3 Takeaways from Eagles' Week 14 Win vs. Giants
Earlier this season, it seemed like the New York Giants might challenge the Philadelphia Eagles for the NFC East title. The Giants were at one point 6-1 on the season and one of the NFL's biggest surprises.
However, Philadelphia slammed the door shut on that idea with a dominant 48-22 victory Sunday. The Eagles showed that they're not only the team to beat in the East, but also that they're on a different level than New York.
Philadelphia jumped out to a 7-0 lead on its opening drive, and that's as close as this game ever got. It was a complete performance from arguably the most complete team in football, and it clinched a playoff spot for the Eagles.
The Eagles move to 12-1 with the victory and are playoff-bound. The next step will be trying to lock up the NFC's No. 1 seed and a first-round bye.
Here are our three biggest takeaways from Philadelphia's Week 14 win over the Giants.
The Pass Rush Is Getting Scary
Defense wins championships, and the Eagles undoubtedly have one of the better defenses in the NFL right now.
Philadelphia ranks second in yards allowed and seventh in points surrendered. On Sunday, the Eagles' pass rush made its mark early and often. Brandon Graham led the sack party with three of them, while Fletcher Cox, Haason Reddick, Milton Williams and Josh Sweat each notched a sack.
That's seven on Giants quarterbacks Daniel Jones and Tyrod Taylor. That sort of performance will win a lot of games, even if the Eagles offense stalls—which it did not against New York.
The reality is that Philly has multiple players who can get after the quarterback—they also have trade-deadline acquisition Robert Quinn, who's injured—and that makes them a matchup nightmare for virtually any opponent.
On the season, the Eagles now have 49 sacks. That's an impressive number, especially after Philadelphia notched a mere 29 sacks in 2021.
This is a scary-good pass rush, and it's hitting its stride at the right time.
Jalen Hurts Continues to Make His MVP Case
There's no longer any doubt that the Eagles have found their franchise quarterback in 2020 second-round pick Jalen Hurts. The Oklahoma product has shown that he's more than just a scrambler or a high-end game-manager. He's become one of the most prolific offensive forces in the NFL.
Hurts, who threw for 217 yards and two touchdowns while rushing for 77 and a score on Sunday, continues to make a case for being the league's MVP.
The 24-year-old has 3,157 passing yards, 22 passing touchdowns, just three interceptions, 686 rushing yards and 10 rushing scores. Yes, he benefits from having weapons like DeVonta Smith and A.J. Brown, but Hurts has developed into an elite signal-caller.
"There was a point in time where people said I couldn’t throw the deep ball and I can only throw it five yards,” Hurts said, per NBC Sports' Reuben Frank. “I’ve always gone out there and played my game."
Hurts will have some stiff competition for MVP in the likes of Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow and Kansas City Chiefs signal-caller Patrick Mahomes. However, his case for the award is as strong as anyone's right now. Most importantly, Hurts gives the Eagles a chance to win every time he steps onto the field.
Philadelphia Will Need to Consider Adding Safety Help
Unfortunately, Sunday's huge win wasn't all positive for the Eagles.
Rookie safety Reed Blankenship exited Sunday's game against the New York Giants on a cart with a knee injury. This injury came with C.J. Gardner-Johnson already on injured reserve with a lacerated kidney.
Philadelphia's safety depth is now thin, and it would behoove the Eagles to add to the position for the final stretch.
Fortunately, there are some enticing options out there. Anthony Harris and Jaquiski Tartt were both with the Eagles during training camp but were released during final roster cuts. Either should be able to step in and quickly contribute.
Harris was also with the Eagles last season and was briefly on the practice squad this year before being scooped up by the Denver Broncos. Denver released the free safety earlier this month.
Placing a call to Harris should be on Philly's to-do list this week, since the 31-year-old knows the system well and has played this season. If Blankenship's injury proves to be a long-term one, adding a safety before the postseason will be necessary.