NFL writer finally knocks some sense into public on Jalen Hurts debate

It's time to jump back into the pool with every Philadelphia Eagles fan's favorite topic: Jalen Hurts.

All week, everyone has been sharing their opinion on whether Hurts should have been number nine on ESPN's NFL personnel ranking of the top 10 quarterbacks, or was it a sign of disrespect? One NFL writer examined players similar to Hurts to determine whether they are overrated or underrated.

Bleacher Report writer Brad Gagnon started with Hurts on his list, where he first discussed the criticism he is facing.

"The 26-year-old is not an elite quarterback, and he has benefited greatly from scheme, a top-notch offensive line and a loaded group of backs and receivers."

Gagnon next went through the pros with Hurts as he was top 10 in air yards per attempt and on-target rate, while also running for over 600 yards for the fourth straight season. The cons with Hurts are that he finished under 3,000 passing yards and 20 passing touchdowns, while also only completing four deep balls on third down.

It all concluded with Gagnon's final verdict on whether Hurts is overrated and underrated. He cautioned people not to look as deeply into the stats as some might, as it doesn't tell the whole story.

"You have to look beyond the traditional raw passing numbers. Hurts has proved to be a clutch playmaker, his arm often still gets the job done and his remarkable productivity as a rusher makes up for the odd failure through the air."

There's more to Hurts than just the passing stats he has

Hurts has accomplished so much in just four years as the full-time starter in Philadelphia. He has been selected to two Pro Bowls, one second-team All-Pro selection, two Super Bowl appearances, a Super Bowl title, and Super Bowl MVP.

Everyone wants to ignore the fact that when Hurts plays in the biggest games, he's the one who steps up. In both Super Bowls, Hurts was the one carrying the offense in those games, despite the lack of a solid running game, and outperformed Kansas City Chiefs star quarterback Patrick Mahomes. Hurts threw for 525 yards, rushed for another 142 yards, with seven total touchdowns to just two turnovers in two Super Bowl appearances.

It's hard to delve into a topic when people just want to see high passing stats from him and not have to be "carried" by his team. First off, Hurts shouldn't ever be criticized because he has a great supporting cast; that's just ridiculous. Second, Hurts is the one carrying the team in the postseason games and leading the franchise to wins.

This is a topic that Eagles fans might be growing tired of, as there seems to be no talking sense into anyone, but it's good to know that someone is speaking logically, like Gagnon, and acknowledging that he's underrated. There are some that do respect Hurts highly, but far too many criticize him as a "system QB."

The regular season can't come any sooner, so Hurts can put this debate to rest with his stellar play.