The Vikings and Eagles both got off to slow starts in Week 2, but Philadelphia broke , PHILADELPHIA — Sparked by running back D’Andre Swift and wide receiver DeVonta Smith, the Philadelphia Eagles came alive in the second half of their “Thursday Night Football” matchup against the Minnesota Vikings for a 34-28 win in Week 2.
The Eagles’ defense came up with stops, and their offense pounded the ground with run plays to dominate overall time of possession while the Vikings tallied four lost fumbles. Here’s what to know about each team’s performance:
Buy a breakout performance: –
DeVonta Smith erupted for four catches for 131 yards and a touchdown, including a pair of grabs of 50-plus yards. Corner Darius Slay predicted it won’t be long until Smith is considered the best receiver in the league. While it’s too early to put him in that conversation, all the signs suggest Smith is in store for a career year.
The Eagles are 2-0, but it hasn’t always looked pretty. That’s particularly true of the passing game, which has sputtered for extended stretches. But the defense generated three takeaways and when it mattered, Philadelphia was able to lean back on the run — a luxury that will come in handy moving forward.
Philadelphia Eagles : –
The one constant in an otherwise volatile game between the Eagles and Minnesota Vikings was Philly’s ground game. The Eagles rushed for more than 250 yards with a pair of Jalen Hurts touchdowns, offsetting a passing attack that was uneven for a second straight week. One of the more promising developments was the performance of D’Andre Swift, who rushed for a career-high 175 yards.
It was the most rushing yards by an Eagle since LeSean McCoy in 2013 (217 rush yards). He carried the load with Kenneth Gainwell (ribs) sidelined.
How Much Does Getting a Tattoo Hurt? The Experts Weigh In
The most impressive sequence came in the first half when Philadelphia orchestrated a 16-play, 75-yard drive featuring 13 rushes. Hurts now has 28 career rushing touchdowns, tied with Cam Newton for the most through a QB’s first 50 career games.
Minnesota Vikings : –
The Vikings didn’t just lose to the Eagles. For the second time in as many games this season, they didn’t give themselves a chance to win.
Who knows how this game, or last week’s game, would have played out had the Vikings managed to hold on to the ball. Even with the turnovers, they managed to turn a 27-7 deficit into a one-score game midway on two different occasions in the fourth quarter. In either event, they’re 0-2 with games looming against two of the NFL’s top quarterbacks — Justin Herbert and Patrick Mahomes — along with one of its best overall teams, the San Francisco 49ers. The Vikings will have to find answers quickly before the season gets away from them.
Troubling trend:-
The Vikings haven’t had anything resembling a running game in either game this season. Frankly they’ve hardly tried, and it’s only fair to recall their decision to part ways with former starter Dalvin Cook in June and replace him with longtime backup Alexander Mattison.
Pivotal play:-
Stretching to reach the ball over the goal line after a 30-yard reception in the second quarter, Jefferson lost control. A replay review confirmed that the ball flew over the pylon, which resulted in a touchback and a turnover.