Maybe this high-wire act the Eagles appear to play every week is just how it's going to be for the rest of the season. For the most part, it's a winning formula.
The Eagles played an average first half Sunday against the Vikings, which was bailed out mostly by some bad Carson Wentz decisions that the Eagles know all too well. Their passing game came alive, though, in the second half and they got some big third-down stops on defense to escape Minneapolis with a 28-22 win.
The Eagles never trailed in the game and at one point led by 11, and yet, the outcome never seemed set in stone until the Vikings ruined their chance to really make it close when T.J. Hockenson dropped a touchdown pass on the Vikings' final possession, followed by a Josh Uche sack of Wentz that forced Minnesota to eventually kick a field goal.
A sweet connection between Jalen Hurts and A.J. Brown on the Eagles' last drive was the final nail in the coffin, as the Eagles snapped their two-game losing streak with a rematch next Sunday against the Giants on deck, the last team to beat them.
This was a fairly formulaic Eagles win. Most folks probably won't be happy with things the Eagles didn't do well, and that's understandable for the defending Super Bowl champs, who haven't looked elite at any time this season.
But it's way better than losing a third straight.
Let's get to the observations:
Jalen Hurts came alive in the second half
Hurts completed 9 of 11 passes in the first half, but he didn't play well. His pass protection was actually very good despite some injuries up front, and has been pretty good all year. Buteven with plenty of time, he held onto the ball too long, didn't find lanes to scramble through, and took too many sacks.
The way the second half started, it wasn't looking great, but he really came alive as the game progressed. His 78-yard touchdown pass was vintage Hurts, a deep ball that only DeVonta Smith could catch and led him the right way to complete the catch-and-run for a score. His 26-yarder to A.J. Brown in the fourth was terrific ball placement between two defenders, and he had another nice roll-out to his right with a throw to Smith on 3rd-and-long to move the chains.
A.J. Brown finally got the ball
A big sigh of relief for A.J. Brown, who had his best game of the season. He only caught four balls, but they were all huge, especially his last catch – a 45-yarder on 3rd-and-9 on the Eagles' last possession thanks to a sweet double move on former teammate Isaiah Rodgers, which let the Eagles run the rest of the clock out.
Much has been made of the Hurts-Brown relationship this year, both on and off the field, and just six targets against a Vikings defense that came after Hurts still feels low. It won't make those relationship questions go away totally, but anytime the Eagles can get 100 yards from both Brown and Smith, that usually goes over well in the locker room.
Pass rush, or lack thereof, almost did them in
Outside a key third-down sack in the third quarter by Moro Ojomo, the Eagles just couldn't generate enough pressure late in the game to breathe easily.
Carson Wentz saved some of his best throws for the fourth quarter and even had some slithery runs that got the Vikings deep in Eagles territory as they trailed by nine with time winding down. Wentz nearly had a touchdown pass to T.J. Hockenson, but it was called a drop. Then Wentz converted a 4th-and-2 to Jordan Addison. They got a sack from Josh Uche, but that was more on Wentz just holding onto the ball when he should have thrown it through the uprights.
The Eagles only had two sacks despite Wentz's poor pocket presence and penchant for getting stuck inside the pocket. Last year's defense would have dropped Wentz several times. With reports that Brandon Graham could come out of retirement, maybe the pass rush can improve for the Eagles.
CB2 continues to be a struggle
It'll be interesting to see how quickly Jakorian Bennett gets onto the field when he's ready to return because both Adoree' Jackson and Kelee Ringo have struggled. Jackson started and left with a concussion. Quinyon Mitchell was assigned mainly to Justin Jefferson, who was kept in check for being Justin Jefferson (it helped that he dropped a touchdown).
But the other Vikings receivers made big plays, with Jordan Addison going over 100 yards and Jailen Nailor adding a big 26-yard catch. It's fair to wonder if the Eagles would've won this game if they were facing any other starting NFL QB who's less erratic than Wentz.
Run defense was much improved
The Eagles needed to atone for their run defense breakdowns against the Giants, who had no passing weapons and could only rely on the run game, and still ran the ball effectively anyway in an upset win.
Against the Vikings, the Eagles were much better. They allowed just 57 yards on 13 carries to Jordan Mason, at an average of 3.8 per carry. Carson Wentz's scrambles accounted for about 30 percent of the Vikings' rushing offense. The Eagles would've happily signed up for that going into the game. Even Minnesota's lone touchdown, a 1-yard run by Mason, was very close to not being a touchdown – as Mason somehow got the nose of the ball over the goal line while being corralled by Zack Baun.
Special teams is now hurting them, not helping
The Eagles committed ridiculous penalties on their first two kickoff returns in the second half that staked them to poor starting field position. The first was brutal, an illegal formation – on kickoff return? – that set the Eagles up at their own 16 and after getting one first down, the Eagles punted.The next one – an illegal double team – didn't hurt as much as the Eagles were able to get their deep ball from Hurts to Smith for a touchdown and 21-9 lead.
Still, the penalties coupled with the muffs and botched returns from the past have hurt the Eagles all season and it seems the Eagles invent new ways to hurt their starting field position each week. Add to that Jake Elliott's first missed field goal, and it's just been an up-and-down season for Eagles special teams – more downs than up lately.
Nakboe Dean gets some playing time on defense
With the Eagles light on the edges, Naboke Dean made his season debut on defense, playing intermittently at linebacker while Jihaad Campbell moved to the edge. It was hard to tell how many snaps he played, but he made six tackles, tied for second-most on the team.
The Eagles surely have some optionality now that Dean is ready to make more of an impact on defense. But if Brandon Graham does really return, which he probably will, does Vic Fangio need to move Campbell to the edge? That's Fangio's job to figure out.
Injuries are crippling their depth
The Eagles again needed to overcome major injuries as Cam Jurgens (knee), Azeez Ojulari (hamstring) and Jeremiah Trotter Jr. (ankle) each went out early. Cornerback Adoree' Jackson eventually exited with a concussion.
The most difficult loss was Jurgens, as the team opted to play Brett Toth at backup center despite the fact that Toth has shown frequently in camp that he struggles with shotgun snaps. The Eagles could have moved Landon Dickerson to center and played Toth at left guard, but didn't. The Eagles went under center more than usual because of Toth at center. I'm not sure if that's good or bad, because Hurts typically doesn't play from under center but did make some decent passes against Minnesota from it.
New Tush Push defense
The Vikings were the first team to have a creative strategy to defend the Tush Push – well, more creative than just jumping over the pile Frankie Luvu-style. The Vikings had their nose tackle basically lie down on the ground sideways in front of the ball to create a human barrier. The Eagles still converted a Tush Push for a first down but had a penalty on another.
Leave it to Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores, one of the NFL's best, to find something different to try to stop the play. Wonder if it leads to a trend.
Back on track?
This will be for naught if the Eagles lose again Sunday to the Giants in Week 8 at home. They clearly still have some major issues, and we can debate their upside all day, but a win over the Giants would send them into the bye at 6-2 and still very much alive and kicking in the NFC.
A loss to the Giants would show that the Eagles just aren't consistent enough to really be the same Super Bowl team they were last year and raise serious concerns about their ability to make a deep postseason run.
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