The previous time that Joe Burrow opposed Jalen Hurts as starting quarterbacks, he tied an SEC single-game record with seven touchdown passes and set the conference TD-responsibility standard at eight by also running for a score.
Although Hurts won the SEC Offensive Player of the Year Award at Alabama in 2016 and Burrows earned that honor at LSU in 2019, their showdown didn’t happen in a conference contest. Instead, they squared off in a CFP semifinal game during Hurts’ single season at Oklahoma. LSU defeated the Sooners 63-28 in the Peach Bowl on Dec. 28, 2019, on its way to the national championship.
Earlier that month, Burrow had been announced as the Heisman Trophy winner, with Hurts finishing as the runner-up.
“I got to hang out with all of the guys,” Hurts said of the Heisman Trophy ceremony, “and I think it was a fun overall experience. I obviously got a ton of respect for him.”
On Sunday, the quarterbacks will lead opposing teams again when Hurts and the Philadelphia Eagles visit Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals.
Burrows joined Cincinnati as the No. 1 pick in the 2020 NFL Draft and was an immediate starter. Hurts was a second-round selection and replaced Carson Wentz as Philadelphia’s quarterback with four games left in his rookie season, so when the Bengals and Eagles met in the third game of the 2020 season, Hurts was limited to two gadget plays that netted 5 rushing yards while Burrow threw for 312 yards and two touchdowns in a 23-23 tie.
Since then, the careers of Hurts and Burrow have some similarities.
Each got his team to the Super Bowl in his second season as the starter. Burrow and the Bengals lost to the Los Angeles Rams 23-20 in Super Bowl LVI to cap the 2021 season. Hurts and the Eagles lost to the Kansas City Chiefs 38-35 in Super Bowl LVII to end the 2022 season.
In 59 NFL regular-season starts, Burrow has produced 122 touchdowns – 111 passes and 11 runs. In 57 NFL regular-season starts, Hurts has produced 118 touchdowns – 73 passes and 45 runs. That’s 2.07 touchdowns per game for Burrow, and 2.07 touchdowns per game for Hurts. Each quarterback has produced 10 postseason touchdowns.
Including postseason games, Philadelphia has a 40-22 record with Hurts as its starting quarterback. Cincinnati is 37-28-1 with Burrow under center.
Each team enters Sunday’s game – a noon CDT kickoff at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati – having won its past two games against the same opponents. The Eagles defeated the Cleveland Browns 20-16 on Oct. 13 and the New York Giants 28-3 on Oct. 20. The Bengals defeated the Giants 17-7 on Oct. 13 and the Browns 21-14 on Oct. 20.
Burrow passed for 389 yards and two touchdowns and ran for 52 yards and one touchdown in the two games. Hurts passed for 378 yards and three touchdowns and ran for 55 yards and two touchdowns in the two games.
The two victories lifted Philadelphia to 4-2 for the 2024 season. Cincinnati comes in at 3-4.
“They’re a gritty team,” Hurts said of the Bengals. “They find ways to win. They’re a competitive team. Front seven definitely stands out, and then their DBs make plays on the ball, so we got a good challenge ahead of us.”
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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.
