Just a couple of weeks ago, several NFL insiders talked about how Jalen Hurts wasn't the right guy to lead the Philadelphia Eagles' franchise to success.
Most mock drafts had the Eagles trading up in the first round to get a new franchise quarterback, with Pittsburgh's Kenny Pickett and UNC's Sam Howell as the two most likely candidates.
Fast-forward to today, and the second-year pro out of Oklahoma may have turned that narrative around, finally showing glimpses of the star QB he can be.
Head Coach Nick Sirianni deserves a lot of credit for Hurts' recent breakout.
He finally realized that he needed to rely on his running game to open up more space for Hurt's dual-threat skill set.
The Eagles have totaled 626 rushing yards over their past three games, winning two out of three for the first time in Siriannis' tenure:
“We just want to do what we think is best for us to win each football game and that always starts with what you think you do well first,” Sirianni told the media, per The Score.“And then it goes into the team’s scheme that you're playing and their players. We’ve known we’ve had a good offensive line the whole time. We’ve always wanted to get the run game going to help Jalen (Hurts) be more successful as a quarterback, because that takes some of the pressure off him."
The head coach had a lot of praise for Hurts and how he led their offense in the Eagles' 30-13 win over the Broncos. He was poised, comfortable, and turned several broken plays into big gains:
“He just gets better every day," Sirianni said, as quoted by Bleeding Green Nation. "He truly exemplifies the getting one percent better every day. Getting a little bit better every day, and he just continues to get better. So, he just did some really good things in that game."
Hurts had the best half of his young career in the NFL and was confident and in control from start to finish.
Overall, the second-year pro finished the game with 16 completions on 23 attempts, 178 yards passing, two touchdowns, and one interception. He added 14 rushes for 53 yards, including a huge 31-yard gain.
While those numbers aren't exactly impressive, it's the way he's handled himself and read opposing defenses makes people believe that he might turn out well after all.
The Eagles are currently sitting at a mediocre 4-6 record but they're far from done.
They trail the Carolina Panthers (5-5) by just one game for the third Wild Card spot in the NFC, and they've already beaten them this season.
Moreover, the Eagles have the easiest remaining schedule in the NFC.
They're slated to face the Saints, Giants (x2), Jets, Washington Football Team (x2), and Cowboys; so it's still way too early to count them out of the postseason.
Maybe, a playoff berth is just what Hurts needs to silence his doubters once and for all.
