PHILADELPHIA — Jalen Hurts smacked A.J. Brown helmet-to-helmet after a touchdown pass for a celebration that seemed to release the pent-up tension that came tethered to a losing streak.
Nick Sirianni tossed an arm around Hurts and the Philadelphia Eagles coach yelled some happy words at the QB who weathered recent criticism as the season started to bend toward a collapse. The sideline vibes were good for the Eagles. The offense, even better. Against a Las Vegas Raiders team that has bottomed out as one of the worst in the NFL, the defense was simply elite — just 75 total yards allowed.
Hurts rebounded from his worst NFL game to throw three touchdown passes, Saquon Barkley had a 2-yard touchdown run and the Eagles snapped a three-game losing streak with their first shutout in seven years in a 31-0 win Sunday.
“I feel like we got caught up in stuff that doesn’t matter,” Barkley said. “The only thing that matters is winning football.”
The Eagles (9-5) were able to get their maligned offense under embattled coordinator Kevin Patullo right against the woeful Raiders and finally showed signs of life with a nice mix of play calling in bitter cold temperatures and topped 21 points for the first time in six games.
Hurts had his moments — that included a shovel pass for a score to Dallas Goedert on a day that started with the field blanketed in several inches of snow. Hurts also hit DeVonta Smith on a 44-yard reception on a drive that stalled in the second quarter and settled for a field goal by Jake Elliott and a 10-0 lead. He pitched a 4-yard TD pass to Goedert in the third for a 24-0 lead.
The Eagles defense had their first shutout since Dec. 30, 2018, against Washington. The Eagles limited the Raiders (2-12) to 46 yards rushing and sent them to their eighth straight loss. The Raiders got an anemic performance out of Kenny Pickett in his first start at quarterback for the injured Geno Smith.
“This is the result against the world champs last year who maybe weren’t playing quite like that for a month here or whatever, but they looked like it today,” Raiders coach Pete Carroll said. "It looked like a great team today.”
Hurts needed a personal win in his first game since he thew four interceptions and lost a fumble in an overtime loss to the Los Angeles Chargers. Hurts' season has been erratic – he threw five picks against only two touchdowns the last two games, 10 months after he won Super Bowl MVP. Sirianni scoffed at a " ridiculous " question on his weekly Philadelphia sports talk radio appearance when he was asked if Hurts would keep his starting job this season.
Hurts turned the game into a blowout when he threw a 27-yard touchdown to Brown early in the fourth for a 31-0 lead. He finished 12 of 15 for 175 yards passing.
As for the celebration?
“Just a natural reaction,” Hurts said through his usual stoicism.
The Eagles also staved off talk they were on the brink of their second December collapse under Sirianni in the last three seasons. The 2023 Eagles started 10-1 and finished 11-6 and were bounced in their first playoff game.
Hurts and this year’s Eagles have the benefit of a soft schedule down the stretch that started against the Raiders and includes two games with Washington. The Eagles still control the NFC East and have a home playoff game in sight — and yes, they can still repeat as Super Bowl champions, even as Barkley recently criticized the sideline demeanor noted how it seemed “the sky's falling outside the locker room.”
Barkley is still well off his 2,000-yards rushing pace from a season ago but added 78 yards rushing and his TD run sent the Eagles into halftime with a 17-0 lead.
“We've been committed to playing Eagles football and doing the things we need to do to play Eagles football,” Sirianni said. “That’s tough, detailed, together, and that happens during the week. If we rode the wave of the outside noise, then you’re not able to do that.”
Graham breaks through with sacks
Brandon Graham had his first two sacks with the Eagles since he ended his short-lived retirement after the Super Bowl and returned to the team in late October.
At 37 years, 255 days old, Graham became the oldest player in Eagles history with a sack. Richard Dent was 37 years, 1 day when he had a sack in 1997.
“We were just going stingy with everything,” Graham said of the defense's success.
Pickett and the Raiders struggle
Pickett won a Super Bowl ring last season as Hurts' backup. In his return to Philadelphia, Pickett threw for only 64 yards and was sacked four times.
Smith injured his right shoulder and hand in the third quarter of last Sunday's 24-17 loss to Denver. Smith has a good chance to return next week when the Raiders visit Houston.
Carroll offered faint praise: “The only good thing that happened, we didn’t have anybody hurt today.”
Hail to the Birds
Former President Joe Biden attended the game and told a sports reporter from the local NBC TV station he was rooting for the Eagles.
"Go Birds, man, all the way," Biden said. "Gotta win the Super Bowl again."
Injuries
Hurts and Barkley were both checked out by trainers on the sidelines but stayed in the game until the score got out of reach. Both players said after the game they were fine.
Up next
Raiders: Play Sunday at Houston.
Eagles: Play Saturday night in Landover, Maryland, against the Commanders.
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