Jalen Hurts’ resurgence gets Eagles back on track, puts him in MVP race
Nick Sirianni's badgering of Philadelphia Eagles fans in their home stadium seems like a distant memory now that the team is on a winning streak. And we're also not here to take a deep dive into the Philadelphia head coach's curious fourth-down decision-making.
This is all about quarterback Jalen Hurts, who's on his best stretch since he helped the Eagles reach the Super Bowl two seasons ago. Offensive coordinator Kellen Moore appears to have finally unlocked the full potential of Hurts in the new scheme led by dynamic running back Saquon Barkley.
Over the past four games, Hurts has completed 72.3% of his passes for 844 yards, with six touchdowns and no interceptions for a 128.8 passer rating. The Eagles averaged 28 points per game during that stretch, and at 6-2, they sit just half a game behind the Washington Commanders in the NFC East.
With his stellar play, Hurts' MVP odds have steadily improved. He has moved from 28/1 to 12/1 over the past two weeks. Reigning league MVP Lamar Jackson now stands alone in the top spot at 2.8/1, while Josh Allen follows at 3/1, and Patrick Mahomes is at 4/1.
Check out my top five for Week 10.
1. Lamar Jackson, Ravens
Current MVP Odds: +280 (bet $10 to win $38 total)
If he continues at this pace, Jackson could be headed for his third MVP. He leads the league in passer rating (120.7), is tied for second in touchdown passes (20) and third in passing yards (2,379).
He is also first among quarterbacks with 505 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns. That dual-threat capability is what makes Jackson and Baltimore's No. 2-ranked scoring offense (31.4 ppg) so dangerous.
His pinpoint accuracy has also been on display this season. According to Next Gen Stats, Jackson has a career-high 65% completion rate against man coverage — third highest in the league. He's thrown eight touchdowns and no interceptions against man coverage, tied with Jared Goff for the most touchdowns without an interception against man.
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2. Josh Allen, Bills
Current MVP Odds: +300 (bet $10 to win $40 total)
If anyone can overtake Jackson in the MVP race, it's likely Allen. Buffalo is No. 4 in scoring, averaging 28.9 points per game. And Allen's turnover issues are in the rearview mirror; he has been a better decision-maker this season, with just two interceptions through nine games.
The Bills have done a good job of protecting Allen in the passing game up front and through scheme. Buffalo's 3.7% sack rate is No. 1 in the league. Allen has been sacked just 11 times in nine games.
3. Jayden Daniels, Commanders
Current MVP Odds: +1200 (bet $10 to win $130 total)
Washington's rookie quarterback has mostly breezed through the league this season and should be the frontrunner for Offensive Rookie of the Year. However, the Commanders have faced only two teams so far this season currently with a winning record, soundly defeating the Arizona Cardinals in Week 4 and losing to the Baltimore Ravens in Week 6.
The schedule gets tougher for Daniels and the Commanders this week. Washington hosts the Pittsburgh Steelers (6-2) on Sunday, then hits the road to take on the Eagles (6-2) the following Thursday. The second-half stretch provides another barometer to measure Daniels' true MVP candidacy.
4. Jared Goff, Lions
Current MVP Odds: +700 (bet $10 to win $80 total)
Goff is playing on autopilot. He's completing a league-high 74.9% of his passes and hasn't thrown an interception since Week 3. Even driving rain at Lambeau Field couldn't stop the surgical signal-caller from dissecting Green Bay's defense, consistently completing passes and moving the chains.
The Lions are playing for home-field advantage throughout the postseason and playoff positioning at this point. Detroit leads the league in scoring at 32.3 points per game, and Goff has been an efficient distributor to the team's talented playmakers in that offense.
He just needs to stay the course.
5. Jalen Hurts, Eagles
Current MVP Odds: +1200 (bet $10 to win $130 total)
One reason Philadelphia has been much better on offense recently is because new OC Kellen Moore has reignited the running game. Since Week 6, the Eagles have rushed for a league-high 783 yards and eight touchdowns.
Hurts has carried the ball 10 times for 55 yards and three scores on designed runs during that stretch. Moore pairing Hurts and Barkley in the running game has helped keep defenses honest.
Honorable mention: Patrick Mahomes, Kyler Murray, Derrick Henry, Saquon Barkley, Joe Burrow
Eric D. Williams has reported on the NFL for more than a decade, covering the Los Angeles Rams for Sports Illustrated, the Los Angeles Chargers for ESPN and the Seattle Seahawks for the Tacoma News Tribune. Follow him on Twitter at @eric_d_williams.
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