After an MVP-caliber first half, Hurts’ performance took a dramatic dive. Could a possible concussion be the reason?
The Philadelphia Eagles survived an aggressive comeback from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday in order to keep their 1.000 winning record firmly intact.
The Eagles squandered a comfortable 24-6 lead at half time to let Tampa Bay get within 8 points of them in the fourth quarter, and then giving Baker Mayfield not one but two opportunities to tie the game up before the bout ultimately finished 31-25.
The good news for Philadelphia is that the defense held firm. But more questions were posed of the offense in the second half than the first. Hurts got off to an excellent start in the first half, and then subsequently went 0-8 in passing for no yards through the air, although he did manage 20 on the ground rushing.
Hurts himself had some words about the what was done between the first and second halves, but Anthony DiBona of The Philly Special has floated the possibility of a different theory.
Eagles Writer Suggest Jalen Hurts May Have Had Second-Half Concussion
DiBona suggests that it could be possible that Hurts suffered a concussion in the second quarter, after getting hit by a member of the Buccaneers‘ secondary.
“Hurts played like a legitimate MVP candidate in the first half against the Buccaneers.” DiBona wrote on Tuesday. “He completed 15-of-16 passes for 130 yards and two touchdowns. Then he looked like a completely different player in the second half, so what happened?
On Philadelphia’s third possession of the second half, Hurts took a shot from Buccaneers safety Tykee Smith while sliding. While the referees eventually picked up the flag, Hurts’ head bounced off the field and he was slow to get up.”
Did Jalen Hurts’ Second-Quarter Hit Impact His Playing Ability?
Although this is hardly a declaration of full knowledge from DiBona, who emphasizes this is speculative, rather than an accusation, he did see a correlation between the hit and the subsequent decline in performance on Sunday.
“Somehow, someway Hurts remained in the game and didn’t look like himself the rest of the way. Now I’m not going to say that Hurts definitely suffered a concussion but it was certainly a notable hit.
Hurts failed to complete a single pass in the second half as Philadelphia’s offense fell off a cliff. He was consistently off target with his throws and simply didn’t look like the same player that we saw in the first half of Week 4.”
It is impossible to draw a conclusion without having all of the necessary medical facts. Especially given that the former Super Bowl MVP went up against one of the better defensive schemers and game-planners in all of football, in Tampa Bay’s head coach, Todd Bowles.
But going from 15/16 to 0/8 demonstrates not just a second half drop-off caused by a lack of focus and execution, or superior in-game adjustments from the opposing defense. It represents a total shift of momentum and power from one side of the ball to another.
Hopefully, for Hurts’ sake, it was just a second half blip of poor form that he can correct next weekend as the Eagles host the 2-2 Denver Broncos.
Jets Receive Concerning Sauce Gardner Injury News Ahead Of Week 2
The New York Jets have a lot of questions to answer with their defense this week. Coming into the season, the team was expected to rely heavily on the defense, but the Pittsburgh Steelers scored 34 points to top the Jets, leading to questions surrounding the defense.
These questions could become even more pressing after the Jets' latest injury report. After not appearing on the injury report, Jets cornerback popped up on Thursday as a limited participant in practice with a groin injury.
Justin Fried of the Jet Press recently discussed Gardner's impact on the Jets' defense. The star corner was one of the only bright spots on the Jets' defense in Week 1.
"Gardner wasted little time re-establishing himself as one of the NFL's premier cornerbacks this past Sunday. The two-time All-Pro finished with a 90.3 Pro Football Focus grade that was best among all cornerbacks in Week 1," Fried wrote. "He was credited with allowing only one catch for 11 yards on four targets, and that lone reception came on a bizarre, four-times-deflected ball that landed in DK Metcalf’s lap. Gardner was even credited with a pass breakup on the play, but it still went down as a completion against him.
Sauce Gardner added to injury report, limited with groin injury
"The Jets know exactly how important Gardner is to their defense, especially given the performance of his position-mate, Brandon Stephens, in Week 1. Stephens was a massive liability, allowing five catches for 60 yards and two touchdowns."
Gardner was one of the most impactful defenders in football in Week 1. He was completely lock down against the Steelers. Although Aaron Rodgers threw four touchdowns, none of them came against the Jets' top cornerback.
With his status in question against the loaded Buffalo Bills offense, the Jets could be in serious trouble. Brandon Stephens was one of the worst defenders in football in Week 1, and he could be forced to take the No. 1 cornerback role against one of the best offenses in football. If Gardner isn't a full participant in the next few days, the Jets could be in some trouble.
