Eagles QB Jalen Hurts has 4 touchdowns and finally beats Joe Burrow

CINCINNATI – Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts finally got the better of Joe Burrow and scored four touchdowns (three rushing, one passing) in a 37-17 road win over the Bengals on Sunday.

When asked if he got any satisfaction from defeating Burrow, considered one of the best quarterbacks in football, Hurts replied: “That's the league. I also have standards for myself.”

Hurts has played the role of Burrow's runner-up on previous occasions. Burrow won the Heisman Trophy in 2019 while Hurts was runner-up. The only time they played each other during their college careers was when Burrow's LSU Tigers defeated Hurts' Oklahoma Sooners 63-28 in the semifinals of the 2019 College Football Playoff.

Their first meeting in the pros on Sunday went in favor of Hurts, who went 16 of 20 for 236 yards (132.5 QB rating) and added 10 carries for 37 yards on the ground. Burrow finished 26 of 37 for 237 yards (84.7 rating) with one touchdown and one interception and had three rushes for 15 yards.

Hurts has played more efficient football since the Eagles' bye in Week 5. He had seven turnovers in Philadelphia's first four games – the second-most turnovers in the league at the time behind only Will Levis – but recorded zero points in the final three games, all of which were victories.

“Jalen puts in a lot of work,” coach Nick Sirianni said. “This is something Jalen Hurts doesn’t talk about enough: how much he loves football and how much time he puts into the game. And that’s how you want one of your leaders to be on your team.”

This was Hurts' third career game with three rushing touchdowns, which is the most by any quarterback since the early 1950s, according to ESPN Research. It was his 14th career game with multiple rushing TDs, extending his record for most by a quarterback in NFL history.

The Eagles have relied more on Saquon Barkley (22 carries, 108 yards) and the ground attack in recent weeks, which has made things easier for Hurts and the defense alike.

Hurts called Sunday's win a “great team win” and believes the offense is moving in a positive direction.

“I don't think we're there yet. We’re slowly figuring it out and trying to put things together,” he said. “Ultimately it comes down to the cadence and the rhythm and the way we play, and in the end it comes down to optimizing all of our talent.”