
January 26, 2025
After a 55-23 blowout win over the Washington Commanders in the NFC Championship Game, the Philadelphia Eagles are headed back to the Super Bowl for the third time in eight seasons.ย As always, win, lose, or tie, we hand out 10 awards.
In the analysis (mine included) leading up this matchup, the common sentiment was that the Eagles had the better offensive line, the better defensive line, the better skill position players, the better secondary, the better this, the better that...ย
But the quarterback ๐ฌ...
Well, the the Eagles had the better quarterback on Sunday, too, as Jalen Hurts completed 20 of 28 passes for 246 yards, 1 TD, and as usual, 0 INTs. He also rushed for 3 TDs, and had a fourth called back due to a penalty.
Meanwhile, rookie phenom Jayden Daniels completed 29 of 48 passes for 255 yards, a TD, and an INT. He made a few plays with his legs, but was mostly bottled up.
Even in a win in an NFC Championship Game, Hurts provided a quote that is certain to be discussed at length for the next two weeks (and probably beyond).
#Eagles QB Jalen Hurts on HC Nick Sirianni: โI think he finally let me out of my straight jacketโ
— Jeff McLane (@Jeff_McLane) January 27, 2025
Asked later to clarify, Hurts passed, but seemed he was referencing offensive constraints on him since the bye week. pic.twitter.com/EwPdFZegkx
Brown, Smith, and Goedert combined for 17 catches on 20 targets for 226 yards and a TD, plus 33 yards on pass interference penalties.
When you have the best offensive line in the NFL, plus a trio of receivers like A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith, and Dallas Goedert, that's probably what their numbers should look like.
Brown broke out of a slump, catching six passes for 96 yards and a TD.
When the passing game is working along with the run game, and the defense is creating turnovers, I suppose that's a recipe for putting up a 50 burger.
Barkley got the Eagles' offense off to a fast start with a 60-yard TD run on the Eagles' first offensive play of the night.
On Thursday night before the Super Bowl, some quarterback is going to be named MVP of the league instead of this guy.
The Eagles force an abnormal number of fumbles, and it's remarkable how accurately and powerfully they punch at the football. Zack Baun had the first forced fumble of the night:
The Eagles' other starting linebacker, Oren Burks, had a Peanut Punch of his own:
The Eagles' backup running backs โ Will Shipley and Kenny Gainwell โ also combined for a forced fumble and recovery on a kickoff, and Quinyon Mitchell intercepted Daniels late in the game.
The Eagles were +4 on turnovers on the night, and are now +10 for the playoffs.
One of the biggest plays of the game was a on a 4th and 5 from the WAS 45 with 2:14 left in the first half and the Eagles up 14-12. Sirianni opted to go for it, and Hurts hit Brown down the sideline for a 31 yard gain.
Jalen Hurts goes deep to A.J. Brown on 4th-and-5! ๐๐ฏ #NFL pic.twitter.com/3CiJR9tpnC
— The Comeback (@thecomeback) January 26, 2025
Bigtime call, bigtime throw, bigtime catch.
The Eagles would score a TD on that drive, and then another one after Shipley and Gainwell created their turnover on the ensuing kickoff.
Jurgens was a "gametime decision," and it was decided that he would not start, but would be active in case of an emergency. When Landon Dickerson got hurt, Jurgens filled in and played almost the entire second half.ย Postgame, he very much looked like a guy who had a hurt back.
Cam Jurgens played through a back injury, and looks like it, pic.twitter.com/ATWHzg8EhY
— Jimmy Kempski (@JimmyKempski) January 26, 2025
โThey had a lot of emotion, and they talked a lot, and we executed," Jurgens said in the locker room after the game.
During an Eagles possession at the goal line, Commanders cheap shot artist Frankie Luvu kept trying to jump over the line to disrupt a potential Brotherly Shove. And why not? The penalty is half the distance to the goal which eventually amounted to mere inches.
Eventually, the officials had to intervene (via @CoachDonCasey):
I love that phrasing, lol. "If this type of behavior happens again." He sounded like an angry dad yelling at his kids in the back seat of the car to shut up.
During the week, Commanders defensive coordinator Joe Whitt gave a tough guy interview about how his players were going to hit Jalen Hurts all day.
๐ Watch out Jalen Hurts?
— Jeff Skversky (@JeffSkversky) January 23, 2025
Commanders DC Joe Whitt Jr says they will hit Eagles QB #JalenHurts if he runs like a RB
"we are going to hit him that way. That's their decision if they want to get him hit the way that he gets hit"https://t.co/ZCfqwTKQDK pic.twitter.com/DkhcWE9zqM
Whitt's defense gave up seven rushing TDs.
Commanders owner Josh Harris also owns the Philadelphia 76ers and New Jersey Devils. There are a whole lot of Sixers fans who would love for Harris to sell the team, and would have been super annoyed to have to watch him give a speech while accepting the NFC Championship trophy with a rival team.ย
Luckily for them, that didn't happen.ย
In two weeks the Eagles will face either the Chiefs or the Bills in the Super Bowl. Getting to the Super Bowl three times in eight seasons is obviously not at all easy, but the Eagles sure did make it look that way on Sunday.
In their last three NFC Championship Games, the Eagles have a point differential of +87:
Eagles vs. Vikings: 38-7
Eagles vs. 49ers: 31-7
Eagles vs. Commanders: 55-23
Grease the poles.
Follow Jimmy & PhillyVoice on Twitter: @JimmyKempski | thePhillyVoice
Like us on Facebook: PhillyVoice Sports
Add Jimmy's RSS feed to your feed reader