Report: Hurts out, Minshew to start for Eagles

Share

Jalen Hurts’s sore ankle will sideline him for the Jets game Sunday, according to veteran Eagles reporter Derrick Gunn.

Former Jaguar Gardner Minshew, who became the No. 2 QB when the Eagles traded Joe Flacco to the Jets in October, would make his first start in an Eagles uniform if Hurts is unable to go.

Hurts got hurt in the fourth quarter of the Eagles’ loss to the Giants on Sunday and was limited in practice during the week.

Hurts said on Wednesday he planned on playing – “It’s fine, I’ll be ready to go” - but apparently the injury will now keep him out of the Eagles’ game against the Jets at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, the same field where Hurts got hurt last week.

Nick Sirianni said during the week the offense will look different in some ways if Minshew plays. The Eagles have been very run-heavy the last five weeks, but that could change on Sunday, especially with the Eagles banged up at running back.

“You know what your backup likes, and you know what he does well,” Sirianni said. “I don't want to say it's different game plans. It's different styles a little bit because you tweak everything for each individual player. But we're playing a certain style of defense, so there will be some similarities regardless of who's playing quarterback.”

Hurts hasn’t missed a meaningful snap this year and is one of 15 NFL quarterbacks to start each of his team’s games. He has started the Eagles’ last 20 games since replacing Carson Wentz last December.

The Eagles' opening-day starter has played every meaningful snap just once since 2005. That was 2016, when Wentz started all 16 games.

Minshew had a 7-13 record in 20 starts for the Jaguars in 2019 and 2020 and has a 93.1 career passer rating, which is 20th-highest in NFL history among QBs who’ve thrown at least 750 passes. This will be his first start since last Dec. 20, when he was 22-for-29 for 226 yards with two TDs and no interceptions against the Ravens in Baltimore.

Minshew beat the Jets in Jacksonville as a rookie in 2019, going 22-for-34 for 279 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions in a 29-15 win. He struggled a week later against the Texans and was benched for Nick Foles.

In his only playing time this year, Minshew was 2-for-2 for 11 yards during the final minutes of the Eagles’ 44-6 win in Detroit in October.

Head coach Nick Sirianni said Friday Jalen Hurts got more than half the 1st-team reps during the week, adding, “ I feel confident that both of them will be ready to go when either of their numbers are called.”

Subscribe to the Eagle Eye podcast:

Apple Podcasts | Google Play | Spotify | Stitcher | Art19 | Watch on YouTube

 

 

Contact Us