Eagles hold off fumble-prone Vikings 34-28; Jefferson makes NFL history
PHILADELPHIA — Jalen Hurts ran for a pair of 1-yard touchdowns and threw a 63-yard TD pass to DeVonta Smith, D'Andre Swift ran for 175 yards and a score, and the NFC champion Philadelphia Eagles held off the turnover-prone Minnesota Vikings 34-28 on Thursday night.
Hurts, the MVP runner-up, shook off a sluggish passing performance in the first half and woke up the crowd when he connected with Smith for the scoring strike in the third quarter that made it 27-7.
"We Own UR SKOL Tonight," one Eagles fan sign read after the TD.
It almost wasn't enough. Kirk Cousins hit Jordan Addison for a 62-yard touchdown that made it 27-14 in the fourth and found K.J. Osborn for a 10-yard TD that cut it to 27-21 and put the Eagles (2-0) on edge.
But Swift scored on a 2-yard run for a 34-21 lead with 4:13 left and the Vikings didn't have enough time to score twice.
Minnesota (0-2), which had three first-half turnovers in a season-opening loss to Tampa Bay, lost three fumbles in the first half in Philly and four overall. In perhaps the most deflating moment for the Vikings, Justin Jefferson fumbled a 30-yard catch into the end zone and out of bounds for a touchback with Minnesota trailing 10-7 in the second quarter.
Despite the fumble, Jefferson reached the 5,000 mark in receiving yards, making him the fastest player to reach that milestone in NFL history.
Cousins threw for 364 yards and four touchdowns. Jefferson had 11 catches for 159 yards.
Hurts finished 18 of 23 for 193 yards.
Hockenson TD brings Vikes within 6 of Eagles in 4th
With a minute left in the 4th quarter, Kirk Cousins passed to T.J. Hockenson for a five-yard TD. Greg Joseph's kick was good for an extra point. The Eagles are now up 34-28.
Don't count out the @Vikings 🤫 It's another TD for @TheeHOCK8!#MINvsPHI on Prime Video
— NFL (@NFL) September 15, 2023
Also available on #NFLPlus https://t.co/eMkDgB2kEz pic.twitter.com/cvvO3srBdX
Swift's TD, Elliot's FG give Eagles 34-21 lead over Vikes
Eagles' D'Andre Swift made a 2-yard TD rush, with kicker J. Elliott's FG making it a 34-21 game with 4 minutes left in the game.
First one as an EAGLE 🤫@DAndreSwift | #MINvsPHI | #FlyEaglesFly pic.twitter.com/3yNWq1fal5
— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) September 15, 2023
KJ Osborn's TD narrows Eagles' lead over Vikings in 4th
Kirk Cousins served up a TD to KJ Osborn with 7 minutes left in the 4th quarter. Eagles are now up 27-21 over the Vikes.
.@KirkCousins8 and @KJ_Osborn pull us closer!
— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) September 15, 2023
📺: @NFLonPrime pic.twitter.com/WnRJPKv6jR
Addison's TD cuts into Eagles' lead
Kirk Cousins helped Jordan Addison get his second touchdown in his two-game NFL career. Eagles up 27-14 over the Vikings in the 3rd quarter.
Digging that @KirkCousins8 + @espn_jordan deep connection.
— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) September 15, 2023
📺: @nflonprime pic.twitter.com/gpr6TuqLBH
Eagles 27-7 in 3rd quarter
Jalen Hurts hit up DeVonta Smith for a 64-yard touchdown, giving the Eagles a 20-point lead over the Vikes.
Jalen to SMITTY = 6 🤩@JalenHurts | @DeVontaSmith_6 #MINvsPHI | #FlyEaglesFly pic.twitter.com/C98Q9Wov0e
— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) September 15, 2023
Vikings turnover parade rolls on, as Eagles' lead increases
The Vikings have only played seven quarters of football this season ... and they've already allowed seven turnovers.
On the third quarter's second play, Josh Sweat sacked Kirk Cousins to give the Eagles the ball. Jaden Hurts then scored a touchdown a couple plays later to give the Eagles a 20-7 lead.
Startin' the 2nd half off RIGHT @SweatyJ_9 | @fcoxx_91 #MINvsPHI | #FlyEaglesFly pic.twitter.com/UJlaY9ZeCu
— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) September 15, 2023
JJettas makes NFL history
Despite dropping the ball near the end zone right before halftime, leading to a costly touchback, Justin Jefferson has racked up 5,000 receiving yards in his short-yet-spectacular career — making him the fastest player to reach that milestone in NFL history.
The only players in NFL history with 5,000+ career receiving yards prior to turning age 25:
— NFL (@NFL) September 15, 2023
Justin Jefferson
Randy Moss pic.twitter.com/ODXEjlc3TV
Eagles up 13-7 at halftime
Justin Jefferson made a historic catch near the end zone — bringing his career receiving yards tally to 5,000 — but he ended up dropping it, and it rolled out of bounds.
Officials decided that the ball went past the plylon, so it was declared a touchback, and the Eagles took possession.
Jake Elliott then hit a 61-yard field goal right before the half, matching his own record for the longest one in Eagles' franchise history.
The Eagles are now up 13-7.
.@jake_elliott22 FROM 61 YARDS OUT!#MINvsPHI | #FlyEaglesFly pic.twitter.com/yUSATyKk4a
— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) September 15, 2023
Eagles reclaim lead as halftime approaches
The Eagles take back the lead after Jalen Hurts got his first rushing TD of the season. Philly now up 10-7 over Vikes.
Sneaky, sneaky 😏#MINvsPHI | #FlyEaglesFly pic.twitter.com/qj2poaMPWg
— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) September 15, 2023
Vikings take 7-3 lead in 2nd quarter
Kirk Cousins connects with T.J. Hockenson for a TD, with kicker Greg Joseph getting the FG to make it 7-3.
.@TheeHOCK8 takes it in for the first TD of the game! @Vikings take the lead. #MINvsPHI on Prime Video
— NFL (@NFL) September 15, 2023
Also available on #NFLPlus https://t.co/eMkDgB1MP1 pic.twitter.com/guojB3c4y3
Eagles take early 3-0 lead over Vikings
The Eagles take a 3-0 lead in the first quarter after getting a field goal on a 69-yard drive.
Vikings safety Josh Metellus may be out for the rest of the game with a shoulder injury.