Eagles still can’t run the ball, but Jalen Hurts, DeVonta Smith, and A.J. Brown made sure it didn’t matter

MINNEAPOLIS — The Eagles wanted to run the ball. They wanted to emerge from the mini-bye — just like they had after breaks in previous seasons — with a ground-focused offensive attack.

They just couldn’t.

But it didn’t matter, ultimately, at least on this day. Jalen Hurts and the drop-back passing game delivered the kind of explosive performance that has mostly been lacking from the offense this season, the kind needed after a two-game losing streak had even the Eagles doubting themselves.

“We ain’t [bleeping] losers no more,” Hurts said as he headed into Eagles’ postgame locker room after they skirted past the Minnesota Vikings, 28-22, on Sunday.

The Eagles quarterback confirmed his quote that was videoed and posted on social media by an NBCSports reporter.

“That’s all I could think about throughout these last two weeks,” Hurts said. “Having opportunities to finish the game, to finish the fourth quarter. I really think this is the first time we’ve finished the fourth quarter and then finished in the second half. …

“There was some fire there, but within that fire you have to be the calm.”

» READ MORE: Jalyx Hunt’s pick-six and timely sacks help Eagles defense deliver in win over Vikings

Hurts sparked a dormant offense with a career-best statistical outing in which he completed 19 of 23 throws for 326 yards and three touchdowns. And he was a steely-eyed presence against a Vikings pass defense that entered first in expected points added (EPA) per drop back.

Hurts’ passer rating might have been a perfect 158.3, but the Eagles were far from flawless. The defense surrendered nearly 400 total yards. Special teams missed a field goal and had other miscues.

But it was the offense that again confounded. An opening drive that set the tone for under center-heavy play calling and resulted in an A.J. Brown 37-yard touchdown catch was followed by four futile possessions before the half.

It was the 2025 Eagles offense redux all over again. They couldn’t get Saquon Barkley going on the ground. An injury — this time to center Cam Jurgens — compounded the run-blocking issues. And the Birds kept finding themselves behind the sticks.

And there was nothing Hurts, Brown, and receiver DeVonta Smith could do in the passing game to turn it around.

But the Eagles still led at the half, 14-6, partly due to Jalyx Hunt’s pick-six and Vic Fangio’s red zone-stingy defense. But also because the guy who preceded Hurts in Philly, Vikings quarterback Carson Wentz, kept making bad decisions and throws.

» READ MORE: Jeff McLane's Eagles grades: Jalen Hurts a perfect passer, DeVonta Smith and A.J. Brown soar in victory against Vikings

During the break, Smith told anyone within earshot to get to a certain deep shot play that was in the game plan.

“He had a lot of confidence in that play,” Hurts said, “And he was chirping about it.”

Eagles tackle Jordan Mailata said Smith found a willing listener in guard Landon Dickerson.

“Landon went and figured out the play that he was talking about because [Smith] doesn’t know what we’re doing up front, what protection it is. He just knows his routes,” Mailata said. “And they got on the same page and Landon advocated for him.”

Offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo dialed the shot up on the Eagles’ second play from scrimmage in the second half. He had set the call up with two earlier running plays with similar personnel (Fred Johnson as the sixth offensive lineman) and a similar formation (Hurts under center).

Smith said he noticed the Vikings had a safety in the box and that there would be no help over top if he ran a deep post. He got former Eagles cornerback Isaiah Rodgers to bite on a corner route deke, and Hurts dropped the ball in his bucket for a 79-yard score.

Hurts was under center for 20 of 49 offensive plays (40.1%). Coming into the game, the Eagles ranked 30th in the NFL in under center usage (14%). Hurts has never thrived in that world, but the offense needed more diversity if the Eagles were to set up play-action.

Lane Johnson spoke about the running game’s predictability after the 34-17 loss to the New York Giants on Oct. 9. Ten days later, the Eagles tackle declined to talk with assembled reporters at U.S. Bank Stadium because he said he didn’t want his comments to become headline news again.

But Johnson’s public message was heard by coach Nick Sirianni and his staff.

