Expect the Eagles to make a trade before the deadline — just not A.J. Brown — and what else they’re saying

The Eagles avenged their Week 6 loss to the New York Giants with a dominant 38-20 win at Lincoln Financial Field. However, much of the dialogue following the game still focused on the drama surrounding star receiver A.J. Brown, who didn’t even play on Sunday. There was also talk about Jalen Hurts’ performance — and his return to the MVP conversation — and the questionable officiating in the Birds’ Week 8 win.

Here’s a look at what they’re saying about the Eagles as they enter the bye week with a 6-2 record …

Brown sat out of Sunday’s game due to a hamstring injury. Despite his absence, the Eagles offense dominated, finishing the game with a season-high 427 total yards. DeVonta Smith remained the centerpiece of the Birds’ passing game, recording six receptions (on nine targets) for 84 yards.

Everything came together for the Eagles, including the team’s previously spotty running game. The Birds recorded 276 yards on the ground, with Saquon Barkley eclipsing 100 rushing yards for the first time this season.

With all the drama surrounding Brown’s latest social media posts and the team’s success without him on the field, there’s already even more discussion centered on whether the team should trade the receiver.

“The only thing that gets or punctures momentum and a loaded roster is drama,” Colin Cowherd said on The Colin Cowherd Podcast. “And I’m watching them today and I’m like oh [expletive]. They almost have 300 yards rushing. Some of this is tied to A.J. Brown’s absence. They’re just free to do what they want to do. … I just don’t think this team needs A.J. Brown.”

» READ MORE: No, the Eagles aren’t better without A.J. Brown, but for one game they were

However, on Sunday, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that the Eagles would not trade the three-time Pro Bowler ahead of the Nov. 4 trade deadline. He reinforced that notion Monday.

“They’re not going to trade A.J. Brown,” Schefter said on ESPN’s Get Up. “Here’s the deal. They’re trying to repeat as a Super Bowl champion. They’re in the business of acquiring talent, not giving it away. And whatever they can get back for A.J. Brown, they can get back in February or March before the draft. They’re going to want him here to help the stretch run after the big win here, he’s not going to get traded.”

But he does believe the team will eventually make some moves moving forward.

“The Eagles don’t play again until two weeks from today in Green Bay,” Schefter said. “... If the Eagles don’t make a move to better their roster between now and then, I’d be surprised. That’s what they do. They’re always active. They’re always aggressive and they’re going to be that way again. I’ll be surprised if in the next two weeks, the Eagles haven’t pulled off at least one trade.”

Former New York Jets coach Rex Ryan asked Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning about the Brown situation on ESPN’s Sunday NFL Countdown. Manning did his best to offer advice to the team.

“I hate what’s going on there in Philly, it’s not fun to watch,” Manning said. “People always ask, ‘Hey, why did Marvin Harrison never complain about not getting the ball?’ Because I always threw him the ball.

“I hated the fact that A.J. Brown doesn’t seem happy and they’re winning football games. I would tell A.J. the grass isn’t always greener on the other side. There’s certain teams that if he wanted to go play for right now, I can promise you he would not be happy there. The Eagles are 5-2, they won the Super Bowl last year, there’s big games for him coming. … He’s not going to have 10 catches for 160 every single week, but if he just stays in there, I can promise you good things are coming."

» READ MORE: The Eagles had two games to get themselves right before their bye. They did that and then some. | Mike Sielski

There were a few questionable calls in Sunday’s game, including a potential Tush Push fumble. Hurts was stripped of the ball while running the Eagles’ signature sneak play, but the officials ruled that the quarterback’s forward progress had been stopped. The play couldn’t be reviewed and the Eagles kept the ball. Here’s a look at what happened.

The Eagles scored two plays later. Former Eagles defensive end Chris Long discussed the ruling on the Green Light podcast.

“I thought the Giants got robbed on the Tush Push,” Long said. “Certainly, the game plays out a little bit differently in sequence if that changes. But, the whistle was the whistle. And that’s the problem. I see so many Tush Pushes where the forward progress is three, four, five seconds. I understand the case that Giants fans would make that Thibodeaux pulled that ball out. And I think he did. I think he did. Didn’t go their way.”

» READ MORE: Are the refs now favoring the Eagles? Plus, the Birds’ red-zone success and a new Tush Push controversy | Marcus Hayes

Hurts still found plenty of success through the air — completing 15 of 20 passes for 179 yards and four touchdowns — despite Brown being sidelined. The quarterback now has 15 passing touchdowns, five rushing touchdowns, and just one interception through eight games.

Over his last two games, Hurts has thrown seven touchdown passes — and just nine incompletions. Numbers like those are enough for former Eagles linebacker Emmanuel Acho to put Hurts in the running for MVP.

“Jalen Hurts has to be in the MVP conversation,” Acho said on the Speakeasy talk show. “I’m watching the game today and I’m thinking to myself, wait a second. In the midst of all the wide receiver distractions — and sometimes disregard the distractions — in the midst of the absence of A.J. Brown, you go out there and you get four touchdowns vs. a New York Giants team that’s incredibly hungry.

“You ain’t got A.J. Brown. So, you go out there and you do it with [Smith], Jahan Dotson, and Dallas Goedert. You’re finally starting to get active. The week before you go out there and you get three touchdowns with no interceptions. Now, all of a sudden Jalen Hurts has 15 passing touchdowns — these are not Tush Push touchdowns, people, 15 passing touchdowns — and five rushing touchdowns to just one interception. These are MVP-type numbers.”