Nick Saban perfectly sums up the Jalen Hurts quarterback situation following the Eagles win over the Rams

[time2rock]

Nick Saban perfectly sums up the Jalen Hurts quarterback situation following the Eagles win over the Rams

• Steven Conrad Jr.
•  January 20, 2025

Jalen Hurts helped the Eagles secure a 28–22 victory against the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday, propelling his team toward their second NFC championship game in three years. However, the journey wasn’t without its hiccups, as Hurts delivered a mix of highlight-worthy plays and a few mistakes.

The game started off hot, with Jalen Hurts doing Jalen Hurts things—busting loose for an absolutely electric 44-yard touchdown run. That’s the kind of play that gets me out of my seats and screaming "MVP!”, while I get strange looks from people who secretly don’t like Jalen for some reason. But as the game went on, the passing game started to sputter.

Late in the third quarter, Hurts missed a chance to hit an open receiver, held onto the ball a little too long, and ended up getting sacked in the end zone for a safety. Brutal moment. The Rams grabbed two points, and it could’ve been worse if they didn’t cough up the ball on their next drive. Talk about dodging a bullet. But hey, sometimes the football gods smile on the Birds, and we take those breaks every time. And honestly I’m not sure why Kellen Moore had Jalen dropping back to pass their anyways, but that’s besides the point.

On Monday, Hurts’s former college coach, Nick Saban, weighed in on his performance during an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show.

"I think he’s doing what it takes to win,” Saban remarked. "The Eagles are a running football team. That’s their identity. They’ve got guys like Saquon Barkley, they run the ball well, and Jalen is a big part of that with plays like the one last night. Defenses have to respect his ability to run, but they also have to stay honest against the play-action pass. Jalen’s definitely capable of throwing effectively enough to complement their run game.”

Saban also highlighted how Hurts’s athleticism is both a gift and a challenge, noting it can sometimes lead to trouble.

Why Hurts’s Dual-Threat Ability is Non-Negotiable

"The thing with athletic quarterbacks is they never want to give up on a play,” Saban explained. "That’s why you see him take some of those sacks. But he’s a phenomenal athlete, and those types of players make game-changing plays. You can’t take that part of their game away.”

Let me hit y’all with some truth here. Nick Saban, the undisputed GOAT of college football, coached Jalen Hurts at Alabama. The man knows Hurts better than just about anyone, so when he speaks, you better listen.

The Nick Saban Rules

Saban talked about how, back in the day, he’d tell Hurts not to run during practices. Why? To help him develop as a passer. And guess what? Hurts put in the work. He’s come a long way since then, but Saban made it clear that Hurts’s ability to run is always going to be part of what makes him special.

This isn’t a knock—it’s what makes Jalen Hurts Jalen Hurts. He’s not just a quarterback; he’s a dual-threat weapon that keeps defensive coordinators up at night. Saban said it best: Hurts’s legs are part of his identity, and trying to take that away would be foolish.

Hurts is built for this

So, to all the haters nitpicking Jalen Hurts every time he makes a mistake, just take a breath. Seriously. Respect what Nick Saban is saying. This is a guy who’s coached some of the greatest players in football history, and he’s telling you Hurts is the real deal. That’s not just some casual endorsement—that’s a stamp of approval from one of the most brilliant minds in the game.

Philly, we’ve got a quarterback who can do it all. He’s a leader, a playmaker, and most importantly, a winner. We’re lucky to have him. So stop with the nonsense, stop overanalyzing every little thing, and just enjoy the ride.

https://thelibertyline.com/2025/01/20/nick-saban-perfectly-sums-up-the-jalen-hurts/

[UK_EaglesFan89]

It’s going to be very interesting to see the game plan this week and how it plays out. How banged up is Hurts? Does that change the approach? Can they get this pass game going? It almost feels like they need to scheme for short quick throws because it doesn’t seem like Hurts is making the right reads.

[birdman#12]

Winning heals a lot of ills but Hurts had a pretty serious concussion and now he's dealing with a knee injury.   So the passing game has to hold up it's part of the offense.

I would start Hurts off with the high percentage, quick passes and trying to get the RBs involved in the passing game. Got to get Barkley, Gainwell or Shipley one on one with a LB.  Use short crossing routes or wheel routes.  I think Washington challenges Hurts passing by stacking the line to stop Barkley. Got to take advantage of that.

Defensively, the pass rush has to step up here more than usual.....washington's line is a bit banged up and they have to try to knock Daniels around a bit.....force some mistakes.

I think the eagles still are the more physical team and they need to jump in front....

Eagles 28, Wash 20

[Miami]

Amazingly, Saban benched Hurts in the national championship game for Tua and then when Tua got hurt late in the game, Hurts came in and ran for the winning score.  Brought Saban to tears.  We just need a little more Hurts magic.  Hopefully, he is good to go and can fight through the injury.  We are very close.

[UK_EaglesFan89]

17 hours ago, Miami said:

Amazingly, Saban benched Hurts in the national championship game for Tua and then when Tua got hurt late in the game, Hurts came in and ran for the winning score.  Brought Saban to tears.  We just need a little more Hurts magic.  Hopefully, he is good to go and can fight through the injury.  We are very close.

We are so so close! And the one thing we know with Hurts is he will do what he needs to do to win. Doesn’t mean it’ll be pretty and doesn’t mean we will win but he will do whatever he can to help us win. I just want to see a fired up and focused team. A bit of energy from Hurts wouldn’t go amiss.