At the bye week, I wanted to take a step back and look at Jalen Hurts’ 2025 season so far. This article brings together every one of my weekly film reviews through the first eight games, using quotes and key takeaways from those pieces to form a complete assessment of Hurts’ season to date. Film clips are included throughout to support the points made.
I didn’t write a full Hurts review last offseason, so this serves as a comparison to my last detailed evaluation of Hurts as a player, which was my 2024 article reviewing his 2023 season. That piece concluded that Hurts was still an excellent quarterback, let down by a poorly designed offense. Two years later, the context feels a little bit different. The offense has been inconsistent (which might be a bit generous), but Hurts seems to have risen above it.
Weeks 1–3: A Fantastic Start
The season opened with one of Hurts’ finest all-around performances. Against Dallas in Week 1, I called it “one of the best games I’ve seen Jalen Hurts play.” He “carried the offense on his back,” bailing out the structure multiple times when pockets collapsed. He made a lot of plays with his legs in this one.
Hurts’ “processing was exceptional” at times, as he consistently eliminated covered routes and found his checkdowns with patience. He didn’t force throws, didn’t panic, and punished Dallas’ poor rush-lane discipline whenever it appeared. He continued to show off his beautiful deep shots, too…
Week 1 was very positive. His athleticism looked back to 2022 levels, and he started the season with a top performance.
Week 2 against Kansas City continued the trend of composure. Hurts was “outstanding against the blitz,” staying calm and “unfazed by pressure.” Spagnuolo’s disguise packages never rattled him.
Hurts used to panic when he had free rushers running at him, but that seems to have vanished.
The offense wasn’t flawless. The passing game “looked average at best against zone” (which sadly, was a sign of things to come) with Hurts perhaps “eliminating plays downfield too early” and being slightly risk-averse at times.
Still, the positives far outweighed the negatives. Hurts’ composure, decision-making, and willingness to play within structure were excellent.
Week 3 against the Rams was much of the same. Hurts played well despite the offense looking pretty rough at times. The first half was messy with poor spacing, bad routes, and little rhythm.
But, “Hurts and A.J. Brown simply took over the game because they are exceptional players.” Hurts’ anticipation stood on a few occasions, such as when he “delivered a perfect deep ball to Brown,” and his throw on a deep dig to DeVonta Smith showcased elite timing.
I wrote that “Hurts doesn’t get enough credit for his ball placement,” and I feel that way about him in general. His consistency on quick curls and short outs from Empty was excellent, despite the scheme being awful at times. Even when the offense stumbled, Hurts’ gave it some life.
Weeks 4–6: A Step Backward
The Week 4 win over Tampa Bay was one of the strangest games of the year. The first half was terrific. I wrote that “the first drive of the game showed how far Hurts has come against pressure.” Todd Bowles’ blitzes have historically rattled him, but this time Hurts “calmly recognised the pressure, set his feet, and ripped a completion despite a free rusher.” The difference was clear:
By halftime, Hurts was 15-of-16 passing. That is no joke. Bowles is an exceptional defensive mind, and Hurts was winning pretty easily. The offense was “balanced, creative, and exceptional in the red zone.” I noted that the red-zone plan was “outstanding” and that “Hurts’ throwing over the middle has stood out,” citing a seam strike to Goedert as one of his best throws of the season.
But then came the collapse. Hurts went 0-for-8 in the second half, and the offense “had seven drives, five of which ended in three-and-outs.” The tape showed a mix of issues: Hurts missed a couple of deep balls he usually hits, but the structure around him fell apart. The offense lost all creativity; “the easy buttons were gone.”
I wrote that “the receivers looked frustrated and lazy at times,” jogging through routes and creating no separation. The lack of detail in route spacing and blocking became glaring. Even Hurts’ body language showed frustration after several broken plays.
After the early stretch of command, this second half felt like a worrying concern of things to come…
Week 5 against Denver was defined by frustration, but Hurts himself continued to show notable growth in key areas. I wrote, “Hurts’ improvement against the blitz is real,” as he completed eight of nine passes under pressure in the first half, including a touchdown.
However, some hesitation crept back in when the first read wasn’t available. For an athletic quarterback, Hurts “rarely creates on the move” in those moments, and his “cautiousness out of structure” was noticeable. The offense around him was often static and Hurts started holding the ball too often. He seemed to get back into some of his old bad habits.
The most puzzling issue remained his lack of involvement as a runner. This hasn’t changed, and it’s still confusing me!
Week 6 against the Giants was where the frustration peaked. The offense, in my own words, “was broken.” The structure offered Hurts little help. I still stand by this comment based on the film alone from this game. Several concepts were “unworkable against zone,” and even well-designed plays suffered from timing issues.
Hurts “didn’t actually play that poorly” (24-of-33 for 266 yards), but the film revealed a few “awful throws” that left a sour taste, including a “bad miss” to Smith on busted coverage. You know the one. The usual crowd were active on Twitter, letting us know that they don’t think Hurts is very good. Fortunately, Hurts would indeed bounce back after this disaster.
Still, this wasn’t regression in the old sense of Hurts playing terribly. Hurts continued to look calm in empty formations and made quick reads when the design allowed. It felt more like an offense still searching for rhythm than a quarterback playing terribly. I was pretty consistent in my analysis that the scheme was more to blame than the quarterback.
