If Jalen Hurts runs, the Commanders plan to hit him like a running back

The Eagles offense has a running back who can take the ball all the way to the end zone. On Sunday, Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts went 44 yards on the ground for a touchdown.

On Thursday, Commanders defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr. had a blunt assessment of how his players intend to approach Hurts if/when he chooses to become a runner.

“The one thing is, is if he’s gonna run the ball and the coordinator makes a decision for him to run the ball, we’re gonna treat him like a running back,” Whitt told reporters. “And we’re gonna hit him that way. You know, so that’s their decision if they wanna get him hit the way he gets hit. If they don’t, they’ll keep him in the pocket. So that’s what we’re gonna do.”

It’s a basic fact of pro football. Often, defensive players approach quarterbacks tentatively when they transform into runners, overly conscious of the fact that the officials tend to protect quarterbacks

Hurts can protect himself when running by sliding. And he slid multiple times against the Rams.

One big factor as to whether Hurts will run relates to his left knee. He was limited in practice on Wednesday, but he fully participated on Thursday.

With a Super Bowl berth on the line, Whitt’s message to his unit (and to Hurts) is clear: If Hurts becomes a runner, he’ll be handled accordingly.

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