The Philadelphia Eagles could not have asked for a better start from Jalen Hurts, as the rookie quarterback reached another first for NFL players after just his second career start. Hurts is the first player in the NFL in the past 70 years to have 500-plus passing yards and 150-plus rushing yards in his first two career starts (since this was tracked starting in 1950). The Eagles quarterback has completed 41 of 74 passes for 505 yards with four touchdowns and zero interceptions while rushing 29 times for 169 yards in his first two starts -- compiling a 94.7 passer rating.
Hurts finished 24 of 44 for 338 yards with three touchdowns and had 11 carries for 63 yards and a rushing touchdown in Sunday's loss to the Arizona Cardinals. He's only the second quarterback in Eagles history to throw for 330-plus yards and run for 60-plus yards in a game (Michael Vick was the other, last accomplishing the feat in 2011) and the second-youngest quarterback to accomplish the feat at 22 years, 135 days old (Deshaun Watson was the youngest at 22 years, 45 days). Watson, Hurts, and Justin Herbert are the only rookie quarterbacks to do it.
"I can't sit here and talk about myself. Those 300 yards didn't win us the game," Hurts said after the game, via Reuben Frank of NBC Sports Philadelphia. "If I threw five picks and fumbled three times and it's 2-0 and we win, that's all that matters."
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Hurts became the fourth Eagles quarterback in franchise history and the first since Michael Vick in 2010 to have 300-plus passing yards, three pass touchdowns, and a rush touchdown in a single game. Norm Snead and Bobby Thomason are the other Eagles quarterbacks to hit that mark, both before the Super Bowl era.
Hurts wasn't satisfied with his accomplishment, especially with the Eagles losing. Philadelphia is one loss away from being eliminated from playoff contention, an empty feeling Hurts can't get by. He vows to be better.
"Those things that you're applauding me for were not enough," Hurts said. "It wasn't enough today. I think I hate losing more than I love to win. It's not a great feeling. But it's a learning lesson. I get to reflect on it, got a nice little plane ride back to think about some things and get back to work."