Giants vs. Eagles score, takeaways: Jalen Hurts solidifies MVP case as Philadelphia locks up playoff berth

Hurts throws for two touchdowns and rushes for another as Eagles have statement win over Giants

By Jeff Kerr

Dec 11, 2022 at 3:56 pm ET • 1 min read

EAST RUTHERFORD -- Whether Jalen Hurts is the MVP front-runner heading into the home stretch of the NFL season or not, the Philadelphia Eagles quarterback is making sure he was a compelling case to become the first player from the franchise to capture the honor since 1960.

Hurts had another dominant day for the Eagles, completing 21 of 31 passes for 217 yards and two touchdowns while rushing for 77 yards and a score as Philadelphia defeated the New York Giants 48-22 to lock up a playoff berth. The Eagles also took a two-game lead over the Minnesota Vikings in the race for home-field advantage after Minnesota fell to the Detroit Lions Sunday.

Hurts made sure the poor weather didn't affect the Eagles offense in the opening 30 minutes, which Philadelphia took command of the game and never looked back. He threw two touchdown passes in the first half -- one to DeVonta Smith and the other to A.J. Brown -- as the Eagles took a 17-point lead over the Giants by halftime on a cold, rainy afternoon at MetLife Stadium.

Miles Sanders also had two rushing touchdowns in the game, notching his 10th and 11th scores of the season as he became the first Eagles running back to rush for 10 touchdowns in a season since LeSean McCoy in 2011. Sanders finished with 17 carries for 144 yards to have the first 1,000-yard season of his career -- and the first Eagles player to rush for 1,000 yards since McCoy in 2014.

Hurts became the second quarterback in NFL history to have multiple seasons with 10-plus rushing touchdowns, joining Cam Newton for that honor. The Eagles rushed for 231 yards and scored a season high in points, accumulating 415 yards of offense when Hurts was taken out of the game midway through the fourth quarter.

Daniel Jones and the Giants offense had a rough afternoon. Jones was sacked four times as he finished 18 of 27 for 169 yards and a touchdown. Saquon Barkley, who played after being questionable with a neck injury, had just nine carries for 28 yards.

Takeaways for this game can be found below along with a recap and analysis from the stadium in our live blog!

Why the Eagles won

The Eagles find different ways to beat an opponent every week, but the one constant is how well Hurts performs for this team in the process. Hurts finished 21 of 31 for 217 yards with two touchdowns while rushing for 77 yards and a score -- the fifth game where Hurts had a passing touchdown and a rushing touchdown in the same game.

Hurts led the Eagles offense to 164 rushing yards and 343 yards of offense through three quarters as Philadelphia built a commanding 34-14 lead at that point -- scoring on six of their first seven possessions (excluding the end of the half). The Eagles quarterback also found nine different receivers in the game, spreading the football around and wearing down the Giants defense in the process.

Why the Giants lost

New York had no answers for Philadelphia's offense all afternoon, allowing the Eagles to score on six of their first seven possessions. The Eagles had 34 points through three quarters of play as the Giants allowed drive of 80 and 86 yards to start the game and back-to-back possessions of 63 yards that resulted in 10 points to open the second half -- total of 24 points in the opening two possessions of each half (14 in first half on first two possessions and 10 in second half on first two possessions).

Sure the Giants are depleted in the secondary, but their offense didn't have a chance to match the Eagles outside of the first series -- when New York had the ball first to open the game. The Eagles averaged 7.8 yards per carry on their first nine possessions (went up to 8.5 on their first 11 possessions), another reason the Giants defense couldn't get a stop throughout the game.

Turning point

The Eagles controlled this game from start to finish, but that doesn't get started without Hurts going 9 of 10 for 64 yards on Philadelphia's first possession of the game. A surgical drive that went 14 plays for 84 yards and took 8:04 off the clock, Hurts found seven different receivers on said drive and completed his lone third down pass attempt for a first down to Smith to get the Eagles to the Giants' 31-yard line.

Sanders scored his 10th rushing touchdown of the season to cap off the drive and the Eagles never looked back.

Play of the game

The Giants had an opportunity to stop the Eagles on a fourth-and-7 at the New York 41-yard line, but Jalen Hurts made sure that wasn't a possibility. Hurts found Smith for a 41-yard touchdown pass to give Philadelphia a 14-0 lead with 12:05 remaining in the second quarter -- throwing a pass down the right sideline for Smith that Giants safety Julian Love had an opportunity to either break up or pick off.

