MINNEAPOLIS — Though many of the elements that made the Philadelphia Eagles champions last season had been missing during this unsettling start, their confidence in themselves never wavered. Even external doubters had a rough day, as Jalen Hurts flashed his Super Bowl MVP form.
Hurts energized his lagging offense by throwing for 326 yards and three touchdowns. Jalyx Hunt added a score with an interception return, helping the Eagles rebound from back-to-back losses by hanging on to beat the Minnesota Vikings 28-22 on Sunday.
“It’s not a time to wish or hope for something to happen,” said Hurts, who went 19 for 23, earning a perfect passer rating. “It’s a time to make it happen.”
Hurts sparked a highlight-reel revival of what had been a dormant passing attack for the Eagles (5-2), connecting with A.J. Brown for two touchdowns and DeVonta Smith for a career-high 183 receiving yards, including a 79-yard score.
“It was only a matter of time,” Smith said. “There’s still some things we can grow in certain areas, still some things that we left out there.”
Facing third-and-9 from their own 44-yard line with 1:45 left and the Vikings (3-3) still holding two timeouts, Hurts dropped back and launched a 45-yard rainbow to Brown. Brown beat former teammate Isaiah Rodgers with a slick double move up the sideline to seal the game. Rodgers, in his first season with Minnesota, was also beaten on Smith’s touchdown.
“You don’t have a game like that without the guys around,” Hurts said. “I give a lot of credit to the collective of everyone hanging in there.”
For the Vikings, quarterback Carson Wentz went 26 for 42 for 313 yards on an erratic afternoon. He was intercepted twice in his own territory and struggled to capitalize in the red zone while the Vikings settled for Will Reichard’s field goals on five of six possessions inside the 20.
Hunt gave the Eagles a 14-3 lead early in the second quarter by sitting in his zone and reading a hurried throw intended for star receiver Justin Jefferson, as Jalen Carter pressured Wentz.
“Don’t throw it right to his chest. That would be great,” Wentz said. “But I think they had a good call. I’ve got to be better and just progress or quite frankly take the sack there.”
During the week, Wentz said he was too far removed from his time with Philadelphia to carry a grudge into this game, having made Minnesota his sixth stop in six seasons. Still, he didn’t deliver his best performance against his original team — particularly in the red zone.
Backup center Blake Brandel struggled as well. An errant third-down shotgun snap sailed over Wentz’s head, costing the Vikings 22 yards in the first quarter. Later, Moro Ojomo overpowered Brandel for a critical third-down sack in the fourth quarter from the 10-yard line.
Back on track — for now
Eagles offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo, who has taken plenty of heat over his first two months on the job, set Hurts up well with some well-timed calls.
Philadelphia opened the game with a 75-yard, 12-play drive that drained 8:01 off the clock. Hurts converted two fourth downs during the drive — a predictable push from their own 45 to get past the chains, followed by a 37-yard touchdown strike to Brown behind impeccable pass protection.
“Every time we get a fourth down conversion, I look at him and I say, ‘Hey, I trust you in these scenarios. Thanks for making me right,’” Eagles coach Nick Sirianni said.
Smith’s touchdown that put the Eagles up 21-9 in the third quarter came on a second-and-5 play. Backup tackle Fred Johnson entered as a sixth offensive lineman, making the Vikings anticipate a run. Hurts, who spent more time under center than usual, executed a crisp play-action fake and found Smith streaking up the seam.
“We had the look the whole game,” Smith said. “We’d been telling them to call it, and they trusted us, what we’d seen.”
### Injury Report
The Eagles lost starting center Cam Jurgens (knee) and two key defensive backups, linebackers Azeez Ojulari (hamstring) and Jeremiah Trotter (ankle), to injuries in the first quarter. Starting cornerback Adoree’ Jackson (concussion) was sidelined in the third quarter.
The Vikings were without starting outside linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel (neck) for the third straight game.
### What’s Next?
Philadelphia hosts the New York Giants next Sunday.
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