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Tag: Saquon Barkley

  • What the film says about Saquon Barkley’s rushing struggles in 2025

    What the film says about Saquon Barkley’s rushing struggles in 2025

    Entering the final stretch of the season, the Eagles still haven’t found their footing in the running game. The lack of production from a unit that produced a 2,000 yard rusher and the NFL’s offensive player of the year has been a big part of the offense’s inconsistency this season.

    Saquon Barkley is averaging his lowest yards per carry (3.7) since 2021, when he played 13 games for the New York Giants. His 62.2 yards per game are the second-lowest of his career, and his 16.8 carries per game represent his third-lowest full season total. Barkley’s struggles this season came to a head with a 10-carry, 22-yard performance against Dallas.

    Barkley was dominant last season, when he had 11 games of 100 or more rushing yards. This year, he has one. What is causing Barkley’s down season — and can it be rectified before the Eagles embark on another playoff run?

    These numbers show Saquon Barkley’s drop-off from his historic 2024 season with the Eagles

    Here’s a look at why the Eagles’ running game has suffered this season and how it could get back on track Friday against the Bears:

    Shotgun struggles

    Last season, Barkley had 1,050 of his 2,005 rushing yards out of shotgun, averaging 5.8 yards per carry out of the gun with a plus-18.8 expected points added per rush, according to Next Gen Stats. This season, 302 of his 684 rushing yards have come from shotgun runs, and Barkley is averaging 3.6 yards per carry with a minus-13.1 rush EPA.

    What stands out most comparing Barkley’s film in 2024 vs. 2025 is how much more dominant the offensive line was at the line of scrimmage. Though Barkley saw far fewer stacked boxes last year (20.6%) than this year (32.4%), according to Next Gen, the loss of Mekhi Becton at right guard has been felt particularly in the running game, coupled with Cam Jurgens, Landon Dickerson, and Lane Johnson all being banged up this year.

    Barkley is set to outpace his carries against stacked boxes (eight or more defenders) this season compared to 2024. This year, he already has 60 rushing attempts against stacked boxes, averaging 2.4 yards per carry and managing just 142 yards, per Next Gen. Last season, he averaged 4.5 yards per carry against defenses that loaded the box, on 71 attempts (319 yards).

    But back to the shotgun runs. There was far more variety in the scheme last year, along with more movement from the offensive linemen, too. Jurgens was a focal point of that movement, utilizing his athleticism to get out in space for Barkley last season, and it helped pop some big runs downfield. The Eagles would also bring Johnson and Jordan Mailata across the formation to run power and pin-and-pull runs to help create some daylight for Barkley.

    Teams are matching the uptick in heavy personnel from the Eagles offense on running downs with eight-man boxes and aligning five and even six players at the line of scrimmage. They’re also slanting defensive linemen to disrupt and shut off cutback lanes for Barkley.

    The success the Eagles have had in shotgun this year has come in 11 personnel (one back, one tight end), where teams can’t stack the box because of the threat A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith pose for opposing secondaries.

    Because of the lack of success the Eagles have had running the ball on gap scheme runs out of pistol, which we will explain more in the next section, the offense has attempted to run counter out of shotgun, with varying levels of success since the second Giants game on Oct. 26.

    Where’s pistol?

    When the monster runs began to come for Barkley down the stretch of the 2024 season, they were typically from the pistol formation, when the running back aligned behind Jalen Hurts. The Eagles’ offensive line specifically thrived on the counter run, which pulls two backside offensive linemen or one backside offensive lineman and a tight end across the formation to kick out edge rushers and linebackers.

    Out of pistol formations last season, Barkley had 529 yards, four touchdowns, and averaged 5.7 yards per carry, according to Next Gen. This season those numbers are down drastically to 84 yards on 32 carries (2.4 yards per carry).

    The linemen pulling across the line of scrimmage last season typically included Becton, whose size and physicality would naturally knock defenders out of the play, with Johnson, or tight ends Grant Calcaterra and C.J. Uzomah, following the action and wrapping up to block a linebacker or safety filling the run gap.

    On those same runs this season out of pistol, the Eagles have been largely unsuccessful. The offensive line has struggled with maintaining blocks and working their double teams up to the second level, the kick out blocks haven’t been as effective, and teams are slanting in an attempt to change the aim points for the Eagles O-line, post-snap.

    The Eagles have only utilized Barkley out of pistol formations seven times since the bye week, and he’sonly popped two runs of five or more yards, both attempts against the Detroit Lions.

    The offense had more success earlier in the season when Barkley ran outside zone out of pistol in Week 1 against Dallas, against Kansas City, and in the first meeting with New York. Giving Barkley natural cutback lanes on such runs seemed to yield more success than trying to recreate what worked last season against far less stacked boxes.

    Under center more prevalent

    Under-center runs have come into focus more as the Eagles deploy more heavy personnel, such as 12 personnel (one back, two tight ends) and 13 personnel (one back and three tight ends), along with having a sixth offensive linemen on the field.

    In 2024, Barkley had just 72 attempts but averaged 5.9 yards per carry on under-center runs, according to Next Gen, and Barkley is already set to outpace last year’s rushing attempts from under center. He’s up to 70 attempts, averaging 4.3 yards per carry, his highest of any alignment formation this season, on under-center runs, with three of his four rushing touchdowns coming on those types of runs.

    The same outside zone runs that are working out of pistol seem to be working on under center runs, too, for Barkley.

    The lone long touchdown run of the season from Barkley, which came on Oct. 26 against the Giants and went for 65 yards, was on a duo run, which includes two double teams on the front side of the running play and a solo block on the backside. Employing more of those runs, especially with a sixth linemen on the field, can create one-on-one opportunities for Barkley against linebackers and safeties.

    The effectiveness of the under-center runs from Barkley opened up the play-action passing game against the Vikings on Oct. 19, though it hasn’t had quite the same effectiveness in recent weeks. Still, it’s worth noting the two runs Barkley has had for 10-plus yards were from under center, on pitch plays that went the opposite way of the formation’s strength (against Dallas on Sept. 4 and the Lions on Nov. 16).

    Telling stats of run game struggles

    The most telling sign of his struggles though are Barkley’s stats while the Eagles are leading, last year vs. this year. In 2024, Barkley rushed for 1,100 yards on 173 attempts, seven touchdowns, and a plus-16 EPA while the Eagles were leading, according to Next Gen. Those stats this year are much different: 327 yards on 110 attempts (3 yards per carry), one touchdown, and a minus-27.8 EPA.

    One other stat to store away: the Eagles are calling designed runs for Hurts at the lowest-rate this season since 2022. According to TruMedia, Hurts has a designed run rate of 62.5%, down from his career-high of 74% last season. And according to Pro Football Focus, he has 106 yards on designed rushing attempts this year, on track to be his lowest as a starter. Hurts has just 298 rushing yards this season, which is also on track to be the lowest of his career.

    With the offensive line’s struggles and Hurts’ decrease in designed rushing attempts, defenses are keying in on Barkley even more this season. The Bears’ defense offers a potential course-correction game for the Eagles on Friday. We’ll see if they take advantage.

  • These numbers show Saquon Barkley’s drop-off from his historic 2024 season with the Eagles

    These numbers show Saquon Barkley’s drop-off from his historic 2024 season with the Eagles

    Saquon Barkley isn’t going to become the first running back in NFL history to have a second 2,000-yard season — at least not in 2025. At his current rate, he’ll barely exceed 1,000 rushing yards, a benchmark he hasn’t failed to reach while playing a full season in his NFL career.

