For the brief time that they were together, Jalen Hurts was relegated to the nerds table in the NovaCare Complex, often ignored while Eagles’ starter Carson Wentz and his pals, backup quarterback Nate
Sudfeld and quarterback’s coach Press Taylor, would yuk it up at the cool kid’s table.
Hurts never said anything. He never caused a problem. He kept to himself, and he kept to his grind, put his head down, and focused on what he had to do to be a better quarterback and earn the starting job.
A year later, Wentz, Sudfeld and Taylor were gone—and Hurts was on his way to eventually winning Super Bowl MVPs and Super Bowls. Wentz, meanwhile, was on his way to six different teams in the last six years, the latest being the Eagles’ opponent on Sunday, the Minnesota Vikings.
A glaring reason why was on full display at U.S. Bank Stadium on Sunday.
The Eagles beat the Vikings, 28-24, led by Hurts completing 19 of 23 passes, with almost as many touchdowns (3) as incompletions (4), throwing for 326 yards. It marked the first time Hurts threw for over 300 yards since he completed 29 of 38 for 311 yards in the Eagles’ 15-12 at New Orleans on September 22, 2024.
Hurts posted a 158.3 passer rating (the third perfect passer rating in team history), while Wentz completed 26 of 42 for 313 yards and two interceptions, compounded by going 1 for 6 in the red zone. He was rattled easily, made dubious decisions, held the ball too long, and was, well, “typical Wentz.”
It was the first time this season that Minnesota gave up over 200 yards passing, and Hurts did it with Brett Toth playing center for the most of the game for the injured Cam Jurgens and did a decent job.
There were still some troubling numbers: In every game this season, the Eagles have been outgained. This time, it was the Vikings who outgained the Eagles, 387/361, and if not for Wentz making some nervous red zone mistakes, the outcome could have been far different.
It looks as if Howie Roseman and the Eagles made the right choice.
A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith combined for 13 receptions for 304 of the Eagles’ 361 total yards of offense.
This was the kind of rebound victory that the Eagles needed after coming off their horrid 34-17 beatdown by the New York Giants, who the Eagles have next Sunday at 1 p.m. at Lincoln Financial Field.
The Eagles are now 5-2, and the only team in the NFC East over .500, two games ahead in the victory column over Washington (3-3) and three over Dallas (2-3-1) and the New York Giants (2-4).
There was a mountain of good, some bad, and a pinch of ugly in the Eagles’ reviving 28-24 victory over the Minnesota Vikings.
The Good
Hurts carried the Eagles. Hecompleted 19 of 23 for 326 yards. What was more crucial was how well he played on big downs, scrambling free to hit Brown with a 13-yard pass on a third-and-13 with 8:40 to play.The play extended the Eagles’ drive, which resulted in Brown’s second touchdown catch and a 28-19 Eagles’ lead. In the last two minutes, Hurts later hit Brown for a 45-yard completion on third-and-nine to seal the win. He played patient. He played smart. He threw accurately.
A.J. Brown’s 45-yard reception with 1:36 left was the play of the game. It came on a crucial third-and-nine at the Eagles’ 44, and sealed the victory. It wrapped up Brown’s four-catch, 121-yard reception performance, highlighted by two touchdowns. His 37-yard touchdown reception came on the opening drive and ended with a 26-yard score in the fourth quarter. On the first score, Hurts hadall the time in the world, it seemed, even pointing down field noticing the mismatched Joshua Metellus trying to keep up with Brown down the sideline. The protection was perfect, and despite the Vikings dropping eight, Hurts found a crease and exploited it. Brown was put in motion, and Metellus simply could not keep up with him. On the second score, Brown beat Vikings’ cornerback Byron Murphy Jr. on an inside route in the middle of the field. On the 45-yard reception, Brown beat former Eagle teammate Isaiah Rodgers for the clincher.
DeVonta Smith’s career game, with a game-high nine catches for a career-best 183 yards—the most by an NFL receiver this season—which included a 79-yard, third-quarter touchdown strike, the longest play of his career. The Eagles ran the play with Hurts under center, on a play-action fake to Saquon Barkley. Rodgers, who is having a nice season for Minnesota, bit and looked up. That created the opening for Smith, who blew right by Rodgers. Hurts hit Smith in stride for a 21-6 lead with 8:07 left in the third quarter. Smith’s previous career long was 63 yards in 2023 against the Vikings. Smith later made an incredible 28-yard catch with less than a minute left in the third quarter. Unfortunately, Jake Elliott missed a 42-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter on the drive.
Edge rusher Joshua Uche’s eight-yard sack on a first-and-goal at the Eagles’ 18. Uchebeat Minnesota right tackleBrian O’Neill, taking Wentz down from behind. The Uche play forced the Vikings into their fifth field goal, preserving a 28-22 lead, and going one-for-six in the red zone.
Moro Ojomo’s seven-yard sack on a third-and-five at the Eagles’ 17 with 10:44 to play. It was typical Wentz. He had problems reading man coverage, and doing what he does, held the ball too long,when Ojomo took him down and forced another Minnesota field goal. It was the fifth time Minnesota was in the red zone and the fourth time the Eagles held the Vikings to a field goal.
Linebacker Nakobe Dean knifing through to take down Zavier Scott for a four-yard loss at midfield on the Vikings’ second drive of the second half. Dean played very well coming off the debilitating torn patellar tendon in his left knee he inured during the Eagles’ 22-10 Wild Card playoff victory over the Green Bay Packers on January 12, 2025. Until the injury, Dean was having his best—and healthiest—season as a pro, making 128 tackles in the regular season, with three sacks, and six quarterback hits. He underwent surgery in January. Against the Vikings, Dean had six tackles, three solo, including the Scott tackle for a loss.
