Hurts, Eagles clinch playoffs with win over Giants
EAST RUTHERFORD >> Jalen Hurts threw for two touchdowns and ran for another as the NFL-best Eagles punched their ticket to the playoffs with a 48-22 victory over the fading Giants on Sunday.
Hurts improved his MVP credentials by throwing for 217 yards and hitting DaVonta Smith on a 41-yard fourth-down TD strike and A.J. Brown on a 33-yarder as the Eagles (12-1) scored on their first three possessions. The third-year quarterback also ran for 77 yards, highlighted by a 10-yard TD scamper late in the third quarter.
Miles Sanders ran for 144 yards and scored on runs of 3 and 40 yards as the Eagles handed the Giants their worst loss under first-year coach Brian Daboll. Jake Elliott kicked two field goals for Philadelphia, which secured its second straight postseason appearance and fifth in six seasons.
The Eagles finished with seven sacks, including three by Brandon Graham.
Daniel Jones and Tyrod Taylor threw touchdown passes for for the Giants (7-5-1). They have one win in their last six games (1-41) and their hopes of their first playoff berth since 2016 are slipping with four games remaining.
The Eagles, who have the league’s second-ranked defense and third-ranked offense, dominated from the start. They sacked Jones twice on the opening series and Hurts then took over, driving them 84 and 91 yards for touchdowns.
The Giants’ third possession had a comical conclusion. Jamie Gillen lost the ball as he went to punt. The ball bounced and he kicked it 15 yards to the Eagles 42. It was an illegal kick and the Giants were penalized 10 yards with a loss of down. Hurts hit a wide-open Brown for a 21-0 lead on the next play.
Hurts, Sanders and Brown each have scored 10 touchdowns for the Eagles, who have scored at least 30 points in each of the last three weeks.