    What was Barkley going to do for an encore? It was one of the big storylines for the Eagles before the season started. Repeating last season’s success was always going to be difficult. But this? He has just one game over 100 yards after having 11 such performances in 16 regular-season games last season.

    The Eagles are struggling on offense, and it’s fair to say their inability to consistently run the ball is the biggest concern of all. There are a variety of reasons. Barkley thinks he’s in “a little funk,” but tackle Jordan Mailata blamed the offensive line’s execution.

    There are multiple hands sharing the blame, but regardless of who shoulders it most, Barkley’s drop-off has been precipitous. Here’s a look at some numbers that show the drastic decline:

    32.4%

    It’s worth starting here because it can help explain everything in some ways. We knew opposing defenses were going to change their approach. The Eagles surely did, too.

    Last season, Barkley faced eight or more defenders in the box 20.6% of the time, according to Next Gen Stats. That was 20th in the NFL among qualified rushers.

    This season, Barkley is facing eight or more defenders in the box 32.4% of the time, the seventh-highest rate in the NFL.

    Saquon Barkley is wrapped up by Cowboys outside linebacker Jadeveon Clowney in the second quarter in Week 12.

    Barkley did much of his damage in 2024 against opposing teams’ nickel packages. This year, the Eagles are facing fewer of those. Teams are matching the Eagles’ personnel, and the Eagles are running a lot of 12 and 13 packages (one running back plus two tight ends and one running back plus three tight ends, respectively).

    Defensive coordinators seemingly have decided that they’re going to sell out to stop the run and dare Jalen Hurts and the passing offense to beat them.

    What we know (and don’t) about the Eagles entering Week 13 vs. the Bears

    2.3

    Mailata is right that the running game’s issues start with the offensive line. A running back needs blockers, and right now Barkley just isn’t getting enough help in front of him.

    There’s a variety of reasons for that, even though the Eagles returned four-fifths of their starting offensive line. First off, the replacement for Mekhi Becton at right guard, Tyler Steen, has not had the same kind of success run blocking. But the four returners haven’t been themselves, and injuries mostly are to blame. Lane Johnson has suffered multiple ailments, the latest a Lisfranc injury in his right foot. Cam Jurgens started the season coming off back surgery and has since suffered a knee injury and a concussion. Landon Dickerson has experienced bad injury luck going back to his collegiate career and probably hasn’t been 100% since high school.

    Eagles tackle Jordan Mailata leaves the field after the game against the Cowboys in Week 12.

    Last season, Barkley had room to run. This season, he doesn’t. That’s clear in the numbers, too. In 2024, Barkley ran 3.8 yards per carry before being contacted. This season, that number has dropped to 2.3 yards per attempt, according to Pro Football Reference.

    “It’s on all of us,” Mailata said Sunday after the Eagles blew a 21-0 lead partially because they can’t run the ball. “You can just watch the film. We always say we’re one block away, and as tiring and as repetitive as that is, that is the truth. I’m tired of saying it, but it starts with us. We’ve got to do a better job of execution, and until we do that, this running game is not going anywhere.”

    15 mph

    Barkley in open space meant a lot of room to sprint. He finished second in the NFL in 15-plus-mph runs with 73 in 2024. This season, he is eighth with 28 such runs, according to Next Gen, and he’s on pace to finish with just 43 15-plus-mph runs.

    Eagles running back Saquon Barkley scores during a run in the first quarter against the Giants.

    Blocking is a big factor there. But what about Barkley’s burst and his overall health? He touched the ball 482 times last season between rushes and receptions in the regular season and playoffs. His previous high was 377 in 2022.

    Barkley’s training regimen is pretty good. But that’s a lot of wear and tear in one season. Barkley said he was healthy on Sunday when asked after the game.

    Nick Sirianni says the Eagles are ‘searching for answers’ on offense, but Kevin Patullo will call plays

    -3

    Next Gen’s expected rushing yards model calculates “how many rushing yards a ballcarrier is expected to gain on a given carry based on the relative location, speed, and direction of blockers and defenders.”

    The model also calculates a metric called “rushing yards over expected,” which is “the difference between actual rushing yards and expected rushing yards on an individual play or series of plays.”

    Last season, Barkley was second in the NFL with 546 yards over expected — an average of 1.6 yards over expected per attempt — behind Derrick Henry’s 562 yards over expected. The third player on the list, Chuba Hubbard, had 270 yards over expected, which shows how otherworldly Henry and Barkley were in 2024.

    This season, Barkley is at minus-3 yards over expected and zero yards over expected per attempt. Those numbers rank 32nd in the NFL.

    What’s the takeaway here? The blocking hasn’t been good, but Barkley hasn’t been himself at beating defenders, either.

  • Eagles open as Black Friday favorites vs. Bears. Plus: How loss to Cowboys impacted NFC East, Super Bowl odds

    Eagles open as Black Friday favorites vs. Bears. Plus: How loss to Cowboys impacted NFC East, Super Bowl odds

    The Eagles blew a 21-0 lead at AT&T Stadium on Sunday, allowing the Dallas Cowboys to score 24 unanswered points and putting an end to the Birds’ four-game winning streak.

    After the epic collapse, the Eagles face a short turnaround as they prepare to host the Chicago Bears on Black Friday. From the team’s chances this week to updates on yearly awards, here are the latest odds from two of the biggest sportsbooks …

    Eagles-Bears odds

    The Eagles and Bears last met during the 2022 season, a 25-20 road win for the Eagles.

    Nick Foles, former QBs on Kevin Patullo, Eagles offense: ‘There’s an art to play-calling that not everyone has’

    This time around, the game will be in Philly as the Eagles attempt to bounce back from an embarrassing loss to their division rivals. Meanwhile, the Bears are heading into Friday’s game on a four-game winning streak, including their latest over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday. Despite the divergent results, sportsbooks are favoring the Eagles, with the Birds opening Week 13 as seven-point favorites.

    FanDuel

    • Spread: Bears +7 (-112); Eagles -7 (-108)
    • Money line: Bears (+290); Eagles (-360)
    • Total: Over 44.5 (-104); Under 44.5 (-118)

    DraftKings

    • Spread: Bears +7 (-115); Eagles -7 (-105)
    • Money line: Bears (+260); Eagles (-325)
    • Total: Over 44.5 (-110); Under 44.5 (-110)
    Whoever is captaining the Eagles offense — Nick Sirianni or Kevin Patullo — veered off course in loss to the Cowboys

    NFC East odds

    Despite the collapse against the Cowboys, the 8-3 Eagles still hold a big lead in the race to win the NFC East. However, Dallas did manage to slightly close the gap from last week. Meanwhile, Washington is 3-8 and its chances remain the same, and the New York Giants are out of the running.

    FanDuel

    DraftKings

    The Rams and Eagles have been among the favorites to win the NFC for most of the season.

    NFC odds

    As a result of Sunday’s loss, the Eagles are no longer the favorites to win the conference at both sportsbooks. Instead, the Los Angeles Rams reclaimed the top spot with a 34-7 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Elsewhere, the San Francisco 49ers enter the top six.

