Brilliance Of Jalen Hurts, Receivers Help Eagles Snap Two-Game Losing Streak

MINNEAPOLIS – The Eagles emerged from their mini-bye and became…a passing team?

The offense had its share of struggles, but it’s hard to argue with the results of what became a 28-22 win over the Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium on Sunday. The victory snapped a two-game losing streak and lifted their record to 5-2 with a rematch game looming against the Giants next week at home.

Jalen Hurts and his two big receivers had special days, with both DeVonta Smith and A.J. Brown each going over 100 yards receiving.

Smith had a career-high 183 yards on nine catches and hauled in a 79-yard touchdown. His previous career-high was 169 yards against the Commanders on Sept. 25, 2022.

Brown had two touchdowns, covering 37 yards, on a fourth-and-four throw, and 26 yards. His 26-yarder came with just over six minutes left in the game and put the Eagles ahead 28-19. He had a 40-yard catch on third-and-nine and two minutes to play to set the Eagles up at the Vikings 11, allowing them to work on the clock.

Jalen Hurts Posted A Perfect Passer Rating

His last two touchdown-game came on Oct. 29, 2023, also against the Commanders. he finished this one with four receptions for 121 yards.

The orchestrator of it all – Hurts – finished 19-for-23 with 326 yards, three touchdowns, and a perfect passer rating of 158.3. He had over 300 yards passing to just Brown and Smith.

The Eagles’ defense held the Vikings to five field goals on six red-zone trips, and, after not getting a turnover since Week 3 in Tampa when Jihaad Campbell picked off Baker Mayfield at the goal line to thwart a drive, they picked off Carson Wentz twice, all in the first half.

The first was when Jalyx Hunt picked off Carson Wentz over the middle. It became a pick-six when Hunt raced 42 yards for a touchdown with 13:26 to play in the second quarter.

Not satisfied with one pick from Wentz, the quarterback the Eagles spent the second overall pick on in 2016, they got another from the QB when rookie Drew Mukuba swiped a deep throw for his second of the season on the Vikings’ next possession after Hunt’s pick.

Josh Uche picked a heckuva time to record his first sack as an Eagles, too, taking down Wentz on a first-and-goal try. The defense held and forced Reichard’s fifth field goal of the game, including one from 59 yards.

THOUGHTS

-Jake Elliott had been a perfect 6-for-6 in field goals, but his 42-yard, wide-right miss could’ve been costly. The kicker also gave up the momentum after Smith’s 79-yard TD catch when his ensuing kickoff didn’t reach the landing zone. The Vikings got the ball at thr 40 and marched for their only touchdown of the game.

There are a still some sore spots for this Eagles’ offense - for the fourth straight game, they lost the time of possession battle and once again they lost the total yardage battle, this time 387-361. The Eagles haven’t outgained an opponent in any game this season.

-This was a costly game in terms of injuries for the Eagles. They lost Cam Jurgens, Azeez Ojulari, Jeremiah Trotter, Jr. to injury in the second half then Adoree Jackson left with a concussion in the third quarter. The bye, which comes up after Sunday’s home game rematch against the Giants, can’t come quick enough.

-Jurgens leaving early with a knee injury didn’t help matters, with Brett Toth stepping in an giving up a 6-yard loss on a simple running play that led to a three-and-out series in the first half. Toth had a hard time moving anybody off the line of scrimmage in the run game.

The bigger questions now:

Is Jurgens going to be well enough to play on Sunday when the Giants visit?

If not, will Toth be the replacement or could the Eagles use rookie Drew Kendall or Landon Dickerson, who would slide from left guard, opening that spot for maybe Matt Pryor?

-Offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo said he wanted to run the ball more, and he did. Saquon Barkley had 18 carries but for only 44 yards. Tank Bigsby made a first-quarter appearance, running for 11 yards on his first carry as an Eagle, but didn’t get another run after that.

-Azeez Ojulari left the game with a hamstring injury. It might’ve happened on the play when he lost a foot race to Carson Wentz after the ball was snapped over Wentz’s head. The QB fell on it for a 22-yard loss, but by beating Ojulari to the ball, the Vikings were able to connect on a 59-yard field goal by Will Reichard.

More NFL: Defense Helps Eagles Take Early Lead Against Vikings