Perhaps, for you, there may be little debate.
The Eagles have had lots of good-to-great quarterbacks over the previous few a long time. Ron Jaworski, Randall Cunningham, Donovan McNabb, Michael Vick, Nick Foles, Carson Wentz, Jalen Hurts and, in fact, Bobby Hoying.
Properly, possibly not the final one.
For this week’s Deadzone Debate, we’re going to dive right into a easy query. Who’s one of the best QB in Birds historical past?
Little doubt everybody has their favorites. Cunningham was a novel expertise and the primary of his sort, a quarterback who was simply as harmful a runner as a passer. Vick wasn’t right here lengthy, however put collectively probably the most thrilling common seasons in franchise historical past. Jaworski was an old style quarterback who was the group’s first Professional Bowl QB of the Tremendous Bowl period. Foles gained a Tremendous Bowl with a run to the title that may dwell without end in NFL historical past. Wentz put collectively what was prone to be the best single season in 2017 earlier than the damage torpedoed his profession.
However that leaves us with two actual decisions.
Donovan McNabb and Jalen Hurts.
McNabb’s general counting stats are going to trump Hurts’ just because he 74 extra video games below his belt. McNabb is the group’s chief in general passing yards (32,873), completions (2,801), and TD passes (216) and went to 6 Professional Bowls.
McNabb additionally averaged extra passing yards per recreation (223.2) than Hurts (192.4) and though Hurts’ 3,554 dashing yards is barely greater than McNabb’s 3,459, McNabb had a greater dashing yards per try (5.6) than Hurts (4.6).
However when wanting on the per-game stats, the competitors is exceedingly shut. Hurts’ successful proportion (.613) is best than Donovan’s (.587), his interception price (1.9%) is decrease (2.2%), and his general passer ranking (94.4) is much superior to McNabb’s (85.6).
Maybe the deciding issue would be the most evident one. Though McNabb performed in 5 NFC Championship Video games, he gained solely one among them, following the 2004 season, the place he misplaced to Tom Brady and the Patriots firstly of their Tremendous Bowl dynasty.
McNabb didn’t play properly in that recreation, finishing 30 out of 51 passes for 357 yards and three touchdowns, however he threw 3 completely killer interceptions and was sacked 4 occasions. McNabb appeared to play properly within the postseason till he reached the convention’s last spherical.
Hurts, nonetheless, has performed his finest in these conditions. A 3-time Professional Bowl participant himself, Hurts has a Tremendous Bowl MVP to his credit score following his epic efficiency in Tremendous Bowl 59, and he would have been named MVP of Tremendous Bowl 57 had the Eagles’ protection managed to cease Patrick Mahomes within the second half of their loss to the Chiefs. He has excelled in his two NFC Championship Sport performances as properly, main blowout wins in each.
If you happen to consider longevity is a key part when deciding whether or not somebody is “the greatest” at a sure place, than you in all probability have to offer the nod to McNabb. He was one of many NFL’s greatest stars for a decade and helped launch the longest run of sustained success in franchise historical past.
In any case, the very fact the Eagles retired McNabb’s No. 5 tells you a large number about his standing within the franchise’s lore.
However should you consider a Tremendous Bowl title trumps all, than Hurts is your man. Whereas not as completed a passer as McNabb, Hurts’ willingness to do no matter it takes to win places him in a particular place. And, clearly, he’s not achieved.
When all is alleged and achieved, Hurts will probably be the unquestioned biggest QB in Eagles historical past. However proper now, how shut is it a horse race for you?