“I think it frees up the passing game a lot more,” Mailata said of being under center. “You don’t know if it’s going to be a run, you don’t know if it’s going to be play-action, or you don’t know if it’s going to be a shot play. So I think it gives us versatility and definitely helps us a lot up front with our [blocking] angles.”

Barkley had some early success Sunday on under-center runs. But it wasn’t sustained. It was tough going from the shotgun and pistol, as well. He was held to just 2.4 yards on 18 carries. Backup running back Tank Bigsby had one rush for 11 yards.

The Vikings employed an inordinate number of six-man fronts to corral Barkley. Overall, he’s averaging just 3.3 yards and has seen fewer yards before contact than last year. But he said he didn’t agree with the narrative of defenses selling out to stop him.

“We’re just not getting a job done. I’m not getting the job done,” Barkley said. “That’s just the case. I own the run game. That’s my responsibility.”

He has missed holes, but the interior of the O-line has also struggled. Brett Toth got tossed into the barrage for Jurgens even though he has mostly played guard this season. Dickerson is clearly not 100%. And right guard Tyler Steen’s performance has been up and down.

“Saquon is the best and I don’t want him to feel like he’s carrying that by himself,” Hurts said. “It is a group effort.”

Hurts still hasn’t factored as much in the running game. He had an early keep that netted no gain. He used his arm instead to offset what the ground attack lacked. It wasn’t as if Patullo dropped Hurts back an exorbitant amount. The run-pass ratio was a relatively balanced 45-55.

But the Vikings’ aggressive defense offered opportunities downfield that the Eagles took advantage of in the second half.

» READ MORE: Mike Sielski: Jalen Hurts has never been better in saving the Eagles against the Vikings

“The thing was to come in and establish the run,” Hurts said. “That’s what we wanted to come in and do, and the game just flowed the way it did, and we were able to be efficient in the pass game. KP was very timely, and I think we were able to doctor up some things on the sideline and work through some things, but those guys made big-time plays.”

Those guys — Smith and Brown — had been clamoring for more deep shots. Hurts throws the long ball as well as any quarterback, but he’s had a few uncharacteristic misses this season. But he connected on all five deep passes for a career-high 215 yards when the Vikings had allowed only three deep completions all season, according to NextGen Stats.

Smith finished with a career-high 183 receiving yards on nine grabs, while Brown had four catches for 121 yards and two touchdowns. Both receivers caught passes on scramble drills when Hurts extended plays. But there were also completions within structure, like Brown’s 26-yard seam route score.

Hurts was feeling it and Smith and Mailata said they could see a familiar look in their quarterback’s eyes.

“You see it sometimes on the sideline. Sometimes in the huddle. Sometimes he’ll call the play, he’ll say a little slick remark,” Smith said. “And, OK, he sees it. He knows what’s coming.”

Hurts knew what was coming on third-and-9 and the game on the line. Barkley had already been stopped on first down, and a second-down toss to Brown fell incomplete. A run would have forced Minnesota at least to take a timeout.

But Hurts’ pre-snap read indicated Brown would be matched up in man coverage. He singled his receiver to run a “sluggo” route. Brown got Rodgers to sit on the slant and pulled in the 45-yard kill shot to cement what was one of Hurts’ best-ever games.

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Mailata said it was second to Super Bowl LIX, when Hurts similarly had to step up when Barkley was kept in check. The 27-year-old seems to play his finest when public doubt seeps in about his capabilities.

“It was just a matter of trying to find ways to get it done,” Hurts said. “It’s not a time to hope. It’s not a time to want or wish something can happen. It’s the time to make it happen. And I think that was a collective thing by everybody.”

The Eagles collectively didn’t suggest they solved all their problems. The running game issues aren’t going away, although having under-center play-action on film could make opponents alter how they defend Barkley.

And one outstanding outing does not make Hurts a drop-back maestro. Sirianni and Patullo likely don’t want an offensive identity that has him throwing as much as he did in losses to the Denver Broncos and Giants.

He can do it, but if the 5-2 Eagles are to have any hope of making a postseason run, they have to be multiple on offense.

“Identity is important. Don’t get me wrong,” Hurts said. “But for a long time now we find ways to win games in a ton of different ways.”

Hurts won this one.