    FanDuel

    DraftKings

    Jerry Jones reveals who saved the Cowboys’ season; Tom Brady’s Chip Kelly problem; more Week 12 thoughts | Marcus Hayes

    Super Bowl odds

    Both sportsbooks have the Rams as the favorites to win the Super Bowl, with the Eagles as a close second. Meanwhile, the Buffalo Bills have completely fallen out of the top five after Thursday’s loss to the Houston Texans.

    FanDuel

    DraftKings

    Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts leaves the field after the Birds’ 24-21 loss to the Cowboys on Sunday.

    MVP odds

    Jalen Hurts’ MVP odds continue to fall after the latest loss. Drake Maye, Matthew Stafford, and Jonathan Taylor hold the top three spots in the race to MVP, but it appears to be a race between the two QBs at the moment.

    FanDuel

    DraftKings

    Saquon Barkley thinks he’s ‘in a little funk’ as the Eagles fail to put a big lead away in Dallas

    Offensive player of the year odds

    After a Week 12 performance that featured one of his weakest outings — rushing for just 22 yards on 10 carries — Saquon Barkley continues to fall in the race for offensive player of the year. Meanwhile, Taylor and Jaxon Smith-Njigba remain the clear favorites.

    FanDuel

    DraftKings

  • Eagles remain a slight favorite heading into Dallas; plus player props for Jalen Hurts, A.J. Brown, and more

    Eagles remain a slight favorite heading into Dallas; plus player props for Jalen Hurts, A.J. Brown, and more

    Coming off two straight prime-time wins over NFC North teams, the 8-2 Eagles travel to Arlington, Texas, for Sunday’s rematch with the Dallas Cowboys (4:25 p.m., Fox29). A lot has changed for both teams since their Week 1 matchup kicked off the NFL season. While it has been a relatively smooth season for Philadelphia — at least in terms of wins and losses — Dallas (4-5-1) has been hindered by its defense, allowing the second most points per game (29.3).

    But recent head-to-head history favors the Cowboys, as they have won five of their last six home matchups against the Birds. Dallas will look for that trend to continue in order to shrink the Eagles’ 3½-game lead in the NFC East, the largest of any division leader in the NFL.

    Here is a look at the updated odds and some player prop bets for Fox’s game of the week …

    Updated Eagles vs. Cowboys game odds

    The Eagles opened the week as 4.5-point road favorites over Dallas. Following the Cowboys’ dominant win Monday night over the Las Vegas Raiders, the line shifted in their favor.

    FanDuel

    • Spread: Cowboys +3.5 (-122); Eagles +3.5 (+100)
    • Moneyline: Cowboys (+150); Eagles (-178)
    • Total: Over 47.5 (-115); Under 47.5 (-105)

    DraftKings

    • Spread: Cowboys +3 (+100); Eagles -3 (-120)
    • Moneyline: Cowboys (+145); Eagles (-175)
    • Total: Over 47.5 (-118); Under 47.5 (-102)
    Eagles drama is ‘disrespectful’ to Jalen Hurts; DeSean Jackson stirs the pot; and what else they’re saying
    Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott, left, and Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts talk after the Birds’ Week 1 win at the Linc. The rematch is set for Sunday in Arlington, Texas.

    Passing yards props

    Jalen Hurts has thrown for under 200 yards in three consecutive weeks. While the Eagles’ offense has struggled the past two weeks, they have also generally not been a pass-heavy team. Hurts ranks 23rd among all quarterbacks in passing attempts.

    Dak Prescott, on the other hand, is coming off a strong 268-yard, four-touchdown performance against the Raiders, although his two previous outings were much less impressive. The 10th-year signal caller ranks fifth leaguewide in passing yards (258.7 per game).

    Fanduel

    DraftKings

    Eagles vs. Cowboys in Week 12: Here are the numbers that matter

    Passing touchdowns

    Hurts has thrown for just one touchdown in the Eagles’ last two games, although he threw for seven combined touchdowns in the two games prior. Prescott has thrown five touchdowns in his last two games, four of the scores occurring last week. Both sportsbooks have the quarterbacks’ over/under set at 1.5 passing touchdowns for Sunday.

    Fanduel

    DraftKings

    Running back Saquon Barkley carried the ball 18 times for 60 yards and a touchdown in the Eagles’ Week 1 win over Dallas.

    Rushing yards

    Saquon Barkley has rushed for under 70 yards in three of his last four games, although he recorded 150 rushing yards in the one outlier. This season, Barkley is rushing for two fewer yards per carry compared to last year, when the Penn State graduate was named offensive player of the year, and is on pace for 1,125 yards, down from 2,005.

    On the other hand, Cowboys running back Javonte Williams has rushed for over 70 yards in three of his last four games, including a 116-yard performance against Washington.

    FanDuel

    DraftKings

    Why is A.J. Brown struggling against zone coverage? Here’s what the film says about his inconsistency.

    Receiving yards

    Both A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith have put up quiet performances over the last two weeks. Against Detroit on Sunday, Smith only caught one pass for eight yards, and against Green Bay, Brown caught two passes for 13 yards. During each of the Eagles primary receivers’ better week, they notched 69 and 49 yards, respectively.

    For the Cowboys, CeeDee Lamb has posted over 65 yards in each of his last four games, and ranks sixth in yards per game across the NFL. His teammate, George Pickens, ranks third, and is coming off a 144-yard performance.

    FanDuel

    DraftKings

    Hurts scored the Eagles’ lone touchdown Sunday night against Detroit.

    Touchdown scorers

    Against Detroit, Hurts was the lone touchdown scorer for the Eagles. For Dallas, Lamb, Pickens, and Jake Ferguson all caught touchdowns, along with receiver Ryan Flournoy.

    FanDuel

    DraftKings

  • Eagles open as road favorites over Cowboys — and improve their Super Bowl odds after latest win

    Eagles open as road favorites over Cowboys — and improve their Super Bowl odds after latest win

    The Eagles defense paved the way to a victory for a second straight week, once again dominating an NFC contender on the defensive side and getting just enough offense to win. The Eagles limited the Detroit Lions to just nine points in their 16-9 win at Lincoln Financial Field.

    The Birds improved to 8-2 with the win, but we’re already looking ahead at their next opponent — the Dallas Cowboys. From the Eagles’ chances against their division opponent to updates on yearly awards, here are some of the latest odds at two of the biggest sportsbooks …

    Eagles vs. Cowboys odds

    After securing a win at home, the Eagles are gearing up to travel to AT&T Stadium to face the Dallas Cowboys. The teams met at the Linc in the season opener, in a game that saw the Eagles pull out a 24-20 win despite a big ejection, a lightning delay, and some shaky early defense.

    Now, the Eagles defense looks the best it has all season. Meanwhile, the Cowboys are preparing to play the Las Vegas Raiders on Monday Night Football after losing their last two games.

    Nick Sirianni wins in spite of himself, some might say. Those critics are wrong.

    Ahead of the Week 12 matchup, sportsbooks are favoring Philadelphia, who opens as a 4.5-point favorite at both FanDuel and DraftKings.

    FanDuel

    • Spread: Cowboys +4.5 (-110); Eagles -4.5 (-110)
    • Moneyline: Cowboys (+188); Eagles (-225)
    • Total: Over 50.5 (-110); Under 50.5 (-110)

    DraftKings

    • Spread: Cowboys +4.5 (-112); Eagles -4.5 (-108)
    • Moneyline: Lions (+185); Eagles (-225)
    • Total: Over 50.5 (-110); Under 50.5 (-110)

    NFC East odds update

    The Eagles continue to hold a big lead over the rest of the NFC East in the race to win the division. They are several games above the Dallas Cowboys (3-5-1), who have the second best odds to win the division.

