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Against the Saints, Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts became only the second player since 1950 to earn at least 100 rushing yards in his debut at the quarterback position, joining Lamar Jackson, who accomplished the feat in 2018 with the Ravens, according to NFL Research.
Jalen Hurts has joined Lamar Jackson as the only players since at least 1950 to have 100+ rush yards in their 1st career QB start
Hurts & Miles Sanders both had 100 rush yds, snapping the Saints streak of 50 games without allowing a 100-yd rusher (4th longest streak since 1950)
— NFL Research (@NFLResearch) December 14, 2020
Starting the game in place of the struggling Carson Wentz, Hurts jumpstarted what had been a lackluster Eagles' offense, as the team overcame the New Orleans Saints to snap a four game losing streak. While Hurts was efficient in the passing game, completing 17 of 30 throwing attempts while earning 167-yards and a touchdown, it was the rookie's contribution on the ground that paced Philadelphia to the win.
Competing against a Saints defense that hadn't allowed a single rusher to earn over 100 rushing yards in 56 games, the longest such streak in the Super bowl era, Hurts was joined by Eagles running back Miles Sanders in eclipsing the century mark.
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Staked to an early double-digit lead, thanks to an 82-yard touchdown run by Sanders, head coach Doug Pederson was allowed to call a conservative offensive game plan, that limited the pressure New Orleans could apply on Hurts. Not only were the Eagles able to win the time of possession battle, but Philadelphia avoided the type of turnovers that had plagued them throughout the year, losing the ball only once on a fumble.
With the win and his accompanying performance, Hurts appears certain to retain the starting quarterback position next week against the Arizona Cardinals. While the Eagles have sought to avoid questions about Wentz's future within organization given the rise of Hurts, it seems likely that speculation will continue to abound as the rookie QB establishes himself.
Though it may be an uncomfortable situation to manage, the Eagles and their fans have to feel positive that they at least appear to have one functioning quarterback.
