The Philadelphia Eagles have had a remarkable turnaround since last year. After starting off 10-1, they lost six out of seven to fall out of the playoffs in the first round itself. However, this year, they’ve been one of the best defenses in the league, allowing Saquon Barkley and Jalen Hurts to cook up a terrifying offense on the other end.
However, the former has been out of the lineup for a week and a half now. With Week 18 coming up, what is the status of Hurts?
Why Is Jalen Hurts Out in Week 18?
A concussion in Week 16 put Hurts out of the game. Immediately entering concussion protocol, he didn’t return to the game. The injury and subsequent concussion protocol have kept him out of practice for the last two weeks.
Barely five minutes into the game, the Eagles were facing a tough second-and-20 situation from the opposing 34-yard line. In an effort to gain some extra yardage, Hurts ran a QB draw to the left, reaching the 20-yard mark.
Jalen Hurts #eagles
Being evaluated for a concussion after this hit pic.twitter.com/CS0gRQD5hp
— Tom Christ, PT, DPT, OCS, FAAOMPT (@FantasyInjuryT) December 22, 2024
Unfortunately, a double tackle by Frankie Luvu and Bobby Wagner saw the former’s knee collide directly with the quarterback’s helmet. While he did get up to take the next snap, Philadelphia exercised caution to pull him out of the game.
Eventually, reports emerged of No. 1 being out for the game with a concussion. He entered the league’s concussion protocol and has yet to participate in a practice, let alone a game.
How Long Will Hurts Be Out Due to Injury?
Since he checked out of the game, Hurts has yet to attempt even a single snap of football. He has been ruled out for practices and games alike, missing an NFC East matchup against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 17. And for Week 18, the situation isn’t going to change.
According to the official injury report, the quarterback is out for the contest after being ineligible for a single practice this week. But, even if he was available to play, it is likely that the team would have given him some additional rest alongside skill-position guys like Barkley, AJ Brown, and DeVonta Smith.
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When asked about it, head coach Nick Sirianni gave a cryptic response as to where Hurts is and what his availability might be.
“He’s progressing through the protocol,” Sirianni said. Where in the process he is, well, that is yet to be seen.
Who Is the Eagles’ Starting Quarterback?
From a standings and playoffs perspective, the loss of Hurts hasn’t been too intense for the Eagles. When he went down, they had the second seed locked up. As a result, he has gotten the opportunity to recuperate properly and return to near-perfect health.
In his absence, the quarterbacking responsibilities fell to Kenny Pickett. Against Washington, he had 143 yards and a TD as well but failed to put them away, especially with a costly interception. On the other hand, his contribution was short against the Cowboys as Philly ravaged them 41-7.
Once again adding the same passing yardage, he added another TD to the books. However, he also aggravated a rib injury that has kept him out of practice as well. In Week 18, it is possible that some combination of Tanner McKee and Ian Book handle the QB role in Week 18.
However, there might be a long-term issue at play for the Eagles involving the Hurts injury. If he is back, like most expect, for the Wild Card Round, he will have had two weeks without experiencing the physicality of the NFL. Further, with the added pressure and expectations of a playoff setting, the injury might cause him to come out of the gates slowly.
Even though he should make a full recovery and be back for Round 1, his play in the game remains in jeopardy.
Hurts is currently the fifth-best quarterback in the league, according to PFN’s QB+ metric, with a grade of 89.1 (B+).