PHILADELPHIA — Jalen Hurts set a franchise record for most rushing yards by a Philadelphia Eagles quarterback in a single game, racking up 157 yards on the ground in a 40-33 win over the Green Bay Packers on Sunday night.
He broke a record that had previously belonged to Michael Vick, who rushed for 130 yards in December 2010 against the New York Giants.
Hurts has spoken at length about his deep appreciation for the Philadelphia quarterbacks who came before him. When he works out, he puts on highlights of Vick, Donovan McNabb and Randall Cunningham for inspiration.
“It means everything,” said Hurts, who also threw for 153 yards and two touchdowns. “I always talk about how I admire the way they play the game, and to be thrusted into that category in different things — it’s a blessing. It’s a lot of hard work going into it.
“I have a ton of respect for them and their support. They don’t even know how they’ve affected me and impacted me in my time here. It’s an understatement to say how much I appreciate them, because I do. They’ve guided me in more ways than they even know.”
Hurts’ 157 rushing yards mark the fifth most by a quarterback in the Super Bowl era, including playoffs. The Eagles as a team totaled 363 yards on the ground, the second most in franchise history. It also was the most rushing yards the Packers allowed in a game since 1977, against the division rival Chicago Bears (375).
Miles Sanders was a big part of the attack, running for a career-high 143 yards and two touchdowns. The Eagles are the first team since the 2014 San Francisco 49ers (Colin Kaepernick, Frank Gore in Week 16) with multiple 140-yard rushers in the same game.
Hurts got things going early, sprinting for 52 yards on two carries on the opening drive. His 103 rushing yards in the first quarter are the most by a quarterback in any quarter over the past 45 seasons, according to Elias Sports Bureau.
“I think that’s a natural gift he has, how he runs the ball and how he uses his legs, which we’re definitely going to need down the line,” Philadelphia wide receiver A.J. Brown said. “He did a really good job today on the ground making stuff happen.”
The win improved the Eagles’ record to 10-1. They have now had five 10-1 starts in team history; they advanced to the NFL’s championship game the previous four times.
Philadelphia also is awaiting news on safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson, who exited in the first quarter with a rib injury following a collision with Green Bay wideout Christian Watson and did not return. Gardner-Johnson entered Week 12 as the league leader in interceptions with six.