Emphatic Win Didn't Go According To Plan For Eagles

A high-octane passing offense wasn’t the plan, but the Eagles rolled with the punches and were able to take advantage of Minnesota’s failure to marry rush with coverage Sunday en route to halting the first two-game skid in Philadelphia since 2023 with a 28-22 win over the Vikings.

A passing game that had felt like a chore for much of the season came to life in the form of 316 yards against what had been the No. 2 Minnesota passing defense in the NFL coming in.

Jalen Hurts finished with a perfect passer rating of 158.3 and receivers DeVonta Smith and A.J. Brown combined for 304 receiving yards and three touchdowns, with Smith snaring nine receptions for a career-high 183 yards, including a 79-yard touchdown.

That wasn’t the way the Eagles envisioned things going in, according to Hurts.

"To be honest, I really didn't want to say directly what we were going to do {in his weekly press conference] because I'm just not that type of competitor to put that out there,” the QB1 said after the victory. “But the thing was to come in and establish the run.”

That looked promising early for the Eagles during a 12-play, 75-yard touchdown drive featuring eight runs, but things dried up on the ground from there.

So Philadelphia simply toggled to the passing game.

Adjusting Along The Way

Oct 19, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (1) passes the ball during the first half against the Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory | Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

“[The running game] is what we wanted to come in and do, and the game just flowed the way it did,” Hurts said. “And we were able to be efficient in the pass game.”

Efficient was putting it mildly, and Hurts gave credit to embattled offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo for the adjustments.

“KP was very timely, and I think we were able to doctor up some things on the sideline and work through some things, but those guys made big-time plays,” Hurts said of his star WRs. “Smitty had a hell of a day. ...Ain't nothing to him, the way he plays. So it's good to see.”

Hurts again pointed to the sentiment of winning, no matter what it looks like.

“I think I said this on the field to [FOX analyst] Pam [Oliver]. … Identity is important. Don't get me wrong. That is very important to have an identity and be able to establish an identity. But for a long time now, we have found ways to win games," said Hurts.

“We found ways to win games in a ton of different ways. And I think when you say we find ways to lose games, and we lost games kind of the same way, so being critical of ourselves and knowing that the identity is important. But as this thing goes along, it's about winning plays."

On Sunday, it took the passing game, and the Eagles’ stars were there to deliver.

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