Alabama Football: 3 keys for Jalen Hurts to succeed in starting debut

Keys for Alabama football’s Jalen Hurts to succeed vs. Saints

2. Hurts must use his legs to extend plays

When you compare Carson Wentz and Jalen Hurts, you have to put their play in the context of the Philadelphia Eagles. Philly’s offensive line has been decimated with injuries, so it is hard to stay in the pocket. Wentz is a good athlete, but Hurts’ best trait is his legs.

We saw this early and often during his career with Alabama football. Hurts is going to be a natural runner, but it isn’t just about scripted runs. Hurts needs to move out of the pocket and keep his eyes downfield. We saw this in Philly’s last game against the Packers. On Jalen’s only touchdown of the game, he rolled right and found the back of the endzone. That is a recipe for success against the Saints, and we will see plenty of it on Sunday.

Whether the pocket moves with him or not, Hurts needs to be comfortable with running. Until the Eagles get a better offensive line or some weapons on the outside, their only way to succeed is with a mobile quarterback. That’s why fans are excited about Jalen Hurts. We’ll see what he can do in this one, but he must run early and often if he wants to have a solid game.