WATCH: Jalen Hurts isn’t ‘managing’ football games, he’s controlling them

Here we go again. The Philadelphia Eagles won their eighth-straight game on Sunday, this time taking down what many considered to be an “AFC powerhouse” in the Baltimore Ravens, 24-19 on the road.

Instead of highlighting how dominant this team has been since the BYE week, somehow the narrative has shifted to criticizing Jalen Hurts for being nothing more than a “game manager” and honestly, reading just reading those words has me ready to jump off the Ben Franklin Bridge.

There’s no sugarcoating it, labeling Jalen Hurts a “game manager” is absolute nonsense. Hurts may not put up jaw-dropping numbers every week, but this dude is playing at a level that goes beyond the box score.

A term we commonly used when describing Joel Embiid’s MVP seasons the past few years is “statsexuals” and unfortunately, it now seems to apply to football fans when they speak on Jalen Hurts.

This group of people can’t help themselves from getting caught up in Box Score statistics when trying to criticize Hurts. It’s disgusting behavior and unfortunately, it appears that Eagles fans too have fallen victim to the label as well.

To Be Clear: Stop looking at the Box Score and focus on the win column. The Eagles are in the midst of an eight-game winning streak and Jalen Hurts leading the offense is the main reason why that’s the case.

Let’s break this down.

Sunday’s 24-19 road win over the Ravens is a perfect example for the statsexuals against Jalen Hurts. Sure, Hurts didn’t throw for 300+ with a few of TDs. Instead, he was just 11-for-19 with 118 yards. If you’re just looking at the numbers, yeah, it’s easy to dismiss him as a “game manager” — but you’re missing the point entirely.

Jalen Hurts on being labeled a “Game Manager”

Jalen Hurts on being called a “game manager.”

He has 2 giveaways in the last 8 games. #Eagles pic.twitter.com/dCXU6YKEXi

— Jeff Kerr (@JeffKerrCBS) December 2, 2024

Nick Sirianni, the Eagles’ head coach, put it perfectly: “You can’t say enough good things about how Jalen managed that four-minute.” Hurts is making clutch runs when it matters most, checking out of bad plays, and milking the clock in crunch time like a seasoned vet. That’s not managing a game, that’s taking control of it.

And don’t sleep on his legs. This isn’t just a QB who’s sitting back and handing the ball off to Saquon Barkley (who, by the way, is getting the job done too). He’s using his legs to keep the defense on its toes, picking up key first downs, and running it in for touchdowns like it’s a walk in the park.

The Eagles have leaned on the run game, sure. But it’s not a knock on Hurts — it’s just smart football. When you’ve got the NFL’s best offensive line and a top-tier running back, you use them. Hurts has earned the right to play the game the way it needs to be played for this team to win, not by force-feeding stats into a “prototypical” QB mold.

People will point to Hurts’ last 275+-yard passing game (Week 3, FYI), but if you’re focused on yardage, you’re missing the bigger picture. He’s not turning the ball over, he’s making plays when it counts, and most importantly, he’s putting his team in a position to win.

So let’s retire the whole “game manager” label, because it’s just lazy. Jalen Hurts isn’t just managing games, he’s in complete control of them.

More from the Philadelphia Eagles:

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• Eagles are Super Bowl contenders after 24-19 road win against the Ravens >>
• Justin Tucker got roasted across social media after a disastrous performance >>

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