Jalen Hurts’ Vanishing Act on the Ground: A Missed Opportunity That Defined the Eagles’ Collapse
Jalen Hurts didn’t need to throw for 300 yards or light up the scoreboard to make an impact on Sunday. He just needed to be himself. The dual-threat quarterback who’s carved out a reputation as one of the NFL’s most dynamic offensive weapons was strangely absent in the Eagles’ biggest game of the year - not because he wasn’t on the field, but because one of his most dangerous tools never came out of the toolbox.
Forget the 168 passing yards. Forget the 57% completion rate.
The number that jumps off the page like a red flag in a playoff storm? **Fourteen rushing yards.
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For a quarterback who’s built so much of his game - and this team’s offensive identity - around the threat of his legs, that’s not just a quiet day. That’s a disappearing act.
A Dangerous Weapon Left on the Shelf
Hurts isn’t just mobile - he’s historically productive on the ground. He ranks 11th all-time in rushing yards by a quarterback, with over 3,500 to his name.
Among QBs with at least three playoff starts, his 40 rushing yards per game rank seventh. And let’s not forget last postseason, when Hurts ran wild for 70 yards against the Rams and 72 in the Super Bowl.
His 194 rushing yards across four playoff games last year? That’s the fourth-highest total ever in a single postseason by a quarterback.
So what happened on Sunday?
Five carries. Fourteen yards.
A long run of just four. The Eagles’ offense sputtered after their third drive, and one of their most reliable fire-starters never got a chance to spark anything.
Whether this was Hurts making a conscious decision or a coaching directive, the result was the same: a completely neutered version of an offense that once thrived on unpredictability and explosive playmaking.
The Numbers Don’t Lie
There’s a clear pattern when Hurts is allowed to be Hurts. When he logs 10 or more carries, the Eagles are 29-8 - including 10 straight wins.
His legs don’t just move the chains; they open up the entire playbook. They force defenses to stay honest, stretch the field horizontally, and give Hurts the rhythm and confidence that often translates to better decisions through the air.
This year, though? That part of his game faded.
Hurts averaged 8.5 rushes per game over his first four seasons. This year, that number dropped to 5.5.
And it showed.
The offense looked competent early in the season - the Eagles started 4-0, averaging 24 points per game, and Hurts was running about 10 times for 45 yards per outing. But as his rushing attempts dipped to around five per game, the offense dipped with it - down to 20 points per game over the rest of the season.
It’s not a coincidence.
When Hurts ran at least five times in a game this year, the Eagles went 8-2. When he didn’t?
3-4. Over his career, they’re 57-24 when he hits that five-carry threshold, and just 9-12-1 when he falls short.
A Coaching Misfire That Cost Them
The Eagles’ offensive issues this season weren’t just about execution - they were about identity. And nowhere was that more evident than in how Hurts was utilized. Or rather, how he wasn’t.
This wasn’t just a one-game issue. The drop in rushing attempts was a season-long trend.
RPOs - a staple of Hurts’ game - were down significantly, from 128 last year to just 81 this season. And of those, Hurts only kept the ball on 10.
Compare that to 41 RPO runs a year ago, and it’s clear the Eagles made a conscious shift away from what made them dangerous.
Hurts has said all season that he’s doing what he’s told. That tells us everything we need to know.
The coaching staff, led by offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo, simply didn’t lean into what makes Hurts special. Whether it was schematic stubbornness, injury concerns, or a philosophical shift, the result was the same: a watered-down version of one of the league’s most dynamic quarterbacks.
And it all came to a head on that final play - 4th-and-11, season on the line. Hurts stood in the pocket, forced a throw into triple coverage, and that was that. The Hurts we’ve seen in years past - the one who scrambles, resets the play, and finds someone in space - never showed up.
Still Got Juice
Has Hurts lost a step? Maybe a half-step.
But even that’s debatable. Take away his 11 kneel-downs this season and he still averaged 4.6 yards per carry - just a shade below his career average of 5.0.
On the rare occasions he did take off, he looked plenty explosive. Case in point: a 10-yard scramble in the third quarter that got wiped out by a holding penalty.
He was fast, decisive, and elusive - exactly what the Eagles needed more of.
Looking Ahead: A New Coordinator, A Familiar Blueprint?
With a new offensive coordinator on the way, the priority is crystal clear: unlock the full version of Jalen Hurts. Not just the passer.
Not just the leader. But the dual-threat nightmare that keeps defensive coordinators up at night.
We’ve seen what this offense looks like when Hurts is fully engaged as a runner - aggressive, balanced, and dangerous. And we’ve seen what it looks like when that part of his game is taken away - predictable, stagnant, and beatable.
The Eagles can’t afford to make that mistake again. Because when Jalen Hurts runs, this team wins. It’s that simple.