Perhaps the biggest uncertainty when previewing the Super Bowl involves Jalen Hurts' shoulder. He injured it back in Week 15, and although he was able to suit up for Week 18 and both playoff games, it's fair to wonder if he's fully healthy. We don't really know.
In none of those three games post-injury were the Eagles really challenged. They were able to control the regular-season finale against Giants backups with defense, and won both playoff games with defense and the ground game. Hurts himself didn't do much as a passer, and wasn't airing it out the way he did for most of the season.
It shows up in yards per attempt. Prior to his injury, Hurts averaged over 8 yards per attempt, one of the best rates in the league. Others up that high included Tua Tagovailoa (with elite deep threats at his disposal), Tagovailoa's backup, and Hurts' own backup, Gardner Minshew.
In three games post-injury (Week 18 and the two playoff games), Hurts has averaged just 6.0 yards per attempt. That's one of the 10 lowest figures in the league, down with a whole bunch of backup and third-string passers -- Thompson, Rypien, Ehlinger et al.
QUARTERBACKS, YARDS PER ATTEMPT | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Player | G | GS | Cmp | Att | Yds | TD | Y/Att |
Tua Tagovailoa | 13 | 13 | 259 | 400 | 3548 | 25 | 8.9 |
Gardner Minshew | 5 | 2 | 44 | 76 | 663 | 3 | 8.7 |
Teddy Bridgewater | 5 | 2 | 49 | 79 | 683 | 4 | 8.6 |
Bailey Zappe | 4 | 2 | 65 | 92 | 781 | 5 | 8.5 |
Jalen Hurts (pre-inj) | 14 | 14 | 286 | 425 | 3472 | 22 | 8.2 |
Sam Darnold | 6 | 6 | 82 | 140 | 1143 | 7 | 8.2 |
Patrick Mahomes | 17 | 17 | 435 | 648 | 5250 | 41 | 8.1 |
Brock Purdy | 9 | 5 | 114 | 170 | 1374 | 13 | 8.1 |
Jimmy Garoppolo | 11 | 10 | 207 | 308 | 2437 | 16 | 7.9 |
Jarrett Stidham | 5 | 2 | 53 | 83 | 656 | 4 | 7.9 |
Ryan Tannehill | 12 | 12 | 212 | 325 | 2536 | 13 | 7.8 |
Andy Dalton | 14 | 14 | 252 | 378 | 2871 | 18 | 7.6 |
Jared Goff | 17 | 17 | 382 | 587 | 4438 | 29 | 7.6 |
Josh Allen | 16 | 16 | 359 | 567 | 4283 | 35 | 7.6 |
Geno Smith | 17 | 17 | 399 | 572 | 4282 | 30 | 7.5 |
Jameis Winston | 3 | 3 | 73 | 115 | 858 | 4 | 7.5 |
Marcus Mariota | 13 | 13 | 184 | 300 | 2219 | 15 | 7.4 |
Joe Burrow | 16 | 16 | 414 | 606 | 4475 | 35 | 7.4 |
Russell Wilson | 15 | 15 | 292 | 483 | 3524 | 16 | 7.3 |
Dak Prescott | 12 | 12 | 261 | 394 | 2860 | 23 | 7.3 |
Taylor Heinicke | 9 | 9 | 161 | 259 | 1859 | 12 | 7.2 |
Kirk Cousins | 17 | 17 | 424 | 643 | 4547 | 29 | 7.1 |
Jacoby Brissett | 16 | 11 | 236 | 369 | 2608 | 12 | 7.1 |
Justin Fields | 15 | 15 | 192 | 318 | 2242 | 17 | 7.1 |
Trevor Lawrence | 17 | 17 | 387 | 584 | 4113 | 25 | 7.0 |
Derek Carr | 15 | 15 | 305 | 502 | 3522 | 24 | 7.0 |
Zach Wilson | 9 | 9 | 132 | 242 | 1688 | 6 | 7.0 |
Mitchell Trubisky | 7 | 5 | 117 | 180 | 1252 | 4 | 7.0 |
P.J. Walker | 6 | 5 | 63 | 106 | 731 | 3 | 6.9 |
Matthew Stafford | 9 | 9 | 206 | 303 | 2087 | 10 | 6.9 |
Lamar Jackson | 12 | 12 | 203 | 326 | 2242 | 17 | 6.9 |
Aaron Rodgers | 17 | 17 | 350 | 542 | 3695 | 26 | 6.8 |
Mike White | 4 | 4 | 103 | 175 | 1192 | 3 | 6.8 |
Daniel Jones | 16 | 16 | 317 | 472 | 3205 | 15 | 6.8 |
Mac Jones | 14 | 14 | 288 | 442 | 2997 | 14 | 6.8 |
Justin Herbert | 17 | 17 | 477 | 699 | 4739 | 25 | 6.8 |
Matt Ryan | 12 | 12 | 309 | 461 | 3057 | 14 | 6.6 |
Davis Mills | 15 | 15 | 292 | 479 | 3118 | 17 | 6.5 |
Cooper Rush | 9 | 5 | 94 | 162 | 1051 | 5 | 6.5 |
Deshaun Watson | 6 | 6 | 99 | 170 | 1102 | 7 | 6.5 |
Baker Mayfield | 12 | 10 | 201 | 335 | 2163 | 10 | 6.5 |
Tom Brady | 17 | 17 | 490 | 733 | 4694 | 25 | 6.4 |
Carson Wentz | 8 | 7 | 172 | 276 | 1755 | 11 | 6.4 |
Kenny Pickett | 13 | 12 | 245 | 389 | 2404 | 7 | 6.2 |
Desmond Ridder | 4 | 4 | 73 | 115 | 708 | 2 | 6.2 |
Kyler Murray | 11 | 11 | 259 | 390 | 2368 | 14 | 6.1 |
Jalen Hurts (post-inj) | 3 | 3 | 51 | 84 | 504 | 2 | 6.0 |
Colt McCoy | 4 | 3 | 90 | 132 | 780 | 1 | 5.9 |
Tyler Huntley | 6 | 4 | 75 | 112 | 658 | 2 | 5.9 |
Sam Ehlinger | 4 | 3 | 64 | 101 | 573 | 3 | 5.7 |
Joe Flacco | 5 | 4 | 110 | 191 | 1051 | 5 | 5.5 |
Brett Rypien | 4 | 2 | 53 | 88 | 483 | 2 | 5.5 |
Kyle Allen | 2 | 2 | 46 | 78 | 416 | 2 | 5.3 |
Skylar Thompson | 7 | 2 | 60 | 105 | 534 | 1 | 5.1 |
Trace McSorley | 6 | 1 | 45 | 83 | 412 | 0 | 5.0 |
It's a small sample set, of course, and when the Super Bowl kicks off next Sunday, Hurts will have had another two weeks of rest and recovery. Anyone not concerned about him could argue that Hurts hasn't thrown downfield much in the playoffs because it hasn't been necessary.
But that's my biggest concern about the Eagles offense, when I'm looking at the upcoming matchup. Kansas City is vulnerable against the pass, but I'm not sure Hurts will fully take advantage. If not, the Eagles offense won't be all it should be, or could be.
--Andy Richardson