The Philadelphia Eagles were in a precarious position on Sunday afternoon against the Indianapolis Colts. They trailed basically from the start as the Colts scored a touchdown on the opening drive of the game and led by as many as 10 points in the second half. Following a disappointing Monday Night Football performance against the Washington Commanders, in which their undefeated record vanished, it looked as if Philadelphia was hitting a bit of a tailspin.
Part of the reason they were in that position again was turnovers. The Eagles committed four against the Commanders after having only three in the first eight games of the season. A Jalen Hurts fumble on the first play out of halftime set Indianapolis up in scoring position. The defense was able to do its job, holding the Colts to a field goal.
It took a little while, as the Eagles gained only 36 yards on their next two drives, which resulted in a punt and a turnover on downs. But, after that, Hurts kicked the offense into high gear and started mounting the comeback.
Indianapolis missed a field goal from 50 yards away and that was the momentum swing the Eagles needed to get things going. They scored a touchdown after that as Hurts hit Quez Watkins for a 22-yard touchdown. An A.J. Brown fumble on the ensuing Eagles drive put the Eagles in a tight spot as the Colts took the ball and worked it down to the five-yard line.
The defense once again stiffened, stuffing Jonathan Taylor twice before sacking Matt Ryan and forcing a field goal. The ball was back in Hurts’ hands and he delivered a masterful drive, going down the field in 3:13 for the go-ahead score, leading to a 17-16 victory for the Eagles.
It was a performance that drew the attention of former Carolina Panthers head coach Matt Rhule. While making an appearance on Monday QB on CBS Sports, he praised the work of Hurts, selecting his quarterback performance as the one that stood out the most from Week 11.
“He’s taken a step to become a quarterback that can win in the postseason. … He’s a dual threat that can expose you.”
Hurts has certainly made strides this season, especially when it comes to passing the football. He is among the favorites for the MVP award this season and rightfully so as the Eagles have the best record in the NFL and he is a major reason for that.
Hurts and the Eagles are back in primetime again in Week 12 as they will host the Green Bay Packers on Sunday Night Football. They have a chance to put the final nail in the Packers’ season while also keeping the pace up in the NFC playoff picture.
