As Week 2 of the 2024 NFL season kicked off, Jalen Hurts had a challenging task ahead of him. The Philadelphia Eagles quarterback faced off against the Atlanta Falcons on “Monday Night Football” without his star receiver, A.J. Brown.

Brown was ruled out for the game after injuring his hamstring during practice on Friday. This left the Eagles with a shallower receiving corps, increasing the pressure on Hurts to ignite the offense.

Hurts stepped up to the challenge, playing a crucial role in all of Philadelphia’s touchdown drives. However, it wasn’t enough to secure a win against the Falcons, who staged a last-minute comeback to win 22-21, largely due to the Eagles’ defensive struggles rather than Hurts’ performance.

He completed 23 out of 30 passes for 183 yards, threw one touchdown, and his final drive ended with an interception that sealed the loss for the Eagles. Although these passing numbers might not stand out, his rushing statistics were certainly impressive.

Jalen Hurts’ Rushing Stats Against the Falcons

Hurts delivered one of his standout rushing performances against the Falcons. He amassed 85 yards on the ground and scored a touchdown on 13 carries, playing a pivotal role in an offense that missed Brown during the “Monday Night Football” matchup.

The Eagles clearly intended to leverage Hurts’ running ability against Atlanta. They initiated a designed run on a third-and-9 during their opening possession, which drew boos from the Philadelphia crowd when Hurts only gained 3 yards.

However, the fans soon warmed up to Hurts’ running as the Eagles’ receivers struggled to get open. Hurts kept the offense alive with significant runs during crucial moments, notably with a 23-yard scramble on fourth-and-3 during a touchdown drive in the first half.

This wasn’t the only impressive rush for Hurts during that drive. He also pulled off back-to-back runs of 9 and 15 yards, turning a second-and-20 situation into a first down. His second run showcased his strength and balance as he bounced off several Falcons defenders while remaining upright to gain yardage.

In the second half, the Falcons made a concerted effort to contain Hurts by having a player specifically monitor him to limit his rushing gains. Still, the Eagles managed to create opportunities for him, including designed runs during their fourth-quarter touchdown drive.

This strategy featured a couple of “Tush Push” plays, one of which led to Hurts scoring Philadelphia’s second touchdown.

His 85 rushing yards marked the fifth-highest total in his career and the most since he rushed for 86 yards against the Indianapolis Colts in Week 11 of the 2022 season.

Sadly, even his standout performance wasn’t enough to clinch a win against the Falcons in a closely contested game.