Jalen Hurts has been one of the most improved quarterbacks in football this season, a trajectory not many saw coming despite his incredible work ethic. Not only has Hurts catapulted himself into the top tier of quarterbacks around the league, he's one of the top candidates to win Most Valuable Player.
The Philadelphia Eagles are off to a 7-0 start thanks to the arm and legs of Hurts, who has thrown for 1,799 yards and 10 touchdowns while rushing for 303 yards and six touchdowns. Hurts can lead the Eagles to their first 8-0 start in the franchise's 90-year history, while tying Peyton Manning (11 consecutive wins in 1999) and Dak Prescott (11 in 2016) for the third-longest winning streak by a starting quarterback under the age of 25 since 1990 (Hurts has won 10 regular-season games in a row).
Hurts has been one of the best quarterbacks in football this season, which we take a look at in this week's By The Numbers.
NFL passing leaders -- QB rating
- Tua Tagovailoa -- 112.7
- Patrick Mahomes -- 109.5
- Geno Smith -- 107.2
- Josh Allen -- 105.9
- Jalen Hurts -- 105.1
NFL passing leaders -- yards per attempt
- Tua Tagovailoa -- 9.0
- Jalen Hurts -- 8.5
- Josh Allen -- 8.3
- Patrick Mahomes -- 8.2
- Jimmy Garoppolo -- 8.1
NFL leaders -- total yards per game
- Josh Allen -- 357.7
- Patrick Mahomes -- 324.6
- Joe Burrow -- 318.1
- Jalen Hurts -- 300.3
- Justin Herbert -- 293.8
NFL leaders -- total touchdowns
- Josh Allen -- 21
- Patrick Mahomes -- 20
- Joe Burrow -- 18
- Lamar Jackson -- 17
- Jalen Hurts -- 16
Hurts has been amongst the leaders in every major statistical category this season. The Eagles quarterback is seventh in the league in completion percentage (67%), third in interception rate (0.9%), sixth in yards per completion (12.7) and ninth in passing yards per game (257.0).
What's even more impressive with Hurts is his ability to not turn the football over. Dating back to 2000, only three NFL quarterbacks have led their teams to 7-0 records while totaling 16-plus touchdowns with two-or-fewer giveaways: Jalen Hurts (2022), Tom Brady (2015) and Peyton Manning (2006). The Eagles offense has benefitted from Hurts' play in 2022, ranking third in points per game (28.0), third in yards per game (395.4) and are tied for fourth in third down conversion rate (45.5%) this season.
Mid level and deep passes have also been a huge improvement in Hurts' game. On passes of 10-plus air yards, Hurts has completed 52.4% of his passes with 850 yards with five touchdowns to just one interception for a 117.7 passer rating (fourth in the NFL). Hurts is ninth in completion rate, 10th in passing yards, and tied for eighth in touchdown passes on throws that have traveled for 10-plus air yards.
On passes that have traveled 25-plus air yards, Hurts has completed 61.5% of them for 329 yards with four touchdowns and no interceptions for a 145.0 rating. Hurts only trails Josh Allen in each of those statistics, making him one of the best deep-ball throwers in the NFL.
Hurts is climbing up the history books as he hasn't even turned 25 years old yet -- already setting some Eagles franchise marks in the process.
Longest regular-season win streak -- Eagles history
- Jalen Hurts -- 10 (2021-2022)
- Carson Wentz -- 9 (2017)
- Donovan McNabb -- 9 (2003)
- Norm Van Brocklin -- 9 (1960)
Longest win streaks since 1990 -- QBs under the age of 25
- Ben Roethlisberger (Steelers) -- 15 (2004-2005)
- Lamar Jackson (Ravens) -- 13 (2019-2020)
- Peyton Manning (Colts) -- 11 (1999)
- Dak Prescott (Cowboys) -- 11 (2016)
- Jalen Hurts (Eagles)* -- 10 (2021-2022)
*Active
Hurts is the only player in NFL history to complete 67% of his passes, throw for 1,700 yards and 10 touchdowns, while rushing for 300 yards and six touchdowns in the first seven team games of the season. He can become just the third quarterback under the age of 25 to start and win each of his team's first eight games of a season since 1950 -- joining Dan Marino (1984) and Jared Goff (2018).
Hurts also has the best win percentage in the league (.867) since Week 8 of the 2021 season, going 13-2 in his last 15 starts. During this 10-game winning streak, Hurts has completed 65.9% of his passes for 2,212 yards with 12 touchdowns to just two interceptions for a 103.4 passer rating while rushing for 354 yards and six touchdowns. In Hurts' last 15 games, he has completed 64.4% of his passes for 3,227 yards with 16 touchdowns to seven interceptions (95.2 rating) while rushing for 726 yards and 11 touchdowns.
Hurts has morphed into one of the top quarterbacks in the NFL, gathering wins in the process. Not only is Hurts the franchise quarterback of the Eagles, he's on the verse of getting paid like one over the next few months.
