Jalen Hurts, Eagles survive sleepy but not so easy finale against Giants

PHILADELPHIA — Except for the math, the Eagles’ game with the Giants Sunday evening basically was over 90 minutes before the opening kickoff, when the New York Giants scratched six key players and the Eagles kept Jalen Hurts active.

Just a month ago, Hurts crushed the Giants while they were whole with two touchdown passes and a scoring run. In this game he helped them prevail, 22-16, just by staying healthy, even if his offense didn’t look it.

There were surely some surprisingly tense moments, including Kenny Golladay’s 25-yard scoring reception with 1:43 remaining to bring the Giants to within a score. Reed Blankenship, who got run over for a TD earlier in the half, recovered the ensuing onside kick to finally lock down the game, along with the NFC top playoff seed and NFC East divisional title.

Even with Hurts nursing a sprained SC joint in his throwing shoulder, it was a matter of by how much, not if the Eagles would earn that top playoff seed and NFC East pennant, the first time they’ve done so in the same season since the 2017 championship campaign.

“I was pushing myself to be available, and it wasn’t an easy thing,” Hurts said. “It wasn’t easy. It’s still not easy. But we’re here, we’re thankful, and we’re looking forward to what’s to come. My whole thing moving forward is let’s prepare to play our best ball. It’s been a great ride this year but the job isn’t finished. So keep on going.”

For the first time this season, Hurts didn’t throw a touchdown pass or run for score. He ran hot and cold in his first action in three weeks. And in the “win is a win” NFL, it was enough.

“We got the job done, right?” veteran edge rusher Haason Reddick said. “The goal was to win the day, get the first seed and we did that. We checked it off our list. Now it’s time to get our bodies ready, focus on the little things we need to make corrections on and get ready to try to make a postseason push.”

Hurts kick-started his day on the first Eagles snap with a 35-yard strike to A.J. Brown, who moved into first place on the all-time Eagles single-season receiving list, passing Mike Quick. That throw set up a 32-yard field goal by Jake Elliott.

Hurts’ 37-yard throw to Brown set up an eight-yard run by Boston Scott, who tallied his 10th touchdown against the Giants. Scott has 17 career scores.

Elliott added field goals of 39 and 52 yards to give the Eagles a 16-0 lead at intermission.

The Eagles seemed to tire of pummeling a Giants squad that deactivated running back Saquon Barkley, defensive linemen Dexter Lawrence and Leonard Williams, cornerback Adoree’ Jackson, offensive tackle Andrew Thomas and edge rusher Azeez Ojulari.

Hurts was taking too many hits as the no-name Giants sacked him three times and hit him four more, Nick McCloud getting 1.5 sacks.

Meanwhile, Giants practice squad passer Davis Webb had the look of terror on his face in his first start. He completed 9 of 22 attempts for 55 yards and a 48.7 rating in the first half.

The Eagles’ Nakobe Dean recovered an unsuccessful Giants onside kick to start the second half, and Hurts marched the Eagles to the 2-yard line of the visitors before throwing an interception.

Hurts was pressured on the play, Jack Driscoll being flagged for holding on the pick. (He had thrown a touchdown to DeVonta Smith a play earlier only to have it wiped out by a penalty.) The Eagles bounced back to grab a 19-0 lead on a 54-yard field goal by Elliott.

Graham Gano got the Giants’ first points on a 24-yard field goal with 50 ticks left in the third quarter. The Eagles stopped the Giants at the 6 on that drive.

But in the fourth quarter, Webb made it interesting as he steamrolled Blankenship at the goal line on a 14-yard touchdown run down the boulevard with 10:10 remaining. But the two-point pass failed, leaving the Eagles ahead 19-9.

Hurts marched the Eagles to the Giants’ 3, but on third-and-goal at the 4, was forced into an incompletion, forcing a lot of stress at the end before the Birds finally locked it down.