    Meanwhile, Washington’s (3-8) chances continue to fall without Jayden Daniels, and the New York Giants (2-9), who fired head coach Brian Daboll and are without quarterback Jaxson Dart, are at the bottom of the list.

    FanDuel

    Source: Lane Johnson to be sidelined for multiple weeks with foot injury

    DraftKings

    The Eagles already have wins over several of the other top NFC teams, including the Lions, Packers, Rams, and Buccaneers.

    NFC odds update

    After their win over the Lions on Sunday night, the Eagles are now the favorites to win the conference at both sportsbooks — dethroning the Los Angeles Rams, who defeated the Seattle Seahawks, 21-19, on Sunday. Meanwhile, the Lions remain in the top five, just ahead of the Green Bay Packers.

    FanDuel

    DraftKings

    The Eagles had problems with the Tush Push against the Lions. Nick Sirianni has to adjust his coaching accordingly.

    Super Bowl odds

    Despite the Eagles having the better NFC odds, the two sportsbooks are split between the Rams and the Eagles as Super Bowl favorites. Sunday’s win was enough for FanDuel to move the Eagles into the top spot. At DraftKings, however, the Birds are still behind L.A., although they’re considerably closer than they were last week. The top three favorites remain the same: the Eagles, Rams, and the Buffalo Bills, who are in the third spot at both books.

    FanDuel

    DraftKings

    Quarterback Jalen Hurts and the Eagles are 8-2, just like they were through 10 games last season.

    MVP odds

    After throwing for just 135 yards in the Eagles’ win over the Lions, Jalen Hurts’ MVP odds continue to fall in both sportsbooks. Drake Maye, Matthew Stafford, and Josh Allen hold the top three spots in the race to MVP.

    FanDuel

    DraftKings

    A.J. Brown was right. The Eagles offense is still a bleep show. They need to fix it soon.

    Offensive player of the year

    After a Week 12 performance in which he finished with 83 yards on 26 carries, Saquon Barkley continues to fall out of the race for offensive player of the year. Meanwhile, Jonathan Taylor remains a clear favorite despite his bye on Sunday.

    FanDuel

    DraftKings

  • No, the Eagles aren’t better without A.J. Brown, but for one game they were

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

    A.J. Brown stood on the sideline with a kelly green hoodie pulled over his head, which was also wrapped in a towel. The Eagles led the New York Giants, 31-13, late in the fourth quarter, despite the absence of their No. 1 wide receiver.

    But it wasn’t the passing game, nor Brown’s replacements, that had the offense looking its most efficient this season. It was the resurrection of running back Saquon Barkley and the ground attack that carried the torch.

    Eagles receivers other than DeVonta Smith had just one catch for 3 yards by the time quarterback Jalen Hurts dropped back on third-and-6 with just over six minutes remaining. But Hurts went to Jahan Dotson even though he had no separation against man coverage, on the type of jump ball that Brown has mastered the art of catching.

    And he’d probably like to see Hurts throw to him more often.

    David Murphy: Sad sack Giants lost this one before it started. Next time, don’t poke the bear (or Saquon)

    But Dotson was the target on this 50-50 opportunity, and he made the best of it, hauling in the 40-yard heave for a touchdown. Brown, out with a hamstring injury, raised his right arm and pumped his fist. He hung back near the bench reserved for receivers and greeted Dotson with a smile and a handshake after his score.

    “It’s tough when you’re missing not only the best receiver on your team, but one of the best receivers in the league,” Dotson said of Brown, who missed his first game of the season. “We have this motto in our room: There’s no drop-off, no matter who goes out there.”

    Make no mistake, the Eagles need Brown if they are to make a deep postseason run and repeat as Super Bowl champions. Sunday’s lopsided 38-20 win might suggest otherwise, because a balanced offense scored its most points and gained its most yards.

    But the Giants offered the perfect remedy. They had embarrassed the Eagles just 17 days earlier, but a perfect storm of a short turnaround following a choke job to the Denver Broncos, untimely injuries, and an offense still wandering in the identity wasteland contributed to an uncharacteristic loss.

    The Eagles should have taken advantage of the Giants’ run defense deficiencies in the first meeting. They got behind, and Hurts and the drop-back passing game couldn’t compensate. But Eagles coaches wanted to establish the run two weeks later, and Barkley’s 65-yard touchdown dash on the second play from scrimmage meant they could stick with it and open the playbook.

    A diversity of run calls and directions — and even personnel — helped spring Barkley for 150 rushing yards on 14 carries and reserve Tank Bigsby for 104 yards on just nine carries.

    Eagles grades: Saquon Barkley leads revived running game and defensive line dominates Giants in blowout win

    “That’s my all-time favorite way to win,” Eagles coach Nick Sirianni said during his postgame speech in the home locker room at Lincoln Financial Field.

    It was a vintage performance in a Sirianni era full of rushing records. The Eagles’ 276 yards on the ground ranked second in the last five years (behind 363 yards vs. the Green Bay Packers in 2022) and their 8.4 yards per carry were first over that span (ahead of an 8.2 average against the Giants, also in 2022).

    Sirianni’s Eagles with Hurts at quarterback are normally at their best when the run offense is humming. He was never going to abandon the cause with Barkley as his bell cow and the offensive line, despite injuries, superior to most.

    But Brown’s absence, at least for one week, allowed the Eagles to focus more on getting Barkley back on track. It meant having one less potent mouth to feed in the pass offense, but also one that can be vocal about his hunger.

    “Obviously, any time you lose a player like A.J. for a game, it changes some things as far as how you go about putting guys in different positions,” Sirianni said. “But if you have faith in the guys that you have that are backing him up, whether that’s receiver or O-line, you’ve still [got to] go about doing what they can do the best, but also putting them in a position to make plays.”

    Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts completed 15 of 20 passes for 179 yards and four touchdowns on Sunday against the Giants.

    Hurts still dropped back to throw. But Smith was far and away his primary target, catching six of nine passes for 84 yards. Barkley was next with four grabs, with one coming on the oft-neglected screen pass. Tight end Dallas Goedert had three receptions with two resulting in red zone touchdowns.

    Overall, Hurts completed 15 of 20 passes for 179 yards and four touchdowns. There were still struggles against pressure and four sacks that appeared to fall on him more than anyone else. But it was a methodical day after an explosive aerial showing against the Minnesota Vikings last week.

    Marcus Hayes: ‘KP was just dying on the cross for us.’ Kevin Patullo’s offense is finally rolling as Eagles head into bye week

    “It’s definitely a different rhythm, because you get a flow of playing with A.J. and Smitty and Dallas and you have your crew,” Hurts said, before adding: “But when we are able to run the ball like we did, it creates more of a balance and free will of how we attack people.”

    Aside from three victory-formation kneels, and one Tush Push, the run-pass ratio was an equal 50-50. Offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo had maybe his best play-calling day, and mixed in variety with Hurts under center, run-pass options, and outside runs on gap schemes.

    Offensive linemen Landon Dickerson and Jordan Mailata said the game plan called for more diversity in the running game. Sirianni countered that claim. “That doesn’t mean we haven’t had them in,” he said.

    Whatever the case, not getting to them before required patience from Barkley and the O-line after weeks of frustration.

