Jalen Hurts MVP case: Will Philadelphia Eagles quarterback be voted NFL’s Most Valuable Player in 2022? | NFL News

Will Jalen Hurts be voted as the NFL’s Most Valuable Player in 2022? Will he beat Patrick Mahomes to the prize?

If we go purely by the bookmakers, Hurts is not the leading candidate. That is Mahomes, and both quarterbacks are joined by more signal-callers with compelling cases for the award: Joe Burrow, Josh Allen, Tua Tagovailoa…

But I am here to make the case for Philadelphia’s 24-year-old third-year star, and tell you why his contributions have meant the most to the Eagles as they boast the best record in the NFL at 11-1.

The big picture

MVP awards are handed out based on the current season, and that alone. However, you should know about Hurts’s history to appreciate where he has come from.

Tua Tagovailoa (L) replaced Jalen Hurts (R) as the starting quarterback for Alabama

In 2016, Hurts was already in the national spotlight. He was the first freshman to start at college football powerhouse Alabama for 32 years. His 36 total touchdowns that season broke the school record, and he shone as a true dual-threat QB.

Despite all the success and accolades that year and the next, Hurts was ultimately benched midway through a National Championship game for another upcoming star (Tua Tagovailoa, heard of him?) and stayed on the sidelines through the next season.

2019 provided a fresh start in the form of a transfer to another big school in Oklahoma. Taking the reigns again as a starter and much-improved passer, Hurts crushed. In his first game, he obliterated the school record for total yardage, putting up 508 yards of total offense himself. He finished the year with 52 total touchdowns and came second to Joe Burrow (again, heard of him?) in Heisman Trophy voting.

The 2020 NFL Draft is when Hurts’ pro story began, and it’s been quite the rollercoaster. He was selected 53rd overall, but his home was a surprise one – Philadelphia, as the backup to then-starter Carson Wentz.

The Eagles have found their franchise QB in Hurts

You likely know the rest of the story – Wentz was benched and ultimately traded that offseason. Head coach Doug Pederson was fired, and the first year of the Hurts-Nick Sirianni duo showed signs of what was to come this year. Hurts finished 2021 with an 8-7 record as starter, a playoff berth, a Pro Bowl alternate selection, and an intriguing stat line (3,144 passing yards with 87.2 passer rating along with 784 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns).

That brings us to now, where Hurts is bringing together all his past experiences and thriving in every area…

Passing like the NFL’s elite

One of the reasons Hurts fell to the second round of the NFL Draft despite a stellar college resume was the big question about his passing ability. Did he have the anticipation required to read a defense? The touch to put a ball exactly where it needed to be? The calmness to stay in the pocket while under pressure?

His numbers so far this season have proven he does belong in the conversation with the top quarterbacks in the league, in passing alone.

Week in, week out, Hurts has been mistake-free and he’s done it despite airing the ball out – this offense is not conservative. And he has got better as the season has progressed.

Through his first five games, Hurts had a QB rating of 97.4, and threw for four touchdowns and two interceptions. Through his last seven, he has been lethal – 117.0, 16 touchdowns and one pick.

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Highlights of Philadelphia’s win over Tennessee in Week 13

Last week, against a Tennessee Titans team that hadn’t allowed more than 20 points in eight straight weeks, the Eagles scored 35. Hurts had 380 passing yards and three touchdowns, and a quarterback rating of 130.3. Those who doubted his passing ability continue to be proven wrong.

Rushing like a running back

Then, there is the added production Hurts brings on the ground, where he is putting up numbers that put him in the conversation with the league’s best runners.

Above, we noted Hurts’s flawless passing outing against Tennessee, for which he won the NFC Offensive Player of the Week award. That was, in fact, his second straight award after an outing against Green Bay that showed off what makes him an elite rusher too.

Against the Packers, Hurts tucked it and ran to the tune of 17 carries for 157 yards at 9.2 yards per carry. Every time it looked like the offense was in a bind, his legs carried them out of it.

Those 157 rushing yards were the fourth-most by a quarterback in a regular-season game in NFL history.

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The Eagles rushed their way to a win over the Green Bay Packers in Week 12

He already has the most games with at least two rushing touchdowns by a QB in his first three seasons (seven), and needs just two more TDs to join Cam Newton as the only quarterbacks ever with at least 10 TDs in multiple seasons. Hurts would be the first to do it back-to-back.

How do you plan for a quarterback like that?

What more does he have to do?

The Philadelphia Eagles are 11-1. They are in pole position to secure the No 1 seed in the NFC and home-field advantage for the playoffs. At the very least, Hurts will have to keep that spot, and he will have to continue to impress – mainly through the air.

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Hurts led a miraculous comeback against the Indianapolis Colts

Philadelphia have a three-game road stretch (at 7-4-1 Giants, at 3-10 Bears, at 9-3 Cowboys) that will make or break his MVP case. Mahomes has thrown 30 passing touchdowns. Burrow has led the Bengals to four straight wins – without a healthy Ja’Marr Chase. It might be too little, too late for Allen and Tagovailoa but one month of elite play could elevate them back into the conversation.

Hurts simply needs to hold his counterparts off. He needs to keep doing what he has been doing. He scores points, however they come, and he doesn’t turn the ball over.

The Chiefs are scoring 29.2 points per game, the Eagles 28.2. Will it simply come down to a shootout between Mahomes and Hurts? Both would be worthy winners, but Hurts’ versatility sets him apart.

He’s not just the passing offense, he is the offense. He should be the NFL’s MVP, and he has five more games to prove it.

Watch the Philadelphia Eagles visit the New York Giants at 6pm on Sunday, live on Sky Sports NFL.