Jalen Hurts' Rushing Yards are Down, But There are Two Big Reasons Why

The Eagles QB had 432 yards on the ground last year after eight games, but just 326 this year, yet the Eagles sit at 8-0 as they prepare to host the Commanders on Monday

PHILADELPHIA – Not since their Super Bowl season has the Eagles' offense been this dynamic in terms of scoring points on a consistent basis.

It is averaging 28.1 points per game, which is second-best in the league behind the Chiefs’ average of 30.4. In 2017, when the Eagles went to and won Super Bowl LII, they averaged 29 points per contest.

The strange part of all that: Jalen Hurts’ yards rushing yards are down this year, even though he is running more.

The Eagles quarterback has carried 88 times for 326 yards this season. Last year, Hurts had 73 runs for 432 yards after eight games.

He ran just twice against Pittsburgh, then, four days later in Houston, carried nine times.

There are a couple of reasons for that:

DEVELOPMENT AS A PASSER

First, Hurts has developed into a better passer because he makes faster decisions.

He is completing 68.2% of his passes compared to 63.8% last year after eight games. and, though he has the same number of touchdown passes with 10, he has just two interceptions this year compared to five at the same point in 2021.

That speaks to his development as a passer and, suddenly, his rushing yards for the offense aren’t as do-or-die as they were a season ago.

“I saw it coming,” said Eagles offensive coordinator Shane Steichen on Tuesday as the Eagles ramp up preparations to host the Washington Commanders on Monday Night Football 

“It started towards the end of last year. You saw the progression going up and then you saw it through training camp and then you saw it starting the season. The more you play and the more you see, I think at any position, you're going to grow as a football player. That's what he's doing.”

With his higher completion percentage has come more yards. 

Hurts has thrown for 2,042 yards in 2022 and is on pace to become just the second QB in Eagles history to top 4,000 yards passing, something Carson Wentz did in 2019 with 4,039.

“It (helps) when you're throwing it the way he's throwing it and being able to see it,” said Steichen. “The way we're throwing it right now has been pretty good. We're play action, we're drop back, doing a lot of different things with him.

“I think the more and more you play and the more and more you see, you're going to become a better player, and that's what's happening with him right now. It's continuing to show up. I know we have a lot of football left. We're only eight games in, we have nine left in the regular season, but we want to keep seeing that growth with him every week.”

Miles Sanders / USA Today

MILES SANDERS

The difference in Sanders’ numbers after eight games this year compared to a season ago are stark.

Last year, he got hurt in Week 7, so his number might be a bit skewed because he didn't play in Week 8. Still, the disparity between seasons is vast.

He had 58 runs for 300 yards in 2021 compared to 131 carries for 656 yards this year, which has him ranked seventh in the NFL for most rushing yards.

More importantly, Sanders has six touchdowns, which is already tied for the career high he set in 2020. He has scored a TD in five of the team’s eight games.

Last year, he didn’t have any touchdowns at all.

“He's running hard,” said Steichen. “I think he's finding his way in the end zone. A couple of those that popped for big ones. He had the one against Pittsburgh that was awesome, and then he's finding his way inside the 10-yard line getting in there, and he's doing a heck of a job.

“He's been doing a great job all year and seeing the holes and great vision. I think it's just turning out that way this year that he's scoring touchdowns. It's been good.”

Ed Kracz is the publisher of SI.com’s Fan Nation Eagles Today and co-host of the Eagles Unfiltered Podcast. Check out the latest Eagles news at www.SI.com/NFL/Eagles or www.eaglesmaven.com and please follow him on Twitter: @kracze.