The Absurdity of the Jalen Hurts Benching Debate
It is hard to describe the specific type of nausea that sets in when you watch your franchise quarterback commit five turnovers in a single game. Watching Jalen Hurts against the Los Angeles Chargers on Monday night was not just painful; it was a visceral experience that likely had fans across Philadelphia questioning their life choices.
When you lose in overtime after a performance like that, emotions run high. Logic usually leaves the building before the postgame press conference even starts. But the aftermath of this loss has birthed a narrative so wild that it feels like sports talk radio satire. People are actually discussing whether the Eagles should bench Hurts.
Yes, you read that right. There is a legitimate, non-ironic conversation happening about sitting a Super Bowl-caliber quarterback for Tanner McKee. It is the kind of knee-jerk reaction that makes the NFL news cycle so exhausting yet undeniably entertaining. We have reached a point in the season where panic is outpacing reason, and the discourse around Hurts has officially gone off the rails.
Why the Panic Over Hurts is Hitting a Fever Pitch
Let’s be fair for a second. The frustration is valid. The Eagles are sitting at 8-5 and leading the NFC East, but they are also riding a three-game losing streak that feels much worse than the record suggests. When Hurts threw that interception to Tony Jefferson to seal the loss, it felt like the sky was falling.
Local columnists like David Murphy are suggesting that if any other quarterback played this poorly in back-to-back weeks, we would not hesitate to open the competition. There is merit to the idea that accountability matters. However, turning the keys over to a sixth-round pick in Week 15 isn’t accountability. It is a surrender flag.
The Locker Room Refuses to Blink
While the outside world is busy setting Twitter on fire, the vibe inside the NovaCare Complex seems entirely different. Offensive Coordinator Kevin Patullo was asked about Hurts this week, and he didn’t blink. He insisted that the quarterback has already moved past the four-interception nightmare. According to Patullo, Hurts is “dialed in,” and his preparation hasn’t wavered.
Nick Sirianni was even more blunt. He called the mere suggestion of benching Hurts “ridiculous.” And he is right. You don’t park a Ferrari in the garage just because it got a flat tire, especially when your backup option is a reliable sedan at best. The coaching staff knows that their only path to a deep playoff run goes through #1.
Stephen A. Smith and Orlovsky Bring Reality Checks
It is rare that Stephen A. Smith plays the voice of reason, but here we are. On First Take, Smith shut down the idea immediately. He correctly pointed out that Tanner McKee isn’t playing. We all know he isn’t playing. The calls for McKee are just the Philadelphia fan base trying to light a fire under a team that looks asleep at the wheel.
Dan Orlovsky took it a step further, calling this “the dumbest conversation of the NFL season.” He reminded everyone that Hurts has been to the playoffs four times, the Super Bowl twice, and was a Super Bowl MVP runner-up. We are talking about a guy with 27 total touchdowns this season, which ranks fourth in the entire league. Are we really going to pretend he forgot how to play football over the last two weeks?
The Bizarre Narrative About Height
Then you have Colin Cowherd, who decided to take the conversation into weird territory. Cowherd argued that the Eagles might need to move on because Hurts is… too short. He claimed that at 6-foot-1, Hurts is “tiny” and wears down during the 17-game season because he isn’t built like Josh Allen or Justin Herbert.
This argument falls apart the second you look at the calendar. Hurts didn’t shrink in the offseason. He was this same height when he led the team to the Super Bowl. Blaming his recent interceptions on his vertical stature is the kind of lazy analysis that makes you want to turn off the radio. The Eagles have problems, absolutely. But Jalen Hurts being the same height as Baker Mayfield and Brock Purdy isn’t the reason they lost to the Chargers.
The Bottom Line on Jalen Hurts
The truth is often boring. The Eagles are 1-5 when Hurts throws the ball more than 30 times. That is a systemic issue, not just a quarterback issue. They need to run the ball. They need to protect the football. But the idea that Tanner McKee gives them a better chance to beat the Raiders or make a run in January is a fantasy born out of frustration.
Hurts is the guy. He has earned the right to work through a slump, even an ugly one. Benching him wouldn’t spark the offense; it would torch the locker room. So let’s take a deep breath, put down the pitchforks, and see if No. 1 can dig them out of this hole.
