Jalen Hurts returned after a two-game absence, Jake Elliott kicked five field goals and the Philadelphia Eagles finally clinched the No. 1 seed in the NFC with a 22-16 win Sunday over the visiting New York Giants.
Hurts had missed the last two games, replaced by Gardner Minshew in losses to Dallas and New Orleans as the Eagles (14-3) failed to secure the top seed. Sunday’s win also locked up the NFC East title for Philadelphia.
Hurts led six scoring drives and the Eagles never trailed the Giants (9-7-1), who had already sewn up the No. 6 seed and opted to rest quarterback Daniel Jones, Pro Bowl running back Saquon Barkley and other starters.
Philadelphia secured a first-round bye and homefield advantage throughout the playoffs and also broke a franchise record for wins set in 2004 and 2017 (both 13-3). That 2017 squad also earned the No. 1 seed and went on to win Super Bowl LII.
Hurts passed for 229 yards with an interception, Boston Scott ran for a touchdown and A.J. Brown caught four passes for 95 yards.
The Giants will kick off their first postseason since 2016 on the road next weekend with a wild-card game against the Minnesota Vikings.
Davis Webb, who had never even attempted a pass since entering the league in 2017, made his first career start and completed 23 of 40 passes for 168 yards.
Webb’s 14-yard TD run in the fourth quarter pulled New York within 19-9 and his 25-yard touchdown pass to Kenny Golladay made it 22-16 with 1:38 remaining.
The Eagles recovered the ensuing onside kick and ran out the clock.
Elliott’s 32-yard field goal gave Philadelphia a quick 3-0 lead. On his first snap since Dec. 18, Hurts began the drive with a 35-yard completion to Brown.
Scott’s 8-yard touchdown run — his 10th score in eight career games against the Giants — made it 10-0.
Elliott added two field goals in the second quarter (52 and 39 yards) for a 16-0 lead at halftime. It was 19-0 when he struck from 54 yards midway through the third quarter.
New York got on the board with Graham Gano’s 24-yard field goal late in the third quarter.
Elliott’s 22-yarder, his career-best fifth field goal of the game, came with 3:21 remaining in the game.
Brown finished the season with 1,496 yards, breaking Mike Quick’s 1984 single-season Eagles record of 1,409.
–Field Level Media