Against a Dallas Cowboys offense that was buzzing early, the Philadelphia Eagles had no problem responding. Quarterback Jalen Hurts commanded an efficient attack, despite some speculating that his top receiver, A.J. Brown, was far from 100% health during the game.
For all intents and purposes, Hurts played a mistake-free game. Even with a combined 37 passes and rushes, he was efficient and kept the ball out of harm’s way—something you couldn’t say about the Cowboys’ Dak Prescott, who had a great night.
If Hurts continues to play this mistake-free football with clutch plays sprinkled in, the Eagles could compete for the NFC’s top seed.
Eagles Had Struggles; Hurts Was Efficient
Hurts was as efficient as possible on opening night. He completed 19 of his 23 pass attempts (82.6%) for 152 yards, took one sack, and rushed for 62 yards and two touchdowns on 14 attempts. With 0.25 expected points added per play (EPA/play) and a 58% success rate on his dropbacks, Hurts led a strong offensive attack.
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Sure, his average depth of target (aDOT) was a low 4.4, but a high-end success rate and zero notable mistakes, other than that lone sack, make up for it. Hurts has certainly had more dynamic games in the past, but he took care of the football.
Even after the Cowboys’ Micah Parsons trade, they are still objectively a playoff contender in the NFC. With how good their offense is, getting about 10 wins is feasible. Philadelphia was far from perfect, having virtually zero impact from Brown and Jalen Carter, yet their win probability never dipped below 70% in the fourth quarter, per ESPN.
The Eagles are still ironing things out (they had, like, a million penalties), as are the Cowboys. But the victors’ performance against a still-formidable rival shows that if this is the version of Hurts we get full-season, the No. 1 seed is undoubtedly in play.
Of course, the importance of a bye week in the playoffs doesn’t need to be explained. It guarantees home-field advantage, an extra week of rest, and no “trap” matchups in the wildcard. Needing only one win to host the NFC Championship is a game-changer.
The Eagles weren’t at their best in Week 1, but Hurts was about as good as you could’ve hoped. If that’s the version we’re getting, it could be another fun season. Visiting the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 2, anything less could result in a 1–1 record.
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