Is PFF correct in ranking Jalen Hurts NFL's seventh-best QB?
The folks at Pro Football Focus just named their top-10 quarterbacks and Jalen Hurts is No.7. Can there really be six better quarterbacks than Hurts? Let’s find out.
Patrick Mahomes
How do you argue with 25,788 total yards, 204 touchdowns, two MVPs and a pair of Super Bowl championships? You don’t. Mahomes has been the NFL’s best quarterback since taking over for Alex Smith in 2018.
Verdict: Better than Hurts
Josh Allen
Like Hurts, Allen was seen as a work in progress when he entered the league. He could always run, but his passing needed work. Five years later he’s thrown for 18,397 passing yards and 138 touchdowns to go with 38 scores and over 3,000 yards on the ground.
His numbers are impressive, but his playoff record is not. Allen went 25-42 with no touchdowns in a playoff loss to the Bengals last year and with the exception of a heart-breaking loss to the Chiefs in 2021, he hasn’t played well in postseason games. The same can’t be said for Hurts.
Verdict: Not better than Hurts
Joe Burrow
Had PFF listed their quarterbacks according to swagger, “Jackpot Joey” would lead the way. Burrow never hurts for confidence, and like Hurts he’s already taken his team to a conference championship.
As a former No. 1 pick, much was expected from Burrow and so far he hasn’t disappointed with 12,291 total yards and 92 touchdowns. Technically that’s 2,484 more yards and 22 more touchdowns than Hurts in as many years.
Verdict: Better than Hurts
Justin Herbert
Herbert’s stat sheet is all empty calories. With over 14,000 yards passing and 102 touchdowns, the Chargers 25-year-old QB hasn’t even won a playoff game yet. Last year was his first postseason appearance, a 31-30 loss to the Jaguars where he threw a single touchdown and posted a dismal 45.6 QBR.
Verdict: Not better than Hurts
Aaron Rodgers
If the list measured career achievements, Rodgers would be on top. No active quarterback can touch 62,521 yards, 510 touchdowns and four MVPs. But is a 39-year-old Rodgers still better than Hurts?
Hurts and Rodgers’ 2022 passing numbers are almost identical. Rodgers had four more touchdowns but threw twice as many interceptions. Factor in Hurts’ rushing statistics and there’s really no debate.
Verdict: Not better than Hurts
Lamar Jackson
It’s hard to argue stats when it comes to Jackson. He hasn’t played a full season since his rookie year and he’s missed five games in each of the past two years. Jackson hasn’t thrown for 3,000 yards since his 2019 MVP season and has just five rushing touchdowns over the past two years.
Verdict: Not better than Hurts
So with all due respect to those at PFF, Hurts is (at worst) the NFL’s third-best quarterback. Nice try, though.
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