Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts has indicated that he anticipates wearing a knee brace for Sunday’s NFC Championship showdown against the Washington Commanders. For a mobile quarterback like Hurts, wearing a knee brace could affect his mobility and change some Eagles’ game plans utilizing the run game. However, this isn’t the first time Jalen Hurts is playing with a knee brace and not the first time he’s playing in one against the Commanders.
In Week 8 of the 2023 season against the Commanders, Hurts wore a knee brace on his left knee after getting hurt the previous week against the Miami Dolphins. How did this affect Hurts in the game, and did it change his playing style?
What Happened Last Time Jalen Hurts Wore A Knee Brace Against The Commanders?
Passing Game Flourished
Hurts and the Eagles found themselves down 14-3 near the end of the first half when the passing game started to get rolling. Hurts connected with A.J Brown on a 16-yard pass with 34 seconds left in the second quarter. Brown and Hurts connected again in the third quarter on a 25-yard pass to tie the game. Brown would finish with eight receptions for 130 yards and two touchdowns.
The game wasn’t just the A.J Brown show as Hurts spread the ball around evenly, with Devonta Smith finishing with seven receptions for 99 yards, including a 38-yard touchdown. Dallas Goedert had four receptions for 36 yards, Kenneth Gainwell had five receptions for 30 yards, and Julio Jones added an eight-yard touchdown catch. Hurts saw the field well and distributed the ball to whatever open receiver was available. Hurts final stat line was 29/38 for 319 yards and four touchdowns. The 8.4 yards per attempt further crystallizes how Hurts pushed the ball down the field this game on the way to a 38-31 win.
Run Game Suffered
While the passing game was on fire, where the knee brace became impactful was in the run game. Hurts only carried the ball four times for six yards, including a seven-yard rush in the first quarter, to illustrate further just how limited Hurts was running that game. Hurts also lost a fumble on the goal line during a Brotherly Shove attempt. The running game also suffered beyond Hurts, as the Eagles finished with just 59 yards on 22 carries. D’Andre Swift only averaged 3.6 yards a carry as the lead running back.
The knee brace did change the Eagles’ offense that day. Hurts was crisper and decisive in throwing the ball, knowing the brace diminished his ability to make plays with his legs. The results through the air with this approach were ultimately successful and led to one of Hurts’ best performances purely throwing the ball in his career. However, the run game did suffer, with defenses able to key on the running back with Hurts not being much of a threat to run. The most significant difference between the Eagles this year and last year, which indicates that results may vary, is that the team now has Saquon Barkley carrying the football.
Main Image: Bill Streicher – USA Today Sports
The post What Happened Last Time Jalen Hurts Wore A Knee Brace Against The Commanders? appeared first on Last Word on Pro Football.