After a rough few weeks, Jalen Hurts reminded everyone why he’s still one of the most dynamic quarterbacks in the league. In a dominant 31-0 win over the Raiders at Lincoln Financial Field, Hurts didn’t just bounce back-he recalibrated the Eagles' entire offensive identity.
Hurts was sharp and efficient, completing 12 of 15 passes for 175 yards and three touchdowns. He added 39 yards on the ground, but perhaps more importantly, he took care of the football-a welcome change after coughing it up five times in last week’s overtime loss to the Chargers.
But this wasn’t just about Hurts playing better. It was about the Eagles finally putting him in a position to succeed.
According to former NFL quarterback Dan Orlovsky, Philadelphia made a crucial schematic shift against Las Vegas: they ran 30 plays from under center. That’s a major departure from the shotgun-heavy approach they leaned on during their recent three-game losing streak.
“He is a much better quarterback from under center play action than he is gun play action,” Orlovsky said on ESPN’s Get Up.
And the numbers back that up. In their losses to the Cowboys, Bears, and Chargers, the Eagles ran a combined 24 plays from under center-total.
That’s across three games. Against the Raiders alone, they surpassed that number, and the offense looked completely different because of it.
Going under center doesn’t just change where the quarterback lines up-it changes the entire rhythm and structure of the offense. It helps disguise intentions, opens up the play-action game, and gives running backs more downhill momentum. For Hurts, it also seems to simplify the picture post-snap, which allows him to play faster and more decisively.
The Eagles' offense, at its best, is built on balance and unpredictability. When Hurts is under center, the defense can’t immediately key in on whether it’s a run or pass. That hesitation-even just a split second-can be the difference between a sack and a touchdown, a stuffed run and a 15-yard gain.
Orlovsky didn’t mince words when talking about what the Eagles need to do moving forward.
“If I could ask Philly to do one thing offensively for the remainder of this season and into playoffs,” he said, “it would be to play more under center and play more under center play action.”
It’s not just a tweak-it’s a potential turning point. If the Eagles stick with this shift, they’re not just giving Hurts a better chance to succeed. They’re giving themselves a real shot at making noise down the stretch and into the postseason.