Why Not Start Mariota over Hurts?

Former NFL quarterback and current NFL Network analyst David Carr suggests that the Philadelphia Eagles should consider starting Marcus Mariota over Jalen Hurts. Carr expressed the belief that Mariota might be more effective at quarterback for the Eagles at this moment. He emphasized the need for a serious discussion within the Philadelphia organization about whether it’s better to play Mariota now and allow Hurts to fully recover.

Carr proposed this idea while acknowledging that the Eagles are currently in the postseason picture and not at risk of falling beyond seventh place in the NFC. He highlighted the importance of considering the bigger picture for the Eagles, with their primary goal being to win the Super Bowl. Carr argued that letting Hurts rest in games without high-stakes implications could benefit the team in the long run.

The suggestion came into play as Hurts temporarily left Philadelphia’s game against the San Francisco 49ers for a concussion evaluation, with Mariota stepping in. Carr credited the Eagles for taking a strategic approach, emphasizing that the team’s focus should be on winning crucial playoff games rather than securing a specific seeding.

Despite Sunday’s loss to San Francisco, Carr believes that whether the Eagles secure the No. 1 playoff seed or not won’t significantly impact their postseason success. As of now, there’s no injury designation for Hurts, and the team hasn’t confirmed whether he will start Sunday night’s game against the Dallas Cowboys.

Looking ahead, the Eagles have remaining regular-season matchups against the Seattle Seahawks, the Arizona Cardinals, and two games against the New York Giants. Carr’s unconventional suggestion sparks a debate about the best approach for the Eagles as they navigate the final stretch of the season and prepare for a potential playoff run.