- Jalen Hurts achieved a perfect passer rating in the Eagles’ 28-22 victory over the Vikings.
- Hurts threw for 326 yards and three touchdowns, with A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith combining for over 300 receiving yards.
- The quarterback completed all five of his deep pass attempts for a career-high 215 yards against Minnesota’s defense.
For all of the criticisms of the Philadelphia Eagles’ offense and Jalen Hurts, the Super Bowl 59 MVP’s ability to throw the deep ball has never been at issue.
And when Hurts delivers the pigskin the way he did Sunday in a 28-22 win over the Minnesota Vikings?
Well, that’s why – and it’s another reason Philadelphia is suited to weather whatever tempest comes its way (be it in the form of an opposing defense or wide receiver A.J. Brown tweet).
Hurts had one fewer touchdown (three) than incompletions (four) in Sunday’s win. He became the first quarterback in 2025 to finish with a perfect passer rating (158.3) and turned in his first 300-yard passing game – finishing with 326 yards on 19-for-23 passing – since Week 3 of last season.
“You don’t have a game like that without the guys around you,” Hurts told reporters after the game.
Brown had touchdown catches of 37 and 26 yards, and finished with four catches for 121 yards. DeVonta Smith went off for 183 yards and nine catches (11 targets).
And when it came time to ice the game in the fourth-quarter following a Vikings’ late charge, the Eagles didn’t keep the ball on the ground. They went with what had worked all day. Hurts found Brown – who burned ex-Eagles cornerback Isaiah Rodgers – on third-and-nine for a deep ball that went into the books as a 45-yard completion.
Hurts averaged 14.2 yards per attempt – his previous career high for a full game he played was 11.8 – despite entering below the league-average in that category (6.8). Hurts completed all five deep passes (20 or more yards) for a career-high 215 yards and 3 touchdowns against the Vikings, according to Next Gen Stats. The Vikings defense had allowed only three deep completions all season entering Week 7.
“Jalen has a knack for throwing those deep balls,” head coach Nick Sirianni told reporters after the game. “And our guys can run and get under them.”
Hurts posts career numbers against Brian Flores’ stingy defense
The advanced stats further illuminated Hurts’ performance. Based on EPA per pass play, it was the second-best game of Hurts’ career. And by the same metric, it was the second-best game by any quarterback against a defense led by Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores in the last three years, according to The Athletic.
“The thing was to come in and establish the run, and the game just flowed the way it did,” Hurts said. “We were able to be efficient in the pass game.”
Ten days after his deep-shot error to Smith became a lowlight, Hurts did not miss the 2020 Heisman Trophy winner this time and the two connected for a 79-yard score in the third quarter to increase Philadelphia’s lead to 21-9. That came on an under-center play-action fake, a good sign from Eagles offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo after right tackle Lane Johnson revealed the Eagles were too predictable following two straight losses to the Denver Broncos and New York Giants.
“We had a lot of confidence in that look,” Hurts said. “He was tripping about it and it ended up being called.”
Identity is important, Hurts said, but so is the ability to win games in a variety of ways.
The Eagles still can’t run the ball, as running back Saquon Barkley finished with 44 yards on 18 carries (2.4 yards per carry). Hurts said the Eagles are still “ironing things out” when it comes to being a well-rounded offense. Center Cam Jurgens exited Sunday’s game with a knee injury, and left guard Landon Dickerson continues to play hurt.
“It’s good to be critical when we’re winning,” Hurts said.
