Let’s start with who he is not. He is not a game manager who lacks aggressiveness, checks down too much and refuses to push the ball down the field that’s for sure. Personally, I think that is a good thing, that would make him a lifetime backup. However, he isn’t yet a field general who makes everyone around him better. How many times did we see Brady check into a simple run play on 3rd and short and then we watch some scrub like James White pick up an easy 3rd down. Given the same opportunity, Hurts would probably take a deep shot to Brown. I love that Hurts is willing and able to do this, I think its a problem that he still doesn’t have the right feel for how often he should do it. Hurts and the Eagles live and die with the explosive play, and Nick might like it but Hurts is the one doing it. It’s why the Eagle went 10-1 to start last season and it’s why they imploded down the stretch. Of course that isn’t the only reason. To be clear I’m not just talking about deep shots on 4th and short. It’s passing up a simple check down on 1st and 10 that would have made it 2nd and 5 instead Hurts rolls out buys time then throws the ball away. 2nd and 10 is a passing down while 2nd and 5 is a great running situation. When the 1st and 10 play is a TD to Brown the Eagles probably win 80%+ of the time when its incomplete they probably win 40% of the time. That’s fine when we are playing a great team like the 49ers. If Hurts takes the checkdown against lesser teams we wouldn’t be stressed out in the 4th quarter or overtime. The analytics guys would say he needs less high variance plays in games he is favored. He needs to learn he will beat the teams he is suppose to beat easier without taking those risks. Until then, Hurts is a QB who can win the big game but can make the easy games way harder than they need to be.

-Chris