Live analysis as Jalen Hurts returns in NFL playoffs

PHILADELPHIA − It didn’t take long for Jalen Hurts to show that he’s back to full strength, or close enough for him to run like he was before he suffered a shoulder injury back on Dec. 18.

Hurts led scoring drives on the Eagles’ first two possessions as they took a 14-0 lead in the first quarter against the Giants in the NFC Divisional Round game Saturday night.

Hurts was a perfect 7-for-7 for 89 yards and 2 TDs, the first a 16-yard completion to Dallas Goedert, who caught the ball with his left hand in stride and continued into the end zone. The second was a 9-yard TD to DeVonta Smith.

If there were any doubts on Hurts’ shoulder, he answered on the second play when he threw deep to Smith, hitting him for 40 yards down to the Giants’ 33.

The Eagles also put the read-option back into their offense against the Giants, using it twice in the first quarter. Hurts gained 9 yards on the second try, and took a hit on his torso. He was fine.

It was clear that all restrictions about Hurts taking a hit to the shoulder have been taken off. Of course, it will bear watching to see how Hurts responds to such a hit.

The Eagles’ aren’t nearly as dynamic if Hurts is strictly a pocket passer, like he was in the last meeting against the Giants, on Jan. 8 in the Eagles’ 22-16 win. Hurts clearly stayed away from contact as he threw 35 times while running only 9 times, and 3 of those runs were kneel-downs at the end of the game. Hurts also did not have any designed runs called for him.

Sanders knows the difference, too. He ran for 1,269 yards this season, a career high, in large part because Hurts added 760 yards on the ground.

“Absolutely. It opens up the holes more,” Sanders said about Hurts’ presence as a running threat.

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Boston Scott, Giant killer

For some reason, Eagles running back Boston Scott has great success against the Giants when it comes to touchdowns. Scott scored on a 3-yard run in the second quarter, giving the Eagles a 21-0 lead. That was Scott’s 11th career touchdown against the Giants in 9 games. He has 7 more TDs in 54 other games.

Miles Sanders did all the work on that drive, carrying the ball six straight times for 43 yards as the Eagles worked down the field.

Reddick 2 sacks, Bradberry INT

Haason Reddick had two huge sacks back-to-back on the Giants’ first possession. The first came on 3rd-and-3 from the Eagles’ 35. That knocked the Giants back 5 yards. But they went for it on 4th-and-8. This time, Reddick sacked Giants QB Daniel Jones for an 8-yard loss, giving the Eagles the ball at the 48.

They quickly drove down the field and scored.

Then cornerback James Bradberry, a former Giant, intercepted Jones at midfield, just as the first quarter ended.

Eagles inactives has 2 DBs

There was one surprise with the Eagles’ game-day roster as safety Anthony Harris was left off it even though he received a practice-squad elevation. The Eagles could have used the depth with injured slot cornerback Avonte Maddox sitting out his third straight game with a toe injury while Chauncey Gardner-Johnson is only playing in his second game since returning from injured reserve.

.In addition to Maddox and Harris, the Eagles’ other inactives were QB Ian Book, RB Trey Sermon, LB Kyron Johnson and G Josh Sills.

Harris was a starting safety for the Eagles last season. The Eagles released him just before the season started. He then signed with the Broncos’ practice squad and got into three games The Broncos released him Dec. 6, and the Eagles signed him to their practice squad a week later.

This was his first time getting the elevation as an Eagle.

3 things I’m watching

Paving a Lane: The other major injury question is with right tackle Lane Johnson, who’s trying to play through a torn adductor muscle. Johnson sat out the final two regular-season games, giving him four weeks to get ready for this game. But don’t mistake that for being healed. Johnson needs surgery to repair the groin injury. So it’s a matter of how much pain Johnson can tolerate. If he can’t make it through the game, the Eagles will bring in Jack Driscoll, who started in Johnson’s place the last two games to mixed results. That’s not a knock on Driscoll because Johnson, a three-time All Pro selection, including this season, is considered the best right tackle in the NFL.
Stopping Saquon: Despite facing the Giants for the third time in six weeks, there really isn’t much familiarity with Giants star running back Saquon Barkley, who was fourth in the NFL with 1,312 yards rushing. Barkley was listed as questionable in the first game against the Eagles on Dec. 11 with a neck injury. He played, but not after the Eagles jumped out to a 21-0 lead in the second quarter. Barkley had 28 yards, his lowest total of the season. Barkley, like many of the Giants starters, didn’t play in the regular-season finale because the Giants were locked into their playoff spot.
Playoff atmosphere: It’s hard to believe, but the Eagles are hosting only their second playoff game in exactly five years, going back to their NFC Championship win over the Minnesota Vikings on Jan. 21, 2018. The only other home playoff game was against Seattle on Jan. 5, 2020, a 17-9 loss in the Wild Card Round. That was a dud as starting QB Carson Wentz left in the first quarter with a concussion and was replaced by the 40-year-old Josh McCown. So Eagles fans should be in full throttle for this one, especially with a spot in the NFC Championship game on the line.

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Live analysis as Jalen Hurts returns in NFL playoffs

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