In Week 12, Jalen Hurts and the Philadelphia Eagles took down the Green Bay Packers 40-33. With the win, they now sit at 10-1 and are atop the NFC.
During the game, Hurts and the Eagles offense was firing on all cylinders. But the same can't be said for the defense, who gave up 30-plus points for just the second time this season.
At times, it appeared that the Eagles defense was in no position to slow down the Packers offense. Aaron Rodgers, before exiting due to injury, threw for 140 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions on 16 total attempts.
Third-year quarterback Jordan Love, upon stepping in for Rodgers, also put together a strong showing. He threw for 113 yards and one touchdown on nine attempts.
On the ground, the Packers two-headed backfield of AJ Dillon and Aaron Jones combined for 106 rushing yards and one touchdown.
In total, the Eagles defense allowed 342 yards and 33 points to a struggling Packers offense. But in the end, the Eagles high powered offense once again put on an elite performance, ultimately leading this offense to a victory.
With the win, the Eagles are the first team in the NFL to reach double-digit victories. They have been among the NFL’s elite this season, and have been on the receiving end of several huge overreactions. Following this outing, these overreactions haven't slowed down. Here are three overreactions following the Eagles Week 12 win over the Packers.
1. Jalen Hurts deserves the MVP award
Jalen Hurts has been a superstar for the Eagles this season. While not only leading the team to a 10-1 record, he has at times looked like the most dominant quarterback in the NFL. This was on full display on Sunday night.
As the Eagles took on the Packers, Hurts ran the ball in a way that he hadn't all season. On the ground, he totaled 157 rushing yards on 17 carries. This included 102 in the first quarter, making him the first quarterback to achieve this feat in over 30 seasons.
Hurts put together a strong display through the air as well. He finished with 153 yards and two touchdowns on 15 completions.
This Week 12 outing was just the latest MVP-caliber performance from Hurts. He has now thrown for 2,560 yards, 17 touchdowns, and just three interceptions this season. On the ground, he has added 597 yards and eight touchdowns.
Through 12 games, Hurts has recorded less than two touchdowns just once on the season. His versatility through the air and the ground have now put the quarterback into elite territory. Given he continues to produce at this level, he could find himself taking home the MVP award in year three.
2. Miles Sanders is the NFL’s most underrated running back
With the dominance of Jalen Hurts, the display put on by running back Miles Sanders appeared to get lost in the shuffle The Eagles veteran running back finished with his strongest outing of the season, totaling 143 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns. Sanders carried the ball 21 times, resulting in 6.8 yards per carry.
This was just the second game of the season that Sanders rushed for 100-plus yards for this Eagles offense. In Week 4 he posted a similar stat line against the Jacksonville Jaguars. In that game, he rushed for 134 yards and two touchdowns on a season-high 27 carries.
Even with reaching triple-digit rushing yards just twice this season, Sanders has managed to put up strong numbers across the board. He ranks top six in both rushing yards and rushing touchdowns. Through 12 games, he has recorded 900 rushing yards and eight rushing touchdowns.
Within the high-powered Eagles offense, Sanders is yet to earn the attention that he deserves. But without him, this team wouldn't have the success that they do. In the grand scheme of things, Sanders is a key component of the Eagles offense.
3. The A.J. Brown-Jalen Hurts connection is the key to this team's success
The Eagles may have made the move of the off-season when they traded for wide receiver A.J. Brown on draft night. His arrival has been vital to Hurts taking his game to the next level.
On Sunday night, while not at 100%, Brown still managed to put on a strong performance. He finished the day with four receptions for 46 receiving yards and one touchdown.
While his numbers don't jump off the stat sheet, he still played a key role within the Eagles offense. His success allows for the rest of the offense to open up, through both the air and the ground.
Opposing defenses are forced to key in on Brown, who has been dominant this season. So far, he has totaled 53 receptions for 831 receiving yards and seven touchdowns. He is also averaging 15.7 yards per reception.
The Eagles are a team positioned to make a run at the Super Bowl. With an offense led by Jalen Hurts and full of strong supporting players, this team shows no signs of slowing down.