Crossing Broad
Remember when the Eagles couldn’t throw the ball? They were a running team that couldn’t pass.
Now they’re passing team that can’t run. Funny how things shift in the National Football League.
Jalen Hurts had his best game of the season in Minnesota on Sunday afternoon, completing 19 of 23 passes for 326 yards and three touchdowns. He finished with a perfect 158.3 quarterback rating in a 28 to 22 road win against the Vikings.
It was not always pretty, and Carson Wentz errors played a big role in this game, the pick-6 the largest of several backbreakers. Several times Minnesota got into the red zone and settled for three after shooting themselves in the foot.
Circumstances being what they are, the Birds ended the losing skid to improve to 5-2 with a revenge game against the Giants looming. So we will consider the glass once again half full after a rough couple of weeks as we go to the observations:
1) Good to see Will Shipley and Xavier Gipson back there on the opening kickoff. Or were they? FOX missed the opening kickoff, which was outrageous. Who’s directing this broadcast?
2) Honestly had no clue Javon Hargrave was with the Vikes.
3) That first tush push was pretty rough. Imagine being the guy laying sideways on the ground and you get smushed by all of those huge bodies. Brutal!
4) We are generally anti-coward’s draw, but that 3rd and 11 call on the opening drive was tolerable since they were in 4-down territory anyway. It was either a Jake Elliott long field goal or… a 4th and 4 scramble play and A.J. Brown. Just like everybody expected.
5) Pretty concerning how many explosives the defense is giving up this year, considering the whole point of the Vic Fangio scheme is to not give up explosives.
6) Good point by Greg Olsen. It is hard to snap the ball over the head of a 6’5″ quarterback. But if kickers are going to hit from 59 yards inside of a climate-controlled stadium, then it is what it is.
7) Eagles second drive – did they have to show tush push on 3rd and 1? It’s gonna be there on 4th and 1 if you throw incomplete. Instead, they false started and put themselves in 3rd and 6, then missed on a sideline shot to DeVonta Smith and had to punt on 4th. Poor decision there, imo.
8) Jalen Carter obliterated Wentz. Holy cow! Patented swat right off the line. He’s so quick with the get off. It’s gotta be one of the best defensive lineman moves in the NFL:
9) Andrew Mukuba with another missed tackle on the sideline. Saw that in the Giants game.
10) 4th and 1 holding call on the Vikings – just like we drew it up! Bend, but don’t break. Seven points becomes three points instead. That was really the story of the first half, the fact that Minnesota had a couple of self-inflicted errors that...