    “I think it’s just being professional,” Barkley said of finally breaking loose. “Knowing that every week’s not going to be how you learn to be sometimes, but you can’t lose faith.”

    Eagles defense shows ‘sense of pride’ and wins physicality battle this time vs. Giants

    It could be a lesson for Brown, who has expressed his disappointment with the passing offense, both publicly in interviews and cryptically on social media. Few have objected when he has stood in front of microphones and, in so many words, said he wants the ball. He should. He’s one of the best receivers in the NFL.

    Even his post on X after the Tampa Bay Bucs game last month — when he quoted Scripture about not being listened to — was understood by many because he and Hurts had mainly failed to hook up in Tampa.

    But Brown’s most recent post — “using me but not using me” — after he caught four passes for 121 yards and two touchdowns in Minnesota probably took whatever discontent he may have to uncharted territory within the Eagles organization.

    Eagles general manager Howie Roseman, shown before his team’s win on Sunday, is unlikely to move A.J. Brown ahead of next week’s trade deadline.

    He is well-liked in the locker room, by the coaching staff, and the front office. But every player is expendable. The Eagles are unlikely to trade Brown ahead of next Tuesday’s deadline. There’s an astronomical dead-money hit, and Howie Roseman would need blockbuster compensation to even consider it.

    The Eagles general manager also isn’t known for trading players in their prime who are crucial to winning titles. Brown may not be pleased with whomever — most likely, Hurts — but it makes little sense for him to want to be moved. At least now.

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

    Hurts, to his credit, went out of his way to praise the receiver several times during his Wednesday news conference last week. But it would behoove the quarterback to make Brown happy on the field and off. His success raises all ships.

    “I think the best is yet to come,” Hurts said when asked about Sunday’s run offense explosion.

    He sounds like he knows something. Getting Brown more involved would help.

  • Sad-sack Giants lost this one before it started. Next time, don’t poke the bear (or Saquon)

    Sad-sack Giants lost this one before it started. Next time, don’t poke the bear (or Saquon)

    Two weeks ago, Brian Daboll stood in front of his locker room and labeled a blowout win over the Eagles as “The Standard.”

    Since then, the Giants head coach has become reacquainted with The Usual.

    The Eagles accomplished their biggest objective on Sunday afternoon. It was to leave no doubt. Jaxson Dart would not be high-fiving any referees. Kayvon Thibodeaux would not be telling anybody to “[bleep] the Eagles.” And the Giants social media team most definitely would not be sharing any victorious videos of Daboll making grandiose proclamations to his players.

    Eagles grades: Saquon Barkley leads revived running game and defensive line dominates Giants in blowout win

    “For sure, we definitely saw how they celebrated when they beat us last time,” running back Saquon Barkley said after his 65-yard touchdown run on the second play from scrimmage catapulted the Eagles to a 38-20 win on Sunday.

    It is never wise to poke the bear, but it is especially unwise to poke the bear when you know you will be seeing the bear again in 17 days. If you are going to do it, you’d better pack some extra whistles. Or, failing that, some A.1.

    What the Giants seem to have forgotten is that they are not a good football team. In fact, they are the kind of football team that makes a sport of their not being good. Ten days after they stunned the Eagles with a 34-17 rout on Thursday Night Football, they raced out to a 19-point lead over the Broncos and then allowed 25 points in the last six minutes to lose, 33-32. It takes a special team to lose a game in that fashion. But, then, the Giants are a special team. They lose games the way Bob Ross painted pictures. With breathtaking creativity and speed.

    On Sunday, the movable object met the unstoppable force. The Eagles came out in their kelly green uniforms and they did it in vintage fashion. On their second play of the game, the offensive line opened up a weakside lane so wide that Barkley and Tank Bigsby both could have run through it. Never has a 65-yard touchdown looked so inevitable. Nor did the 189 yards that followed from Barkley and Bigsby. After the game, more than one Eagles offensive lineman noted how good the Giants’ front four was. You got the sense that they were noting it with glee.

    ‘KP was just dying on the cross for us.’ Kevin Patullo’s offense is finally rolling as Eagles head into bye week

    “We came in, we made the adjustments based off of what they gave us the last game, and we called plays to win,” guard Landon Dickerson said.

    The rest of the NFC can blame the Giants if this was the game in which the Eagles truly got their groove back. They entered Week 8 having gone five straight weeks without breaking 90 yards rushing. Not once had they reached 400 total yards of offense. On Sunday, they finished with 276 and 427. Barkley and Bigsby both cracked 100 yards and averaged 10-plus yards per carry. This, on an afternoon when Jalen Hurts threw four touchdown passes.

    “For us, it wasn’t about a weight being lifted off our shoulders,” said left tackle Jordan Mailata. “We just wanted to be the more physical team. It didn’t matter what it looked like.”

    It shouldn’t surprise anybody at this point.

    The Eagles have won a lot of games over the last four years by rag-dolling opponents, often saving their best for teams that have previously offended their sensibilities. We saw it in last year’s NFC championship game, when they road-graded the Commanders for 229 yards on the ground one month after Washington handed them one of their three regular-season losses. We saw it in last year’s Super Bowl, when they avenged their last-second loss two years earlier, to an extent that was almost uncomfortable.

    Give the Giants credit. They are a more competitive team than they have been throughout most of Daboll’s tenure at the helm. For all of Dart’s weird Gen-Z energy, he clearly has the touch and poise that can win behind a competent offensive line. Rival NFL general managers should take notice if Act I ends up going the way of Baker Mayfield in Cleveland. He has a keen sort of talent that cannot be measured or quantified, although it probably cannot make up for wholesale dysfunction around him. You saw it even on Sunday, when he kept the Giants within striking distance despite relentless pressure and a no-name receiving corps and a gruesome injury to running back Cam Skattebo.

    Eagles defense shows ‘sense of pride’ and wins physicality battle this time vs. Giants

    But the Eagles are operating on a different level. It is easy to lose sight of that fact given that they are operating on a lesser level than last season. The last couple of weeks have left little doubt, though. At 6-2 headed into the bye, they remain the most complete team in the NFC.

    More than anything, Sunday’s win was a reminder that rumors of Barkley’s demise have been greatly exaggerated. Even after his 65-yard touchdown run, the veteran running back gained 85 yards on his last 13 carries before leaving the game with what was labeled a groin injury but mostly was precaution.

    “I wasn’t worried about it,” Barkley said. “I came off, but I’ve dealt with this before. Nothing crazy. It’s a long season. I try my best to listen to the trainers, listen to the coaches.”

    Did he fight to go back in?

    “I went out swinging,” he said. “Let’s say that.”

    With these Eagles, you wouldn’t expect anything else.

  • Eagles grades: Saquon Barkley leads revived running game and defensive line dominates Giants in blowout win

    Eagles grades: Saquon Barkley leads revived running game and defensive line dominates Giants in blowout win

    Instant grades on the Eagles’ performance in their 38-20 win over the New York Giants:

    Quarterback: A

    Jalen Hurts was efficient through the air, but also with his pre-snap reads in managing the return of the Eagles’ potent running game. He completed 15 of 20 passes for 179 yards and four touchdowns. The exclamation point came on a 40-yard jump ball that wide receiver Jahan Dotson pulled in for a fourth-quarter score.

