Hurts, Eagles pound Giants early, coast to NFC title game

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — All it took was one throw. Jalen Hurts let it fly on his first move try of the sport and immediately the unease that crept into that usually worrisome Philly sports activities psyche — yeah, however how is his banged-up proper shoulder, actually? — appeared to dissipate.

Hurts’ shoulder was fantastic. Little question about that.

With Hurts in full management, the Philadelphia Eagles as soon as once more appear to be the staff that was hardly ever challenged throughout an NFL-best 13-1 begin.

Hurts threw two landing passes and ran for a rating throughout a dominant first half, and the Eagles overwhelmed the New York Giants 38-7 on Saturday night time in an NFC divisional playoff recreation.

“To have him on the market, I do know that is excessive reward, it’s like having Michael Jordan on the market,” coach Nick Sirianni mentioned. “He’s your chief. He’s your man. That’s the largest respect I pays to him.”

Prime-seeded Philadelphia will host the NFC championship recreation subsequent Sunday towards both Dallas or San Francisco.

Hurts missed two late-season losses with a sprained proper shoulder after which confirmed the Giants nothing within the season finale when the Eagles ran a vanilla offense designed to guard the Professional Bowl QB.

Underneath vibrant postseason lights on the Linc, the Eagles unleashed an offense designed to clobber the Giants. Hurts dazzled early together with his arm and Philadelphia’s offensive line opened large holes for Miles Sanders and Kenneth Gainwell because the Eagles completed with 268 yards on the bottom. Hurts completed 16 of 24 for 154 yards.

“Appeared just like the previous Jalen to me,” Sanders mentioned.

Hurts confirmed he was fantastic when he aired out a move on the second play of the sport and hit DeVonta Smith in stride for a 40-yard reception. The enjoyable was simply beginning in Philly.

Hurts was flawless on the drive, finishing passes of 9 yards, 5 yards, after which — increase — a 16-yard TD move on a one-handed seize by tight finish Dallas Goedert.

Second drive, extra of the identical. Hurts had completions of 12 yards and 9 yards en path to a 9-yard TD move to Smith.

It was 14-0 within the first quarter and the Giants already wanted a standing eight depend. New York turned the ball over on downs on its first possession, and Daniel Jones was intercepted by James Bradberry on its second.

The Linc was bonkers with full-throated chants of “E-A-G-L-E-S!” filling the air and Sirianni went wild chest-bumping assistants on the sideline.

“Philly’s been ingesting since 8 a.m,” Goedert cracked of the raucous environment.

Hurts’ shoulder could not have been one hundred pc.

However his passing was: He went 7 of seven for 89 yards within the first quarter.

“This man leads, he brings this calmness to the complete staff,” Sirianni mentioned. “He’s as robust as they arrive. To me, there’s not anyone that’s performed higher soccer than him this 12 months.”

Even when the calls have been apparent for the Eagles, the Giants have been helpless to cease them. Living proof: The Eagles had the ball on the New York 3. Give the ball to Boston Scott? Sure they did. Scott scored his 11th touchdown against the Giants for a 21-0 lead. He has solely 19 TDs in his profession. Giants defensive coordinator Wink Martindale riled up Philly followers this week when he insisted Scott wasn’t a “Large killer.”

Arduous to argue towards that time now.

Hurts wrapped the half with a 5-yard landing run — he bobbled the shotgun snap however nonetheless coasted untouched into the top zone — for a 28-0 lead. There have been solely four more lopsided first-half playoff shutouts in NFL historical past.

“I’m so happy with this staff, how we got here out right here. I’m so happy with these followers. It’s a Philly factor, you understand? It’s particular,” Hurts mentioned.

Gainwell completed with 112 yards on 12 carries, together with a late 35-yard landing. Sanders had 17 rushes for 90 yards.

Coach Brian Daboll’s Giants have been discombobulated from the beginning and seemed nothing just like the staff that beat the Minnesota Vikings 31-24 final week for his or her first postseason win since their Tremendous Bowl victory underneath Tom Coughlin 11 years in the past.

Matt Brieda had an 8-yard TD run for the Giants within the third quarter. Daniel Jones was 15 of 27 for 135 yards and a decide.

“Give Philly credit score, they did every thing higher than we did tonight,” Daboll mentioned.

Hurts ran, threw and directed the offense with the identical authority as he did when he led the Eagles to a 14-1 begin and gained over a metropolis that also wasn’t so certain about him within the preseason. In final 12 months’s playoff loss to Tampa Bay, Hurts threw two interceptions and was simply 23 of 43 for 258 yards.

A 12 months later, Hurts is a fan favourite and has the Eagles within the hunt for his or her first Tremendous Bowl since 2018.

“We’re near the highest,” Sirianni mentioned. “However don’t have a look at the the highest but.”

NEVER BREAK THE CHAIN

There was a busted hyperlink on the Linc.

The sport was briefly stopped within the opening quarter due to a damaged first down chain. The NFL nonetheless makes use of chains related to 2 sign poles to measure the gap to a primary down. With the Giants driving halfway by means of the quarter, the sport was delayed due to an “administrative stoppage.” The chain was rapidly changed and the sport resumed with the Eagles forward 7-0.

M-V-P

Two-time NL MVP Bryce Harper, who led the Phillies to the World Sequence, narrated a hype video. Three-time AL MVP Mike Trout, a New Jersey native and Eagles fan, attended the sport and exhorted the gang to get louder.

UP NEXT

The Eagles moved to 6-0 and Hurts threw two landing passes in a 26-17 win over the Cowboys in October. The Cowboys gained 40-34 on Dec. 24 towards Hurts’ backup, Gardner Minshew.

The Eagles final performed San Francisco in 2021 and misplaced.

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