Sometimes the biggest changes in a quarterback's game aren't the ones that show up immediately in the box score. They can be found in where he looks first, how quickly he moves through a progression, and whether he is willing to come back to something on the other side of the formation when the defense takes away his first option.
That has become increasingly noticeable with Jalen Hurts through the first two weeks of the currentPhiladelphia Eagles' season. During Monday's press conference, head coach Nick Sirianni was asked about Hurts throwing more to the middle of the field.
He praisedhis QB1 for passing the early-season tests. Hurts is hitting more backside routes and getting deeper into his reads. His answer about why it'shappening offered
a glimpse into what may be changing with Philadelphia's QB1.
"Jalen’s commitment to continuing to get better. [He has] won so many games [and] has been so productive, and he still is the first one to [ask], ‘What can I do better and how can I give us even a better chance to win?’ I think it speaks volumes to Jalen and his preparation and the things he works on and how he is just always, always, always searching to get better."
That answer is revealing for a couple of reasons. Sirianni didn't credit the changes entirely to the new offense, nor did he suggest Hurts suddenly discovered how to attack the middle of the field. Instead, he described a quarterback who is using experience to recognize what a defense is trying to take away and then deliberately working back through the progression.
"I think also the more quarterbacks [have] seen in this league and the more defenses they’ve seen, obviously that’s reps, too. You have no choice but to get better when you have the amount of reps there and they continue to accumulate there of, ‘Hey, I’ve seen this. I know my front side route’s not going to look right there. I’m going to give my eyes to that. Then I’m going to work myself back through the progression.’ I think that’s just his diligence of getting better and reps of being a six-year starter now in the NFL."
That is a subtle distinction, but an important one. When asked how much of the change is tied to Sean Mannion's offense, Sirianni acknowledged that it is part of the equation while pointing out that some of the concepts are familiar.
"Again, there’s different things that we’re doing backside and there’s some similarities of things that we’re doing backside. I would say some of it, sure, yeah, is that. But like I said, there’s certain backside routes that are brand new to what we’re doing right now and then some that are carryover."
The new scheme is part of it, but it isn't all of it
That might be the most important part of the discussion. Philadelphia's offense may be giving Hurts more opportunities to show this side of his game, but Sirianni believes the quarterback himself is seeing the field differently because he has more experience recognizing defensive structures. The results have been satisfactory.
That might be the most encouraging part for Philadelphia. Hurts doesn't need to become a completely different quarterback for the Eagles' offense to improve. He needs to continue recognizing what defenses are giving him, trusting what he sees, and getting through his progressions when the first option isn't there. Those are subtle developments, but they can have an enormous effect on how consistently an offense moves the football.
Two weeks into the season, the Eagles are seeing signs of a quarterback who is adding another layer to an already accomplished game. The new offense deserves some credit for creating different opportunities, but Sirianni's explanation makes it clear that Hurts is doing some of this himself. If that evolution continues, it could become one of the more important developments of Philadelphia's season.
This article originally appeared on Eagles Wire: Nick Sirianni explains the subtle changes in Jalen Hurts' game
