Jalen Hurts rarely offers insight into himself, but after beating the Steelers on Sunday, he did just that.

He was asked by Fox analyst Tom Brady how he felt about being named player of the game and he politely accepted the honor. He then mentioned that he had been asked two weeks earlier about facing Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson, and he acknowledged that yes, it would be a challenge to face two of the best dual-threat quarterbacks in the game on the same field Great moment for football:

“You see a lot of kids out there watching Jalen Hurts and Lamar Jackson and that’s what they see. All eyes are on her.”

And then Jalen let us in.

Hurts loves Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson. He clearly sees himself in Wilson.

It makes sense.

Ten years ago, Hurts was a boy, then a young man, training to be an NFL quarterback, and there was no better role model for him than Wilson.

What Wilson did in Seattle from 2012-21 was as groundbreaking as it was breathtaking. His passer rating of 101.8 ranked third among QBs with at least 3,000 attempts, behind Aaron Rodgers and Drew Brees. His 4,689 rushing yards rank second behind Cam Newton. His 158 starts ranked second behind Matt Ryan. He is 9-7 in the playoffs, played in two Super Bowls and won one. He was a dual-threat quarterback who was incredibly durable, completely relentless, thoughtful and intelligent.

Does this sound familiar?

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He was also too small. He endured questions about his arm. He was drafted outside the first round and was expected to serve as a backup. And by and large, he was a black NFL quarterback. Maybe race was still more important in relation to that particular position than it is today, but still.

Again:

Does this sound familiar?

So it makes sense that with so many predecessors to choose from – Randall Cunningham, Steve McNair, Donovan McNabb, Michael Vick and Newton, among others – Hurts seems to identify most with Danger-Russ, who sees himself as the runner-up recreates time after first doing so in Denver in 2022-23:

“I think for today, even all week, Russell Wilson… man, he paved the way for a lot of people, myself included,” Hurts said. “My brother (Averion Jr.) loved him. I loved him and still love him. I watched him do many things that people said he couldn’t do. He has experienced some adversity. And he overcame that. He came back stronger.

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“And so today I was able to compete against him, a guy I looked up to and had a lot of respect for, who defied all odds with his greatness. And the opportunity to compete in championships and win a championship means great respect for him. Definitely cool to beat him, but nothing but love for him.”

DeSean Jackson, redux

On September 15, 2008, under the bright lights of Monday Night Football at arch-rival Dallas, electric rookie DeSean Jackson, in his second NFL game, broke away from the defense and managed a 61-yard touchdown reception… except for him, it only carried 60 yards. It is known that Jackson dropped the ball at the 1-yard line.

On December 15, 2024, two other players did the same.

Bengals safety Jordan Battle turned a sure scoop-and-score fumble recovery against the Titans into a touchback when he celebrated his effort a yard early and fumbled the ball out of the back of the end zone. Just minutes later, Colts running back Jonathan Taylor dropped the ball before crashing the plane on a breakaway run against the Broncos; His ball went out of bounds on the sideline of the end zone. Both led to touchbacks for the opponent.

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The Bengals still won. The Colts lost. Taylor’s TD would have given the Colts a 20-7 lead in the third quarter. Instead, a special teams faux pas and a scoop-and-score helped the Broncos to a 31-13 win.

In 2008, the Eagles received the ball on the Cowboys’ Game 1 and scored on the way to a loss. But it’s notable that 16 years later, after a borderline Hall of Fame career of dynamic plays, the defining play of D-Jax’s 15-year career is a rookie mistake.

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(That is, outside of Philadelphia; the defining play of Jackson’s career will always be for Eagles fans the Miracle at the Meadowlands II, when he returned a one-hop punt in the final seconds of a victory over the Giants in 2010. )

Josh Allen roars past the Lions and Saquon

Bills quarterback Josh Allen scored two touchdowns and two more in a 48-42 road win in Detroit. The game was both good news and bad news for the Eagles.

The good news: The Lions’ loss, due in part to injury issues, puts them at 12-2 and tied with the Eagles for the top spot in the NFC, although the Lions hold the tiebreaker for the NFC’s top seed and the bye that comes with it . If the Eagles win their last three games – at Washington, at home against the Cowboys, at home against the Giants – they have a shot at first place if the Lions lose again. The Lions play in Chicago and San Francisco and host the Vikings in the finals. The Vikings enter Monday night football, We host the Bears at 11-2, but the Eagles are currently tied over the Vikings.

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The bad news: Not only did Allen throw for 362 yards, he also ran for 68 yards.

That means he passed the Eagles’ MVP candidate Saquon Barkley by 3 yards.

Wentz or Mahomes? Hmmm

Patrick Mahomes, who has chronic ankle problems, had to leave Sunday’s win against the Browns with another ankle injury. It happened in the fourth quarter. Mahomes was replaced by Carson Wentz, the failed Eagles, Colts and Commanders started at QB. Wentz managed not to lose the game.

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Mahomes said his ankle wasn’t broken, but was definitely injured. The Chiefs are 12-1 and have a two-game lead over the 11-3 Bills for the No. 1 seed and the AFC bye, so they may face a dilemma on Saturday:

Do they push Mahomes to face the visiting Texans, a strong 9-5 team that leads the AFC South? Or do they put their short-term fate in the hands of Wentz, who hasn’t started a meaningful game since New Year’s Day in 2023, which he lost for the Commanders and knocked them out of the playoffs? Wentz is 14-21-1 as a starter since 2019.

Good luck, Andy.

Extra points

The Saints attempted a two-point conversion near the end and failed, giving the Commanders a 20-19 win and a 9-5 record after their bye. The Eagles can clinch the NFC East if they beat the Commanders on Sunday in Washington. … Baker Mayfield threw four TD passes and the Buccaneers stayed atop the NFC South at 8-6 with a win over the 8-6 Chargers. … Lamar Jackson had five TD passes in a blowout win over the Giants as the Ravens got to 9-5 after their bye – but playing the Giants is like getting a second bye.