Instead, Love did neither and misplayed the ball which led to Smith walking into the end zone for the touchdown. At that point in the game, the Eagles went 166 yards on their first two possessions and built a double-digit lead they wouldn't relinquish.

Up next

The Eagles (12-1) will face the Bears in Chicago with an opportunity to match the franchise's best start at 13-1 while the Giants (7-5-1) square off against the Washington Commanders (7-5-1) for the second time in three weeks on "Sunday Night Football."

Updates

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Dec 11, 2022 at 3:56 pm ET

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Jalen Hurts is the 1st QB in NFL history with 10+ rush TD in back-to-back seasons.

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Dec 11, 2022 at 3:52 pm ET

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The Eagles have scored 35+ points in 3 straight games for the first time since 2002.

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Dec 11, 2022 at 3:52 pm ET

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The Eagles have three players with 10+ scrimmage TD for the first time in the franchise's 90-year history.

Jalen Hurts -- 10

Miles Sanders -- 11

A.J. Brown -- 10

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Dec 11, 2022 at 3:32 pm ET

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And Giants fans appear to be heading toward the exits after that 4th-and-8 incomplete pass.

Eagles 9:54 away from locking up a playoff berth -- up 34-14. Josh Sweat with the QB hit.

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Dec 11, 2022 at 3:10 pm ET

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Only 2 QBs in NFL history have multiple seasons with 10+ rushing TDs. Cam Newton Jalen Hurts

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Dec 11, 2022 at 3:07 pm ET

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Miles Sanders has his first 1,000-yard season of his career. 12 carries for 88 yards and a TD today.

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Dec 11, 2022 at 3:00 pm ET

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Big drive coming for the Eagles here after this Giants TD. Philly has scored on 5 of its 6 possessions (not counting kneel downs and end of half).

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Dec 11, 2022 at 2:49 pm ET

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The Eagles get a FG on their opening possession of the second half, but Arryn Siposs (the punter) is out with an ankle injury. It's 27-7 Philly.

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Dec 11, 2022 at 2:31 pm ET

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The Eagles have scored 250 points in the first half this season.

For context, that's more points scored in the 1st half than 9 NFL teams have had -- all season.

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Dec 11, 2022 at 2:03 pm ET

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Reed Blankenship got helped off after limping. Perhaps the turf got him? Injury didn't look good.

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Dec 11, 2022 at 1:56 pm ET

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Miles Sanders and A.J. Brown each have 10 TD on the year.

Sanders and Brown are the first Eagles duo to have 10 rush TD and 10 receiving TD in the same season since Ricky Watters (13 rush TD) and Irving Fryar (11 receiving TD) in 1996.

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Dec 11, 2022 at 1:50 pm ET

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The Giants punter (Jamie Gillan) dropped the ball and kicked it on the ground.

This team is not the same team from the first half of the year.

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Dec 11, 2022 at 1:42 pm ET

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Jalen Hurts is 15-of-20 for 138 yards with a TD (110.0 rating).

DeVonta Smith has 5 catches for 64 yards and a TD, that 41-yard score being his biggest catch of the day so far.

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Dec 11, 2022 at 1:41 pm ET

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Jalen Hurts to DeVonta Smith. 4th down. TD. What - a - throw.

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Dec 11, 2022 at 1:37 pm ET

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What's even more impressive about Jalen Hurts when the blitz is coming.

Knows when to take off and slides at the right time.

Veteran move for a 3rd-year QB.

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Dec 11, 2022 at 1:34 pm ET

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End of 1st quarter

Eagles 7, Giants 0

Philly outgained New York 99-25.

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Dec 11, 2022 at 1:26 pm ET

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Daniel Jones threw that ball way behind Isaiah Hodgins there.

Giants punting.

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Dec 11, 2022 at 1:23 pm ET

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Miles Sanders is the first Eagles RB with 10 rushing TD in a season since LeSean McCoy in 2011. Jalen Hurts was 9-of-10 for 64 yards on the first drive.

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Dec 11, 2022 at 1:20 pm ET

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Miles Sanders TD for the Eagles.

First season with double digit TDs. That's the 10th of the year for Sanders.

14-play, 84-yard drive for Philly.

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Dec 11, 2022 at 1:17 pm ET

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Eagles get a free first down after an illegal hands to the face penalty. Moreau the culprit. Philly at the New York 23. Giants had them at 3rd-and-6 before the penalty.