Philadelphia Eagles Starting QB vs. Seahawks: Is Jalen Hurts Playing Tonight?

Jalen Hurts injury status currently remains in the balance heading into their Monday Night Football matchup against the Seattle Seahawks. Should Hurts not be able to give it a go, who gets the starting nod as his replacement in this NFC showdown with playoff implications?

Philadelphia Eagles Quarterback vs. Seattle Seahawks

Until told otherwise, Jalen Hurts is still listed as the Eagles starter heading into Monday Night Football against the Seattle Seahawks. The decision will come from him as he battles an illness, now getting two days of rest since announcing that he was sick.

Should he not be able to give it a go then his backup Marcus Mariota will be deemed the starter as his replacement. He’s had limited exposure so far this season, just attempting three passes for two completions and 16 yards. This would be a massive drop off in their levels of production as Mariota has struggled with his accuracy and decision making since getting drafted to the NFL.

Especially with the way Hurts has been playing this year, firmly being in the MVP race backed by another magical performance so far this season. Hurts has thrown for 3,192 yards, 19 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions while adding another 460 rushing yards and 12 rushing touchdowns with his legs.

Hurts’ illness could not come at a worse time as the Eagles hit a critical part of their schedule. The Dallas Cowboys have closed the gap on the Eagles, now being in a position to win the division. That would take away the Eagles chance of hosting a playoff game, hampering their chances of making a run to the Super Bowl.

Jalen Hurts vs. Seattle Seahawks

Should Jalen Hurts be able to give it a go, he will be in a great position to succeed as defense has been optional for the Seattle Seahawks. They come into this matchup ranked 26th in Def DVOA, being prone to getting beat by both facets of the offense. Against dual threat Jalen Hurts, the Eagles should have no issue with moving the ball down the field.

Especially since the Eagles offense has been their lone consistent source of success, ranking eighth in Off DVOA and top-10 in both the pass and rush. Behind an elite offensive line, Hurts will have ample time to sit in a clean pocket and pick apart a Seahawks secondary who ranks near dead last in Def Pass Success Rate.

Philadelphia Eagles vs. Seattle Seahawks Odds

The Eagles are slight road favorites over the Seahawks on primetime, entering the contest favored by 3.5 points and -192 on the moneyline. They went up to as high as -4.5, dipping back to -3 when Hurts was first announced questionable. The spread has since creeped up back to -3.5, indicating that Hurts will most likely be playing.