Eagles-Colts analysis: Jalen Hurts delivers a comeback win

INDIANAPOLIS — Jalen Hurts waltzed into the end zone unscathed. The third-year quarterback threw his arms up into the air, pumped at his chest three times, and screamed toward the visitors’ sideline after recording his go-ahead 7-yard rushing touchdown with 1 minutes, 20 seconds left.

When the Eagles needed him most, Hurts bailed them out and got his team back on the winning track. His go-ahead score gave the Eagles a 17-16 road victory over the Colts on Sunday at Lucas Oil Stadium.

Their latest victory created additional questions about various holes, but Hurts proved to be a dynamic and willing leader who escaped Indianapolis victorious. With seven regular-season games remaining, the Eagles possess the NFL’s best record (9-1), along with the NFC’s top seed, and first place in the NFC East.

The offense wasn’t at its best, but Hurts delivered in crunch time.

He connected on necessary throws with accuracy and precision in the second half. Hurts completed 18 of 25 passes for 190 yards and one touchdown. After showing mechanical improvements from the pocket over the last two-plus months, Hurts also proved to be dynamic with his legs. He rushed 16 times for 86 yards, including his winning touchdown.

“There was never a doubt,” Hurts said. “There’s a lot of things we can learn from. Perfection is something that will never be caught, but why not chase the golden standard? It’s something we chase every day. ... [On the final drive,] we executed. Execution. That’s what clicked. We had positive plays, there weren’t any turnovers — that’s our formula as an offense.”

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Sunday marked the team’s first game without tight end Dallas Goedert, who was placed on injured reserve with a shoulder injury. Goedert’s presence was missed not only in the passing game, but also in the running game with his ability as a blocker. The Eagles will need to make more adjustments with Goedert slated to miss at least the next three games. Reserve tight ends Grant Calcaterra and Tyree Jackson both committed penalties during the first half.

Wide receiver DeVonta Smith paced the offense with six catches for 78 yards. A.J. Brown added five catches for 60 yards, while Quez Watkins caught both of his targets for 31 yards, including a 22-yard touchdown that sparked the fourth-quarter comeback.

Just days after signing with the Eagles, defensive tackles Linval Joseph and Ndamukong Suh both appeared in their first game with their new team. Both players played during the opening drive, with Joseph earning a start in the team’s five-man defensive front. He acted as the nose tackle between Fletcher Cox and Javon Hargrave.

As expected, neither Joseph nor Suh received an abundance of snaps. Each player provided needed depth behind the starters, and Joseph and Suh combined for a sack against Colts quarterback Matt Ryan. Suh recorded three tackles while Joseph had four.

“It takes a couple games to get into 100 percent football shape,” Joseph said. “We have to keep going. It’s amazing that the two guys they added to the team got a sack; we’re just trying to give them a boost. That’s what we’re here for, to help the young guys and win games.”

The defense still had issues stopping the run early, but Jonathan Gannon’s unit made the necessary adjustments. Colts running back Jonathan Taylor recorded 49 of his 84 rushing yards during his team’s opening drive.

“They had a good first drive, a good plan,” linebacker T.J. Edwards said. “But we made our tweaks and got back to what we do, tackling well, making plays, and flying around. It’s all about the mindset: having faith in what we’re doing and playing with violence and attitude.”

The Eagles got off the field during critical situations. After being tossed around by the Washington Commanders in Week 10, the Eagles gave up just 5 of 15 third-down conversions to the Colts. During the team’s postgame celebration inside the visitors’ locker room, owner Jeffrey Lurie approached Gannon and told him, “incredible job,” while patting Gannon on the back.

During the offense’s final drive of the first half, the Eagles ran three consecutive plays while their most explosive playmaker, Brown, observed from the sideline. Not surprisingly, the Eagles went three-and-out. On the ensuing drive, Edwards made a big stop in the backfield, which forced the Colts into second-and-14 near midfield. The Eagles didn’t call a timeout, which allowed the Colts to waste most of the remaining clock. The Colts managed to tack on a field goal before the buzzer, while the Eagles concluded the first half still possessing all three of their timeouts.

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Coming out of the half, the Eagles dialed up a shot play. Hurts had a look at Watkins downfield, but he didn’t attempt to deliver the football until he was being harassed by defensive end Yannick Ngakoue, who had beaten running back Miles Sanders in pass protection. Ngakoue ripped down at Hurts’ arm and forced a fumble, which the Colts recovered.

Momentum was riding with the Eagles. After safety Marcus Epps swiped the football out of Taylor’s grip, Edwards pounced on it to record a fumble recovery. The much-needed turnover provided the Eagles offense with an opportunity to take the lead in the fourth quarter.

Moments later, Hurts zipped a completion to Brown on a route to the middle of the field. Brown hauled in the football with ease, but he attempted to make an extra move on cornerback Stephon Gilmore. Multiple defenders then pounced on Brown, who lost the football.

Brown’s fumble was one of four by the Eagles, two of which they lost.

Shortly after the final whistle, Sirianni walked off the field while shedding several tears. He carried over those emotions into the locker room, where Hurts gifted Sirianni with a sentimental game ball.

Throughout the week Sirianni and former Colts receiver Zach Pascal insisted Sunday was “just another game” for the Eagles. But truthfully, this Week 11 matchup meant a little bit more for Sirianni, the former Colts offensive coordinator who made his return to Indianapolis for the first time as a head coach.

Sirianni considers former Colts coach Frank Reich as one of his closest mentors. Reich, who served as offensive coordinator during the Eagles’ Super Bowl run in the 2017 season, was fired following the Colts’ 26-3 loss to the Patriots on Nov. 6. Reich went 40-33-1 in the regular season with a 1-2 record over two playoff appearances.

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“I’m emotional because I love Frank Reich,” Sirianni said. “He’s one of the best damn football coaches I’ve ever been around. I was hoping he and I would be able to coach against each other in this game. ... I love him. So I got a little emotional about that.”