Weeks 7–8: Elite
Hurts reminded us in Week 7 that he is still an elite quarterback. Week 7 against Minnesota was, as I said, “one of the best games of Jalen Hurts’ career.” His stat line of 19 of 23 for 326 yards, three touchdowns, and a perfect passer rating was reflected in the film. The “ball placement, timing, command, and confidence were all elite.” He picked apart disguise looks with ease, diagnosing coverages and releasing on time with authority. This was against a defense that was shutting down passing games with ease, too. No one was passing successfully on this Vikings’ defense.
Hurts’ “decisiveness stood out throughout the game,” and his processing was excellent. Against a defense known for confusing quarterbacks, he “threw to every level, and his timing was perfect.” His 79-yard play-action strike to DeVonta Smith was a highlight, but even more impressive were the subtle moments. I labeled the touchdown throw to AJ Brown as “Anticipation with a capital A,” and several pocket movements that showed total control.
Equally important, Hurts was “brilliant outside of structure,” keeping his eyes downfield and throwing with precision on the move. This was one of the most significant differences from earlier weeks, where he sometimes hesitated once the structure broke down.
Week 8 continued that form, with another ruthlessly efficient performance. Hurts showed the development he has made in recent years, with some great throws to the middle of the field.
He “stood in and ripped it” on a throw to Smith between the hashes and followed it with another anticipation throw under pressure.
The headline numbers (15/20, 179 yards, 4 TDs, 0 INTs) summed up the performance. Hurts was decisive, accurate, and unbothered by contact. For all the talk that he ’can’t throw to the middle of the field’, the film showed otherwise. His placement and timing there have become quietly consistent. I summed it up this way: “Over the last two weeks, he’s accounted for seven touchdowns with no turnovers, and he is playing great football. Long may it continue.”
Comparing Hurts: 2023 vs. 2025
In my 2023 season review, I concluded that Hurts remained an excellent quarterback, but was let down by injuries and an offense that didn’t suit him. That year felt like a step backward. This year has been more uneven than dominant, but it’s clearly trending upward over the past two weeks. The quarterback’s growth is evident. These were some of the areas I looked at in 2023, so I thought I would see how he compares to what I said about him then.
Processing and Poise
Then: I wrote, “Hurts has gotten better at reading the defense and eliminating what isn’t there quickly.” But his growth was limited by schematic chaos.
Now: That mental side of his game has definitely progressed. He has been better this year at eliminating what isn’t there. Hurts is diagnosing defenses faster and more confidently than at any point in his career.
Deep Ball and Ball Placement
Then: I wrote that Hurts was an “incredibly good deep-ball thrower” who “throws with fantastic anticipation and placement.”
Now: I think this remains his trademark. His deep ball accuracy is still exceptional. However, his ball placement, particularly on timing throws and between the hashes, has been better than it was a couple of years ago. He’s developed into one of the league’s most accurate quarterbacks from the pocket.
Mobility and the Run Game
Then: Injuries limited his mobility, but I wrote, “He is still an elite rushing threat when healthy.”.
Now: He’s fully healthy, but the staff is using his legs more selectively. That approach has drawn criticism from many (including myself!), but I guess it’s a trade-off between long-term durability and week-to-week explosiveness. When Hurts does run, his burst and vision still look good, but I think it’s very fair to point out that he was a more important part of the run game two years ago. He hasn’t been a big part of the run game at all.
Handling Pressure and the Blitz
Then: This part of Hurts’ game received a ton of criticism, but I was defensive of Hurts, stating, “It’s not Jalen Hurts’ fault the Eagles are bad against the blitz.” I thought the scheme was atrociou,s and Hurts didn’t have a chance to play against the blitz. I’m not fully excusing Hurts, but I honestly don’t think he had a fair chance with the scheme around him. I think I’ve proven correct…
Now: He’s turned that weakness into a defining strength. His performance against pressure has been superb. I’ve repeatedly said things, such as “unfazed by the blitz,” or “calmly throwing on time despite a free rusher.” This area might represent the most significant single year-to-year leap of his career. And, it doesn’t surprise me at all!
Final Thoughts
Jalen Hurts isn’t quite in the Tier 1 “elite tier” of quarterbacks in my opinion, and it’s hard to evaluate him without considering the huge amount of weapons at his disposal. Still, I think he’s sitting comfortably at the top of the next tier. If we’re being honest, rankings can feel arbitrary, and I rarely release them for that reason, because people will ignore all the analysis in the article and just comment on that number. I said in 2023 that Hurts is good enough to lead the Eagles to a Super Bowl. I was proven correct. If the question is whether Hurts can lead this version of the Eagles to success, my answer remains the same: yes.
For what this Eagles offense wants to be, I honestly believe there’s nobody better suited to run it. And for what this franchise values (accountability, work ethic, and leadership), I wouldn’t want anyone else leading the team.
Hurts’ growth against the blitz has been dramatic. His accuracy and ball placement are consistent week after week, and his comfort throwing over the middle is now starting to show. He’s become an outstanding quarterback. I did not think he could become this player when the Eagles drafted him. I was totally wrong and underestimated him as a competitor, a leader, and a person.
Since becoming the starter, Hurts has been at the center of one of the most successful stretches in Eagles history. He’s not just a quarterback. I think he’s the tone-setter for the entire organization. A leader, a winner, and a player who’s grown into the exact type of quarterback this team demands. More than anything else, I think Hurts is resilient and accountable. He continues to improve parts of his game every year.
Hurts’ evolution is the biggest reason why the Eagles remain a contender every single season. Some players are just winners…
Thank you for reading! I’d love to hear your thoughts, so feel free to comment below and ask any questions. If you enjoyed this piece, you can find more of my work and podcast here. If you would like to support me further, please check out my Patreon here!
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