Eagles - Vikings Thoughts: Well, Damn, This Is Encouraging
> If QB Jalen Hurts is going to be accurate and decisive in the passing game against a max coverage scheme, that's a world of difference from last year.
Part of this is just his WR corps -- WR AJ Brown just puts everyone in their proper place and can just clown guys -- but it's also growth. Smart throws to WR Devonta Smith in rhythm, more than a few good pieces of work to TE Dallas Goedert -- this is just not going to be a fun team to defend. 83% completion with 10+ yards an attempt, a score and a deflection pick. Crazy good when you add 57 yards and two touchdowns on the ground. If you give this roster a top 10 QB -- and Hurts has been that for the first two games of the season -- they are a legitimate title contender (with, of course, health). The way he led the team to a 2-minute drill field goal at the end of the first half was masterful.
I also utterly loved his closed arms non-reaction swagger after hitting the home run ball to WR Quez Watkins. Baller.
> RB Miles Sanders is playing like he wants a contract. Very little dancing, a lot of yards after contact, good blitz pick up. He's their best back by a lot.
> This officiating crew really likes television time. This game could have been over a lot sooner if it weren't for a lot of nonsense calls.
> DC Jonathan Gannon gets a lot of grief for not being aggressive with a defense that needs help to get to the QB -- and then he has a game like tonight, in which he schemes WR Justin Jefferson into irrelevance, then sends real pressure late and made his guys looked absolutely jacked to be in this laundry. Encouraging.
> If you are a Vikings fan and you think Kirk Cousins is a QB you can win with, please run, do not walk, to my poker table. We really want to see you.
> The Vikings' most vital offensive player is RB Dalvin Cook. He had 6 carries for 17 yards, and 4 catches for 19. That's getting it done.
> The Eagles won by 17 points in a game where they didn't score in the second half. Part of this was just mistakes -- a blocked field goal, a tipped ball pick -- and some of it was just grinding clock. But they won by a lot with a mess of mistakes, honestly.
> Maybe the best game of CB Darius Slay's time in the laundry -- 2 picks, 5 breakups, could have had more picks honestly -- and one of the best games ever by an Eagle CB. Like Brown with the WR corps, he just sets the secondary into their proper order, and when you give him Cousins on a Monday night, his biggest problem might be keeping his helmet dry from a watering mouth. Extra points for giving a pick game ball to James Harden and showing that it's a really fun time to be a Philly sports fan right now.
> I'm still not in love with this defensive line. They don't get the push you'd like to see, and two games of prized free agent edge rusher Hassan Reddick is not exactly selling any jerseys. But they have linebackers who actually close, tackle and deflect passes now, and that's very, very new. I like.
> Shout out to P Arryn Siposs, who punted well and tracked down a blocked field goal better. Last year wasn't great, and the team did not bring in a competitor in training camp -- and he's been good anyway. One more small point to the coaching staff for knowing what they have.
> Not a good game for PR Britain Covey, who is still practice squad fodder and not locked into the role. He seems to be sure-handed, but this game wasn't at NFL speed. He is, of course, better than the departed WR Jalen Raegor, who Eagle Fan really enjoyed booing the living hell out of tonight, for so, so many reasons.
> The schedule is going to do the team some favors -- they look to have a lot of cookies coming up -- but it's a challenge to keep eyes on the prize. They don't give out wins in this league before you play.
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