Doug Pederson: I made the switch to Jalen Hurts because we need a spark

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Eagles coach Doug Pederson has confirmed he’s benching Carson Wentz in favor of Jalen Hurts, and it’s all about seeing if Hurts can bring some heat to a stagnant offense.

Pederson told Sal Paolantonio of ESPN that switching to Hurts for Sunday’s game against the Saints was a decision he made because the Eagles have to get out of their rut.

“Same reason I made the switch in the game. We need a spark. It’s not about one guy here. We all know we need to be better,” Pederson said. “Doing this for the same reason; we need a spark, offense has been poor for many reasons. Opportunity for Jalen’s development. Still have great belief in Carson as a QB and leader of the team. We have to get him better and the offense as well.”

It’s been an ugly season for Wentz and the Eagles, and Pederson had little choice but to see what the second-round rookie can do. The Eagles are going to have some tough decisions to make at the quarterback position, and knowing whether Hurts can do the job is necessary before making those decisions.