Rookie safety Andrew Mukuba’s interception on the Vikings’ third drive. Wentz, a gift who gives on giving, made a poor decision and rather than checking down, he instead decided the throw one up to for an easy pick for Mukuba, who had his issues against the New York Giants’ Wan’Dale Robinson that led to a TD. It was Wentz’s second interception on successive drives. Later on, Mukuba returned to his missed-tackling ways.
Edge rusher Jalyx Hunt’s 42-yard touchdown interception return. It was a great play by Hunt, and a great call by Eagles’ defensive coordinator Vic Fangio. Hunt showed at the line of the scrimmage on the Vikings’ right, cheating toward Justin Jefferson in the slot. As the play unfolded, Hunt then peeled back into coverage. Wentz was completely fooled, looking at Jefferson and never seeing Hunt sitting there in the middle of the field. Hunt scored his first touchdown—on his first NFL interception. Fangio showed six up front, confusing Wentz as to who was rushing and who was backing into coverage. Jalen Carter had a lot do with that play, pressuring Wentz up the middle and forcing the shellshocked former Eagles’ first-round draft into making a “Wentz” play.
The Eagles’ first offensive drive against Brian Flores’ vaunted Vikings’ defense. The Eagles chewed through Minnesota for 8 minutes, 1 second in going 74 yards over 12 plays. The Eagles converted two fourth downs, ran the ball eight times, passed three times, and Hurts was sacked once. Hurts received great protection early, Barkley had open running lanes, and that translated into the Eagles rushing for 36 yards on the drive. Then the Eagles forgot Barkley.
Coach Nick Sirianni running Hurts under center, and going for it on fourth-and-four at the Vikings’ 37 on their first drive. Sirianni’s call looked brilliant, considering the Eagles scored on the play, although Sirianni, knowing Philadelphia, would have been buried if the play flopped and the Eagles got nothing. Sirianni and offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo had Hurts under center, ran motion, ran play action and aimed for explosive plays.
The Eagles’ first play of the game, Barkley’s eight-yard run to the left behind left tackle Jordan Mailata and healthy left guard Landon Dickerson. It helped establish what the Eagles like to do, and what they need to do to be successful offensively. Everyone on the offensive line kicked their man out, giving Barkley an eight-yard running lane and starting the Eagles toward a 7-0 lead.
The Bad
What was a real dubious call on Jordan Mason’s reach out from a yard to score with 3:38 left in the third quarter. It appeared Zack Baun and Andrew Mukuba had stopped Mason short, but the replay somehow showed Mason breaking the plain of the goal, reversing the call on the field, which allowed the Vikings to draw within 21-16.
Hunt called for pass interference on a trick play on the Vikings’ second drive of the second half. The flag got the Vikings going toward their first touchdown of the game.
Kicker Jake Elliott kicking the ball outside the landing zone, giving the Vikings possession at the Minnesota 40 after Smith’s 79-yard, third-quarter touchdown.
Brown’s false start on the Eagles’ second drive, taking them from a third-and-one to a third-and-six at the Eagles’ 43. It was a slight flinch,but it was still called.
Cornerback Adoree’ Jackson getting burned inside by Adam Thielen on a third-and-six on the Vikings’ first drive for a 10-yard gain to the Minnesota 34.
The Ugly
Jake Eilliott missing his first field goal of the season, wide right on a 42-yard attempt when the Vikings were late getting personnel on the field with 14:15 left to play. Prior to that, Elliott was six-for-six on field goal attempts and 19-for-19 on extra points.
Myles Price’s 38-yard kickoff return to open the second half for Minnesota. It placed the ball at the Vikings’ 48. Eight plays later, Minnesota reached the Eagles’ nine. But fortunately, the Eagles’ X factor, Wentz, made another auspicious appearance. On second-and-eight at the nine, Wentz inexplicably proceeded to throw the ball to no one, when he had C.J. Ham wide open in the left flat and did not see him—and this coming from a 10-year NFL veteran. It may explain why the Vikings are the sixth different team he has been with in the last six years. Wentz was flagged for intentional grounding on what was many questionable plays by a quarterback the Eagles found out years ago is not a viable, winning NFL quarterback. That was the third time that the Vikings were in the red zone, and had to settle for field goals each time. Prior to that, the Vikings had failed to score a touchdown only five times in 15 trips in the red zone.
The Eagles’ first half offense. Take away the first drive, and the Eagles finished with 42 yards of offense and two first downs the rest of the half. They ran 12 plays on their first drive and then could only muster a total of 13 plays the remainder of the half, going three-straight drives of three-and-out, and going four plays on their fifth drive. Barkley only had 10 yards rushing since the opening drive touchdown.
Mukuba, apparently, can’t tackle—kind of an important part of football. The rookie safety has a great nose for the football, but when it comes to open-field tackling, he is poorly lacking. As mentioned earlier, he blew the tackle against Robinson that led to a touchdown. On the Vikings’ fourth drive, he missed Justin Jefferson, resulting in a 40-yard play and another Vikings’ field goal.
Vikings’ defensive end Jalen Redmond blowing up Brett Toth, replacing Cam Jurgens at center, and then blowing up Barkley for a six-yard loss, and ruining great field position after the Mukuba interception on the Eagles’ third possession. Cornerback Quinyon Mitchell making a rare mistake, not picking up Jordan Addison in zone coverage, allowing a 34-yard reception on a first-and-10 at the Eagles’ 32. The Vikings botched the chance with a snap over Wentz’s head, settling instead for a 59-yard field goal.