    Hurts’ first touchdown pass came vs. a Giants blitz. He got his “hot” route — an uncovered Saquon Barkley — and the running back sashayed into the end zone for a 9-yard score. Hurts struggled vs. a third-down blitz a drive later, though, and was sacked.

    Hayes: Kevin Patullo used Saquon Barkley and the running game properly and now the Eagles offense is clicking

    The Eagles stayed committed to having Hurts under center, and he continued his success off play-action with a 26-yard hookup with DeVonta Smith in the first quarter. After a few weeks in which he didn’t run or scramble much, Hurts had his running shoes on. He converted a fourth down and nearly a long third down with scrambles in the first half.

    Backup Tanner McKee took snaps in mop-up duty.

    Running back: A

    The return of the running game led to both Saquon Barkley and Tank Bigsby rushing for over 100 yards in a game — the first time an Eagles running back duo did so since LeSean McCoy and Bryce Brown in Week 16 of the 2013 season against the Chicago Bears.

    Barkley went over the century mark for the first time this season with 14 carries for 150 yards. Barkley finally broke through for one of his patented home runs on his first touch of the game. He cut back against the grain, zipped through a hole, and took it to the house for a 65-yard touchdown.

    A greater variety of run calls helped Barkley. The outside runs were effective, particularly on gap scheme blocking. He picked up 10 and 28 yards on two such examples. Barkley injured his groin on a 28-yard rush late in the third quarter and didn’t return, likely out of precaution. He also caught four passes for 24 yards, including what felt like his first screen pass in ages and, later, a 9-yard touchdown.

    Bigsby was second up again, and on his first carry, he bounced an under-center handoff outside for an 18-yard rush. With Barkley sidelined, he converted a second-and-26 with a 29-yard gain in which he broke a tackle. All told, Bigsby rushed nine times for 104 yards.

    Will Shipley was held to 2 yards on three totes. AJ Dillon was active but didn’t play on offense. His spot on the 53-man roster could be in jeopardy.

    Receiver/tight end: B+

    Don’t let anyone fool you, the Eagles are better with A.J. Brown than without. With the No. 1 receiver out with a hamstring injury, others aside from DeVonta Smith needed to step up.

    On “National Tight Ends Day,” Dallas Goedert beat a safety on a 6-yard slant before the break for a career-best sixth touchdown of the season. Goedert grabbed his seventh in the fourth quarter on an option play in which Smith’s rub route freed the tight end for a walk-in 17-yard touchdown.

    Saquon Barkley and the Eagles run all over the Giants to head into the bye 6-2

    Jahan Dotson was targeted only twice, but he made the best on Hurts’ 40-yard heave. Darius Cooper, activated after a stint on injured reserve, often was the third blocking receiver on running downs in 11 personnel. He drew a pass interference penalty in the third quarter.

    Smith was Hurts’ favorite target, as he’s been over the last month. He caught 6 of 9 targets for 84 yards.

    Offensive line: A-

    The much maligned and banged up O-line delivered the type of performance it is known for with great run blocking and solid pass protection. Center Brett Toth got the job done in place of the injured Cam Jurgens (knee). Toth had a kick-out block on an outside gap scheme run that sprung Barkley for 10 yards. The Eagles went back to it late in the third quarter and Toth led the way on Barkley’s 28-yard run.

    Toth’s false start in the first quarter ruled out a fourth down go-for-it try. The additional 5 yards also tacked yardage onto the field-goal attempt, which was missed.

    Guards Tyler Steen and Landon Dickerson opened various lanes on inside runs but also got to the edge and helped on outside rushes. Dickerson had some rumbling, bumbling blocks on outside runs. The same could be said for tackles Lane Johnson and Jordan Mailata. Johnson’s holding penalty brought back a 15-yard pass over the middle to Smith in the first quarter.

    The O-line has struggled vs. five- and six-man fronts all season. But with Fred Johnson lined up at tight end, the Eagles had six blockers vs. the Giants’ five, and each one handled his one-on-one on Barkley’s house call.

    Eagles linebacker Jalyx Hunt sacks Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart, his first of the season.

    Defensive line: A

    The Eagles’ pass rush showed teeth and kept the elusive Jaxson Dart in the pocket, especially once the trailing Giants were forced to drop back their rookie quarterback. They finished with a season-high five sacks.

    Defensive tackle Jalen Carter, who was held out of the first game vs. the Giants, picked up his first sack of the season. He received assistance from good man coverage downfield.

    Outside linebacker Jalyx Hunt brought energy off the edge from the jump. He notched an early run stop and dropped Dart from behind on a scramble that netted just a yard. Hunt picked up his first sack of the season on a third down in the red zone in the third quarter. Defensive tackle Jordan Davis cleaned up for a sack on a failed run-pass option play in the second quarter. Moro Ojomo was credited with a sack.

    The Giants were dealt a blow when rookie running back Cam Skattebo suffered a gruesome ankle injury in the second quarter. The Eagles were more stout against the run than they were in the first meeting, as New York running backs averaged 3.4 rushing yards.

    Patrick Johnson’s rush off the edge forced Dart to step up into the waiting arms of Hunt. Johnson slipped when he dropped to cover Skattebo out of the backfield, and the running back caught an 18-yard touchdown pass for the Giants’ first points.

    Eagles defense shows ‘sense of pride’ and wins physicality battle

    Linebacker: B+

    Nakobe Dean played most of the snaps at inside linebacker ahead of rookie Jihaad Campbell. He had a run stop near the line of scrimmage in the second quarter. Dean trailed Devin Singletary on a wheel route that went for a 28-yard completion on a third down in the third quarter.

    The return of Dean has allowed Zack Baun to play to his freelancing strengths. He led the Eagles with six tackles and had a sack and another tackle for loss. Baun was late to account for Tyrone Tracy out of the backfield on a third-down conversion in the second quarter. But a few plays later, he broke up the pass to Skattebo on the play on which the running back got hurt.

    Campbell played on the edge in base sets. He finished with a relatively quiet two tackles.

    Cornerback: A-

    Kelee Ringo was the outside cornerback opposite Quinyon Mitchell in nickel personnel. Adoree’ Jackson was out with a concussion. Ringo didn’t allow his man to break free after Dart escaped out of the pocket on a third down in the third quarter. Mitchell locked down his side of the field and had a pass breakup on a deep shot.

    Cooper DeJean was outstanding in coverage and run support. He slashed into the backfield and dropped Tracy for a loss in the third quarter. DeJean was in coverage when Darius Slayton caught a short pass and turned upfield untouched for an 18-yard gain. DeJean blitzed off the edge and thwarted a run-pass option attempt in the second quarter.

    Eagles cornerback Quinyon Mitchell breaks up a pass intended for Giants wide receiver Darius Slayton during the second quarter.

    Safety: B+

    Drew Mukuba had a solid bounce-back outing and didn’t allow Dart to beat him over the top. He had a couple of stops. Reed Blankenship struggled at times. He got beat by tight end Daniel Bellinger for a 21-yard reception in the second quarter. Blankenship appeared a touch late on a third-down throw over the middle in the third quarter.

    Special teams: B+

    The Eagles entered the game last in the NFL in defense-adjusted value over average on kick returns. But Will Shipley had a 41-yard kickoff return — the team’s longest of the season — in the first quarter. He had a 32-yard return after dodging a few would-be tacklers a quarter later.

    Xavier Gipson handled punt-return duties for the first time with Dotson’s increased role on offense and had a 17-yard return. Punter Braden Mann booted a 57-yarder with no return and flipped the field in the second quarter.

