NFC Week 15 overreactions: Giants save season with stunning win over Washington
Mackenzie Salmon ‘overreacts’ to the biggest NFC storylines from all the Week 15 action in the NFL.
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PHILADELPHIA — The Eagles traded for Gardner Minshew in the summer of 2021 so that he would be ready to take over if necessary, even if it means starting in perhaps the Eagles’ biggest game of the season against their most bitter rival, the Dallas Cowboys.
But the Eagles might not have a choice after starter Jalen Hurts, a leading candidate for the MVP award, suffered a shoulder injury Sunday in the Eagles’ 25-20 win over the Chicago Bears.
Hurts has a shoulder sprain and could conceivably miss the final three regular-season games. Or, he could play this Saturday against the Cowboys.
“I’m feeling fine,” Hurts said Tuesday. “It’s a week where we’re keeping everything business as usual … Definitely a chance (to play), taking it day by day. Everybody knows that I’m dealing with something. I think that’s pretty public. It’s out there.”
The Eagles began their practice week with a walkthrough, like they have for the past several weeks. Minshew didn’t attend because he was in Mississippi for the funeral of his college coach, Mike Leach. Neither was backup offensive lineman Andre Dillard. Both played for Leach when they were at Washington State.
That left third quarterback Ian Book as the first-team quarterback for the walkthrough. Minshew and Dillard will be back Wednesday when the Eagles will conduct a full practice.
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There is a lot at stake against the Cowboys, no matter who’s at quarterback. With a victory, the Eagles (13-1) will clinch the NFC East division title and the No. 1 seed in the NFC playoffs, and the bye week that goes with it.
Then again, the Eagles would still be in good shape to accomplish those goals with a loss. That’s because the Eagles lead the Cowboys (10-4) by three games with three games remaining. All it would take is one more Eagles victory or one more Cowboys loss.
In that scenario, the Eagles could let Hurts sit out until their first playoff game the weekend of Jan. 21.
Then again, maybe not.
“I don’t put anything past Jalen Hurts as far as his mental and physical toughness,” Eagles coach Nick Sirianni said. “He is one of the toughest guys I know, and he heals fast. He’s a freak … I will not rule him out, will not put a timetable on him, and we’ll see. We’ll see what happens this week.
“He’ll be ready to go if he can play this week, and so will Gardner.”
Minshew has started 22 games in his NFL career, with 20 of them coming in his two seasons as the Jacksonville Jaguars’ starter in 2019 and 2020.
While it would be easy for Eagles fans to dream about a Nick Foles redux with Minshew, the circumstances are very different.
In 2017, then-Eagles starting quarterback Carson Wentz was a leading candidate for the MVP award as he led the Eagles to an 11-2 record before tearing his ACL. Foles, an experienced backup like Minshew, took over, and eventually led the Eagles to their first-ever Super Bowl victory. Foles was the MVP in the championship game, throwing for 373 yards and three touchdowns.
But Hurts’ injury is not considered nearly as serious as Wentz’s. There was no fracture in Hurts’ shoulder, and the best remedies are rest and rehab.
Hurts apparently suffered the injury midway through the third quarter when he was tackled on a running play by Bears defensive lineman Trevis Gipson. Gipson landed on top of Hurts as Hurts’ right shoulder was driven into the ground.
Hurts writhed in pain on the ground momentarily. He was helped to his feet before the referee could call for an injury timeout. Incredibly, Hurts made his best throw of the game in the fourth quarter when he hit receiver A.J. Brown on a deep ball for 68 yards down to the Bears 3-yard line.
“It was a dime, said Brown, who had a career-high 181 yards receiving. “It shows the person he is, the will he has to win … I had no idea anything was bothered and he was fighting through something.”
Added Hurts: “It took a lot of grit. It took some courage and it took the people around me … I had to find a way, and I think in the end, that’s what it’s all about.”
Hurts finished 22 of 37 passing for 315 yards. He threw two interceptions in the first half, the most he has thrown in a game this season.
Hurts has thrown for 3,472 yards, completing 67.3% of his passes, with 22 touchdowns and five interceptions this season. He is fourth in the NFL in passer rating at 104.6. Hurts has also run for 747 yards and 13 touchdowns. His combined 35 TDs this season is tied with Randall Cunningham for the most in team history. Cunningham did it in 1990.
In 2021, Minshew started two games in place of Hurts, one of them a critical late-season game for the Eagles, who needed a win over the Jets to help their playoff chances. Hurts had sprained his ankle the week before in a loss to the Giants.
Minshew completed 20 of 25 passes for 242 yards and two touchdowns that day as the Eagles won 33-18. Minshew also started the season-finale against Dallas. That game was meaningless because the Eagles had already clinched a playoff spot, enabling them to rest Hurts.
Minshew went 19-for-33 for 186 yards with two touchdowns and an interception in the Eagles’ 51-26 loss.
This season, Minshew has appeared in three games, all late in blowout wins by the Eagles. He’s 2-for-4 passing for 34 yards.
Sirianni said the Eagles will prepare both Minshew and Hurts to start Saturday, then make a decision later in the week. No doubt, the Cowboys will have to prepare for both QBs, too.
“There will naturally be some differences because there are going to be things that Gardner likes that Jalen might not like as much, and vice versa,” Sirianni said. “That will mean a lot of extra work for (the coaches) this week just to make sure they’re both ready.”
Contact Martin Frank at mfrank@delawareonline.com. Follow on Twitter @Mfranknfl.
