Eagles' Jalen Hurts Out with Concussion vs. Commanders, Replaced By Kenny Pickett

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts has been officially ruled out for the remainder of Sunday's matchup against the Washington Commanders after suffering a concussion in the first quarter.

Hurts has been playing through a broken ring finger on his left hand. He originally injured the finger in Philly's 22-16 win over the Carolina Panthers. When he arrived at Lincoln Financial Field ahead of a Week 15 matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers, he sported a noticeable wrap on the appendage.

After the game, Hurts said the broken finger adversely affected his performance, but you wouldn't have guessed that based on his output. He finished 25-of-32 for 290 yards and two touchdowns.

Hurts' season mirrors that of his team. Coming into Sunday he had thrown for 2,892 yards, 18 touchdowns and five interceptions while going for 589 yards and 14 scores on the ground. Those numbers are pretty much on par with his first three years as the full-time starter.

And yet, concerns over Philly's passing game continued to linger. It wasn't until the Steelers game that confidence in the unit began to build again.

A serious injury to Hurts would also lay bare how valuable the two-time Pro Bowler is to the team.

Kenny Pickett took over on Sunday, and his ascension to the starting job will inevitably trigger some panic in the City of Brotherly Love (though he did throw a touchdown pass to A.J. Brown in his first series). The 2022 first-round pick threw for 4,479 yards, 13 touchdowns and 13 interceptions in his two years with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

While Pickett boasts starting experience, there's a big gulf between he and Hurts, especially when it comes to their playing styles. No player is more vital to the Eagles' long-term Super Bowl hopes than Hurts.