    Kicker Jake Elliott missed his second straight field goal dating back to last week when he doinked a 58-yard try off the right upright in the first quarter. He otherwise was perfect, connecting on a 40-yard field goal and five extra points.

    Jaxson Dart get his flowers, Tom Brady’s flub, and more from the Eagles-Giants broadcast

    Coaching: A-

    Coach Nick Sirianni has the Eagles 6-2 heading into the bye. It’s been an occasional slog, and it’s not as if the Giants are, well, giants, but he has his team playing its best football.

    Offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo dialed up perhaps his best game since becoming the play-caller. His excellent play calling in the red zone continued. The Eagles have converted 17 of 20 (85%) possessions inside the 20 this season.

    Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts talks to Nick Sirianni (center) and Kevin Patullo during the second quarter of Sunday’s game.

    He opened the drive before the half with a dollop of outside runs — the first to the right, the second to the left, and then lastly one up the middle — which opened up the pass.

    The Eagles still had issues against the blitz and simulated pressures.

    Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio‘s unit contained Dart and until a late, meaningless touchdown held the Giants to 13 points. His simulated blitz call — which put Patrick Johnson in a tough spot — resulted in Skattebo’s 18-yard touchdown catch.

  • Saquon Barkley and the Eagles run all over the Giants to head into the bye at 6-2

    Saquon Barkley and the Eagles run all over the Giants to head into the bye at 6-2

    No A.J. Brown, no Cam Jurgens, no problem.

    The Eagles avenged their blowout loss to the New York Giants on Oct. 9, handing their NFC East foes a 38-20 defeat on Sunday afternoon. Even though Philadelphia was missing two of its top players on offense, it still was dominant on the ground and through the air, finishing with a season-high 427 total yards.

    Jalen Hurts excelled again in the passing game, finishing with 15 completions on 20 attempts for 179 yards and four touchdowns.

    Here’s our instant analysis from the Eagles’ second straight win as they head into the bye week with a 6-2 record:

    Barkley, Bigsby get busy

    Saquon Barkley rushed for more than 100 yards for the first time since the NFC championship game. Before his third-quarter exit because of a groin injury, he rushed for 150 yards and a touchdown on 14 carries. He also had 24 receiving yards and another score.

    He reintroduced himself to his former Giants teammates on the second play of the game, using a familiar wrinkle the Eagles leaned on last week against the Minnesota Vikings. Fred Johnson was on the field as the sixth offensive lineman and Hurts was lined up under center, but the Giants seemed to anticipate a pass, as both safeties stayed deep.

    Kevin Patullo used Saquon Barkley and the running game properly | Marcus Hayes

    On second-and-10 from the Eagles’ 35-yard line, Barkley burst through a hole on the left side of the offensive line opened up by Jordan Mailata, Landon Dickerson, and Brett Toth, who started at center in place of Jurgens. DeVonta Smith chipped in, too, with a block down the field on cornerback Cor’Dale Flott. Barkley took off untouched down the left sideline for a 65-yard touchdown to put the Eagles up, 7-0.

    Eagles running back Saquon Barkley gets pushed out of bounds by Giants linebacker Bobby Okereke after he picks up a first down on Sunday.

    Barkley found the end zone again in the second quarter. With the score tied at 7, the Eagles took advantage of a failed challenge from the Giants on a fourth-down Tush Push conversion. The Giants disputed that Hurts’ forward progress had been stopped before the ball came out of his grasp, but officials ruled in the Eagles’ favor.

    Two plays later, Barkley scored on a wide-open wheel route in the red zone. Hurts got the 9-yard pass off in time before an unblocked Kayvon Thibodeaux could hit him, pulling the Eagles ahead, 14-7.

    Barkley had success running outside. He exploded for a 28-yarder at the end of the third quarter when he followed a pulling Toth to the right side. Barkley visited the medical tent briefly after the run, and while he came back to the sideline with his helmet, he was deemed questionable to return and did not see the field again.

    The 28-year-old running back said postgame that he isn’t worried about the injury, which is something he’s dealt with before.

    Tank Bigsby spelled Barkley occasionally — and then permanently following his injury — and found success. In the fourth quarter while Barkley was in the tent, the Eagles fell well behind the sticks when Hurts took a 16-yard sack by outside linebacker Brian Burns.

    Tank Bigsby rushed for 104 yards on nine carries.

    On second-and-26, Bigsby took a handoff and picked up the first down on a 29-yard run as inside linebacker Darius Muasau whiffed on a tackle. Bigsby finished with 104 rushing yards on nine carries. Barkley and Bigsby are the first Eagles running back duo to each rush for over 100 yards since LeSean McCoy and Bryce Brown in 2013 (Week 16 against the Chicago Bears).

    “I think the O-line did a really good job of dominating up front,” Barkley said. “Creating space for us. It’s cool to see Tank get out there and make some big plays. I’ve never been part of a game, I don’t think so, of having two 100-yard backs. So it was great to see him go out there and make plays, especially to see him finish the game for us.”

    Receivers step up

    The Eagles were missing Brown on Sunday as the star receiver had been sidelined all week with a hamstring injury.

    That didn’t stop their passing game. Smith was the centerpiece for a second straight week, collecting 84 yards on six receptions. With Brown out, Smith was aligned out wide for each of his receptions instead of the slot.

    Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith had six catches for 84 yards on Sunday.

    Dallas Goedert got involved in the red zone, scoring his sixth and seventh touchdowns of the season, a career high. The Eagles opted for an empty set to spread out the defense on second-and-2 from the Giants’ 6-yard line. Goedert was matched up on the outside with safety Tyler Nubin, an advantageous matchup.

    Goedert ran a slant and Hurts threaded a pass for the tight end between Nubin and Muasau. While Nubin wrapped Goedert up short of the goal line, he refused to go down, driving his legs into the end zone and dragging the safety with him. His first touchdown put the Eagles up, 21-10, late in the second quarter.

    Grading the Eagles’ win over the Giants

    Goedert wasn’t finished. In the fourth quarter, he capitalized on Bigsby’s explosive run that brought the Eagles to the red zone for a third time on Sunday. On a run-pass option, Hurts rolled out to his right and connected with Goedert for a 17-yard touchdown reception.

    Inside linebacker Bobby Okereke was supposed to be covering Goedert, but he appeared to trip over the feet of Smith, who was blocking cornerback Deonte Banks. Goedert’s second touchdown gave the Eagles a 31-13 lead.

    “They’ve been letting me get the ball and use my big body to fall into the end zone,” Goedert said. “Did that on the first touchdown today. But it’s cool. We can score in many different ways. We’ve got a lot of different people. I’ve just been trying to do the most with my opportunities.”

    The Eagles earned other favorable matchups in the passing game, as the Giants went into the game without starting cornerback Paulson Adebo and top safety Jevon Holland. Flott, who had often aligned across from Smith, went down in the second quarter with a concussion.

    Hurts took advantage of rookie cornerback Korie Black, who had recently been signed to the Giants’ active roster from the New York Jets’ practice squad. Late in the fourth quarter, Jahan Dotson caught a leaping, 40-yard touchdown pass from Hurts with Black in single coverage. The touchdown pass marked the 100th of Hurts’ career.

    Giants running back Cam Skattebo waves to the crowd after he suffered a severe ankle injury in the second quarter.

