This week’s Philly Sports Stat of the Week will not be easy to write. I share the same sentiments as fellow site contributor Patrick Mulranen. If you’re reading this, you know that the Philadelphia Eagles fell to the Kansas City Chiefs 38-35 on a game-winning field goal. That’s not what this column will be about. It will be about what MVP runner-up and the future of the Philadelphia Eagles Jalen Hurts did.  Hurts showed on the biggest stage that he is a true dual-threat quarterback as he compiled 374 combined yards. The most important development for Hurts in this game was his pristine play as a passer. It can certainly be a proving ground game in Hurts’ development as a passer. 

The Philly Sports Stat of the Week: Jalen Hurts’ 304 passing yards.

The number is pedestrian, there’s no doubt about it. It is somewhat popular that 400 passing yards are the new 300 because of the pass-happy, copycat league that the National Football League has acted like since the beginning of the 2010s. 

Let’s go inside how significant the number is for Hurts in his career. Hurts has been known profiled, known, or talked about more because of what he brings with his legs and athleticism. I mean the guy has 1,760 rushing yards and 30 rushing touchdowns since becoming the Eagles’ starter in 2021. 

The 3rd-year starter threw for the ninth-most yards in his NFL career thus far. The last time he piled up over 300 passing yards was his 315 passing yards in Week 14 against the Chicago Bears. There’s more significance to the number 304. The total is the playoff career-high in passing yards for Hurts. Just to add a cherry on top, Hurts decided to complete 71 percent of his passes and not throw an interception. Did I mention that this was the Super Bowl? 

Not bad for a guy that people still doubted as a passer going into the Super Bowl. Those people had their reasons. It’s sports, everyone has their opinions. Now, as long as Hurts consistently plays like this, then those opinions downing his ability as a passer are wrong. Now, we all wait numerous months to see Jalen Hurts lead the Philadelphia Eagles with the intention of reaching the Super Bowl again. Only this time, they’ll have the motivation of being so close yet so far to that ultimate goal. 

Honorable Mention Number One: Joel Embiid and James Harden are on pace to be the first teammates since George Gervin and Johnny Moore in 1981-1982 to lead the league in scoring and assists per game. 

This stat was revealed during the Philadelphia 76ers broadcast of their 118-112 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers. This feat is incredibly rare. Thanks for stating the obvious, Justin. No. I mean really, it is. Legendary duos have never done this. John Stockton and Karl Malone haven’t. Magic and Kareem haven’t. Shaq and Penny haven’t. Steve Nash and Dirk haven’t. KD and Russ haven’t. 

Point is, this is incredibly rare. We’re at the All-Star break but it is certainly worth mentioning. A little footnote to follow and care about surrounding the Sixers’ push to the postseason. The best part is that the only duo to do this is a half-legend, half-regular role player. We all are getting to witness an efficient, memorable, and historic two-man game with Joel Embiid and James Harden. 

Honorable Mention Number Two: The Flyers allowed a total of 10 goals in their home-and-home series with the Seattle Kraken

The Philadelphia Flyers stumbled this week as the team was looking to push their record two or three games over .500. It didn’t help their causes that the team had to play a legitimate playoff-team in the Seattle Kraken. Philly’s defense and goaltending couldn’t stop or slow down Seattle, allowing 10 goals in the two losses. The first game was in Philadelphia and it was competitive. Seattle edged Philly in the shots battle 21-18, faceoffs battle 24-19, and obviously, the goals battle 4-3. Felix Sandstrom was the starting goaltender in this loss. 

The second game, in Seattle, did not go well. The Flyers wound up showing up flat and losing the game 6-2. Five unanswered goals for Seattle until Philly responded with two in the third period. The Flyers gave Seattle three power-play opportunities and allowed two goals. Seattle had 30 shots to Philly’s 19. Weirdly enough, the Flyers dominated the faceoff battle 36-23. Carter Hart took the loss as he allowed 4 goals on 19 shots. 

Honorable Mention Number Three: Former Sixer Charles Bassey signed a 4-year, $10.2 million dollar deal. 

You may be asking who? I get it. Why am I highlighting a player the Sixers let go of to save money? Because he is a capable backup NBA center who the Sixers had signed and wouldn’t play. Bassey showed a great flash to be a good player for Philly in that big Sixers’ road win in Denver in November of the 2021-22 season. Well, Doc Rivers believed otherwise and he was not used. 

The backup center is a haunting factor of the Joel Embiid era. Let me remind of you some of them. Greg Monroe, Amir Johnson, Trevor Booker, Paul Millsap, and DeAndre Jordan. Those guys were too old and/or slow to keep up with their job on the court. Instead of keeping a young capable center like Bassey, the team has more aged-out veterans to back up Embiid like Montrezl Harrell and Dewayne Dedmon. 

I’m just hoping for Doc Rivers to feel like his reputation is on the line and his pride kicks in that he has to make an adjustment when needed for the backup center spot. Those 8-10 minutes without Embiid have killed the Sixers in the past. Sorry for the mini-rant but I’m just a little beside myself that again the team hasn’t filled this glaring hole on the team. Even though I somewhat expected the team to not improve there because of their track record. Hope sometimes comes back to bite you.