSPICIOUS DEBUT: Of the 19 QBs who’ve made their NFL debut for the Eagles since 1950, Hurts is only the third to throw at least one TD and no interceptions. The others are Hall of Famers Sonny Jurgensen against the Browns in 1957 (1 TD, 0 INTs) and Wentz, also vs. the Browns, in 2016 (2 TDs, 0 INTs).
NFL
YOUNGEST IN 56 YEARS: At 22 years, 58 days, Hurts on Sunday became the second-youngest Eagles quarterback to win a game and the youngest in 56 years. Jack Concannon won his only start of 1964 against the Cowboys at the age of 21 years, 258 days. Hurts is 51 days younger than Randall Cunningham was when he recorded his first win as a starter – against Washington in 1985.
YOUNG GUY TO OLD GUY: Hurts’ TD pass to Alshon Jeffery was the first touchdown pass by an Eagles quarterback 22 or younger to a receiver 30 or older since 21-year-old Concannon connected with 31-year-old Pete Retzlaff in a win over the Cowboys in 1964.
THROWING DEEP: Over the last seven games, Carson Wentz and Jalen Hurts have each completed three passes of 30 yards or more to wide receivers. Wentz has thrown 202 passes, Hurts has thrown 42.
YOUNGEST IN 40 YEARS: Hurts became the youngest quarterback to beat the Saints in his first NFL start since David Woodley of the Dolphins in 1980. Woodley was benched for Bob Griese after starting the game 4-for-15 for 61 yards, no TDs, three INTs and a 4.4 passer rating, but he still gets credit for the win because he was the starter. That was the second-to-last game of Griese’s Hall of Fame career.
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