    Skattebo goes down

    The Giants offense suffered a major loss in the second quarter when rookie running back Cam Skattebo went down with a dislocated ankle. He had been the heartbeat of their offense and contributed a receiving touchdown before he exited the game.

    It was tough sledding for Jaxson Dart before his garbage-time rushing touchdown with less than three minutes remaining in the game. Dart was under duress for most of the game, taking sacks from Zack Baun, Jalyx Hunt, Moro Ojomo, Jalen Carter, and Jordan Davis.

    Dart completed 14 of 24 passes for 193 and the passing touchdown to Skattebo. The Eagles fared much better at containing Dart on the ground than they did two weeks ago, in part because the Giants fell behind quickly. Dart finished with six carries for 17 yards.

    “We had a really good plan,” Baun said of the defense’s effort to keep Dart at bay. “I think the rush did a really good job, and when the rush is containing him like that, it’s eliminating explosives down the field as well, helping out the coverage.”

  • Eagles Week 8 film preview: Key to a big day for Jalen Hurts, stopping Giants’ rookie duo, and more

    Eagles Week 8 film preview: Key to a big day for Jalen Hurts, stopping Giants’ rookie duo, and more

    Breaking tendencies on offense for the Eagles played a big role in their Week 7 win over the Minnesota Vikings. With a rematch looming with the New York Giants on Sunday, that formula will likely be put to good use again.

    Jalen Hurts finished the Vikings game with a perfect passer rating (158.3) and continued his trend of exploiting zone coverage for a second straight game. But the influx of under-center play-action and connecting on his deep shots with A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith made all the difference.

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    Can the offense carry that momentum against the Giants, while figuring out its running-game issues? Here’s what we learned from the film ahead of Sunday’s rematch between the division foes:

    Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts thrived passing from under center against the Vikings in Week 7.

    More under-center play-action

    Of Hurts’ 326 passing yards against Minnesota, 121 of them came on play-action, under-center throws downfield. Entering that game, the Eagles averaged just 0.8 yards from under center, which ranked 30th in the NFL, according to Fantasy Points Data.

    Hurts completed all four of those pass attempts, including the 79-yard touchdown strike to Smith. The play-action also opened up the middle, allowing the Eagles offense to attack an area of the field it has often neglected.

    The Giants, according to Next Gen Stats, are giving up the eighth-highest total of passing yards on throws traveling 10 to 19 air yards, yielding 71.9 yards per game. Hurts has completed four of six passes in that range of the field in each of his last two games.

    There are also examples of the Giants defense giving up explosive plays off play-action passes from under center. New York yielded a 33-yard gain to CeeDee Lamb during a matchup with Dallas in Week 2, and surrendered an 87-yard touchdown connection from Spencer Rattler to Rashid Shaheed in Week 5 against New Orleans.

    In their Week 6 matchup, Hurts, who has typically thrived against man coverage in his career, completed just six of 12 passes against New York’s man looks on defense, according to Next Gen Stats. And he threw his lone interception of the season, which all but ended the game.

    What we know (and don’t) about the Eagles entering Week 8 vs. the Giants

    Hurts’ early touchdown pass to Brown against Minnesota was proof of his improvement as a passer, making plays with his arm rather than taking off and scrambling. According to Next Gen Stats, Hurts had his first game with a positive expected points added (which measures team performance on a play-by-play basis) per drop back on scrambles without actually taking off and running.

    If Hurts can continue that trend, the Eagles should be in for another big passing day — the Giants are giving up the seventh-highest total of passing yards per game in the NFL (245.3) and the second-most passing yards on throws that travel 20 or more air yards (62.9), according to Next Gen Stats.

    Giants rookie running back Cam Skattebo rushed for 98 yards and three touchdowns against the Eagles in Week 6.

    Keeping Dart and Skattebo in check

    In Week 6, rookies Jaxson Dart and Cam Skattebo ran wild over the Eagles defense, which was without defensive tackle Jalen Carter and cornerback Quinyon Mitchell, who left the game with a hamstring strain. And the pairing hasn’t slowed down after accounting for 156 of the Giants’ 172 rushing yards in that game.

    Skattebo was a little more subdued against Denver, rushing for 60 yards on 3.1 yards per carry. But Dart continued to make plays downfield and on the move, hurting the Broncos defense with his arm. Dart is coming off his best passing day, throwing for 283 yards and three scores.

    His connection with wide receiver Wan’Dale Robinson continues to grow. When he escapes the pocket and extends plays, Dart has consistently found Robinson outside the numbers or over the middle of the field for big gains — first against the Eagles in Week 6, then Denver last week.

    Tight ends continue to be among Dart’s favorite targets. He threw two more to that position group Sunday in Denver, finding Daniel Bellinger (44 yards) and Theo Johnson (41 yards) for touchdowns.

    Of Dart’s seven touchdown passes, five have gone to tight ends, and Johnson has four of them. Because of the high tight end usage, the Giants could look to attack downfield and utilize double moves against the Eagles’ secondary to spring Johnson or Bellinger.

    Against Minnesota, a double move from Jordan Addison created a 32-yard completion between Mitchell and Drew Mukuba in zone coverage. The Giants completed a pass on similar action to Bellinger, albeit against man coverage.

    But the most important thing the Eagles need to do to prevent New York from taking shots downfield is to stop the run. The Birds defense has allowed 26 runs of 10 or more yards, tied for the seventh-most in the NFL, and it particularly struggles on outside runs.

    The Giants made the Eagles pay in their previous matchup, with three of the five rushes that went 10 yards or more coming from runs outside the tackles, according to Next Gen Stats. The running-back toss play to Skattebo has been effective over their last two games.

    Although his status for Sunday’s game is in question, defensive end Brandon Graham, now back with the Eagles, could provide a huge boost in the run defending department. Graham’s reps before his first triceps injury last season showed a promising trend of setting a firm edge and knifing through offensive lines.

    He would be a major boost to a run defense that ranks 22nd in the NFL in rushing yards allowed per game (127.9).

    Encouraging signs for Barkley

    For the last two games, Eagles opponents entered the game struggling to defend the run but were still able to hold Saquon Barkley to 58 and 44 total rushing yards. Looking beyond the numbers, though, tells a different story.

    The Eagles are trying to get Barkley out in space and last week’s game that featured under-center play-action passing showcased an evolved plan for the running game. After finding some success earlier in the season on Barkley pitch plays to the left side of the offensive line, the Eagles called four outside toss plays against the Vikings that yielded 14 yards. It also provided some new run scheme looks from under center that can be paired with play-action passes.

    Denver ran a similar play that popped a big gain against the Giants’ defense in Week 7, with J.K. Dobbins rumbling for a 32-yard gain. Expect the Eagles to keep the toss play as a run scheme option for Barkley on Sunday.

    In addition to the toss play, the Eagles have found success in getting Barkley some daylight on split-zone runs against the Giants and Vikings that created 18-, 8-, and 9-yard gains. The action allows a backside tight end (Dallas Goedert) or motioning receiver across the formation to keep a defensive end or edge rusher from crashing down the play for a loss.

    Barkley’s rushing numbers could be even worse if not for his elusiveness in the backfield. Twice last week he had to force someone to miss right after he got the handoff to turn a potential negative play into a positive one.

    With center Cam Jurgens’ status for Sunday in question, the Eagles must continue to find ways to give Barkley room to run. Mixing in variations of run schemes should help aid a potential breakout performance.