Despite Sunday’s 42-19 home loss to the San Francisco 49ers, the Philadelphia Eagles still have the best record in the league at 10-2.
Quarterback Jalen Hurts is the catalyst of the dynamic Eagles attack, one that came within seconds of winning last season’s Super Bowl. In Sunday’s loss Hurts, who went 26-for-45 for 298 yards and one touchdown, exited the game with what was thought to be a concussion.
The fourth-year pro returned later in the game after clearing health protocols. He even led a quick touchdown drive. So, for someone to say he was or is injured is a stretch, but that’s exactly what former No. 1 overall pick David Carr did on a recent episode NFL Total Access on the NFL Network.
Carr was obviously going for shock jock of the day when he came up with a wild theory that certain parts of the Eagles would look better with former No. 2 overall pick and Eagles backup Marcus Mariota under center.
Huh?
Carr Says Hurts Should Sit Until Fully Healthy
“Clearly, Jalen isn’t comfortable reading through a defense in a drop-back pass scenario,” Carr said. “Some would even say he’s not even good at it. And I think that when you look at this team, you have to have a serious conversation if you’re Philly. And you really have to say, Is it better for us to play Marcus Mariota right now and let Jalen get fully healthy? Because I would argue that it does not matter if they’re the No. 1 seed. Because if the 49ers come into Philly again, they do not care.”
“If you’re Nick Sirianni, this is the type of decision and conversation you have to have, if you have a big-picture mentality,” Carr said. “And I think you can have that conversation, honestly, with Jalen and you can sit him down. That’s all Jalen talks about is the end result. and getting to the Super Bowl and winning that thing.”
Carr Sounds Punch Drunk
For Carr to say Hurts should sit until fully healthy is a definite head-scratcher because he hasn’t shown up on any injury report. Yes he has a sore knee, but that hasn’t slowed him much at all.
Secondly, to hear him say Mariota is better at certain things in the Eagles offense is even more dumbfounding. Mariota fizzled out in Tennessee because he never developed as a passer.
His best skill has always been using his legs in the zone-read game, so Carr’s argument is dead right there.
At this stage of his career Mariota is a backup at best, some would even say journeyman. He’s on his third team in four seasons, after spending his first five in Tennessee.
Eagles Offense Not Same Without Hurts
No way Hurts sits with the division and home field advantage still hanging in the balance.
The Eagles offense does a lot for their bend-but-don’t-break defense and not having Hurts will definitely hurt the defense as well.
For Carr to say having home field wouldn’t matter if they were to play the Niners again is a questionable statement.
Home field advantage is a real thing in the NFL and the numbers would support that.
Carr suggesting that Jalen Hurts be benched makes no sense. Why would Eagles coach Nick Sirianni replace a guy that’s won 33 of his 46 NFL starts, an NFC Championship and NFC East title if he’s not injured?
This is one of the strangest takes by any analyst in a while.
The Eagles might decide to rest Hurts if he needs the off time to heal up for the playoffs, but as of now he’s given no indication that he plans on taking any days off.
Eagles travel to Dallas for a huge NFC East tilt on Sunday with division control at stake.
