Minneapolis, MN – Jalen Hurts orchestrated a masterclass in improvisation and clutch execution, leading the Philadelphia Eagles to a 28-22 victory over the Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium on Sunday, October 19, 2025. Hurts carved up the Vikings’ defense with a series of scramble-drill conversions and deep shots, finishing with 387 passing yards and multiple big-play touchdowns that turned a competitive contest into a statement road win.
The Eagles (5-2) overcame a sluggish start and a hostile environment to dominate the second half, with Hurts connecting on critical third- and fourth-down conversions that left Minnesota’s defense grasping at air. Philadelphia’s offense, which had struggled with consistency in recent weeks, rediscovered its identity under center and through the air, silencing a raucous crowd of 66,899.
Hurts’ Scramble Magic Unlocks Eagles Offense
The defining characteristic of Philadelphia’s offensive performance was Hurts’ ability to extend plays and create explosive gains when the pocket collapsed. His first touchdown—a scramble-drill connection to A.J. Brown—set the tone for a day defined by improvisation and trust.
“The communication on that is a scramble drill that we do every day,” Eagles Head Coach Nick Sirianni explained. “He had a couple big plays on broken plays. That’s where Jalen Hurts is so dangerous—he’s able to run on a scramble play, he’s able to throw on scramble plays.”
Hurts converted multiple third-down scrambles to Dallas Goedert, DeVonta Smith, and Brown, consistently finding open receivers after the initial play design broke down. The Vikings’ defense, coordinated by Brian Flores, had no answer for Hurts’ dual-threat ability once he escaped containment.
“Those are things that we work tirelessly on as a unit, as a team, as a coaching staff, because we know we have the abilities to make plays and big plays off of that,” Sirianni said.
Offensive Adjustments Spark Second-Half Surge
Philadelphia’s offensive coaches made critical halftime adjustments that unlocked the passing game and created opportunities downfield. The Eagles operated under center significantly more than in previous weeks, a strategic shift designed to diversify the attack and create different looks for the Vikings’ defense.
“We’ve obviously been in the gun for a long time in our offense. It’s just a change of some of the things that we’ve done,” Sirianni said. “Today, it was, hey, try to get under center some. Still want to be able to run the ball more effectively and more efficiently than we did today. But it gives you obviously something a little different.”
The adjustment paid immediate dividends. Smith hauled in a deep post route in the second half after the coaching staff identified an opening in the middle of the field. Hurts delivered a perfectly placed ball, and Smith ran under it for a crucial gain that extended Philadelphia’s lead.
“They saw something where the middle of the field was open,” Sirianni said. “Jalen has a knack for throwing those deep balls, and our guys can run and get under them.”
Red Zone Defense Keeps Vikings at Bay
While Philadelphia’s offense stole the headlines, the Eagles’ defense delivered a championship-level performance in the red zone, holding Minnesota to field goals on five separate trips inside the 20-yard line. The defensive stand was the difference in a game where the Vikings moved the ball effectively between the 20s but couldn’t finish drives.
“That was huge. That’s why it’s so important,” Sirianni said. “When you get in those scenarios and you’re able to get stops, those are huge. We work at those a lot. Those four-point plays that we kind of call it down there, because just like a turnover, those four-point plays in a red zone can make swings as well.”
Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio’s unit forced Minnesota into difficult situations, with the Vikings opting to pass on multiple second-and-one, third-and-one, and fourth-and-one situations rather than challenge Philadelphia’s stout run defense.
Wentz, Vikings Offense Move Ball but Can’t Finish
Vikings quarterback Carson Wentz finished 26-of-42 for 313 yards, his second 300-yard passing game of the season, but threw two costly interceptions that shifted momentum. The first—a pick-six on a man-pressure call—gave Philadelphia seven points and swung the game in the Eagles’ favor.
“They brought a man pressure where they dropped a defensive end out,” Vikings Head Coach Kevin O’Connell explained. “They were able to kind of dictate the look right there. We had a chance, maybe Justin (Jefferson), if we can have one more click to let him clear that dropper. But at the same time, I think Carson had to get rid of the ball, and they had a dropper right in the initial window of the play.”
Wentz took accountability for both turnovers, acknowledging that the pick-six should have been a sack and the second interception was a poor decision on a heave downfield.
“Obviously the two turnovers. The second one, that was just dumb, trying to make a play, and instead of setting up and throwing, I threw it off my back. Not a wise decision there,” Wentz said. “Obviously, the first one leading to seven points for the other team, that’s never fun either.”
Red Zone Struggles Doom Minnesota
Minnesota’s inability to convert red zone opportunities into touchdowns proved fatal. The Vikings reached the red zone six times but managed just three field goals, with Will Reichard connecting on a career-high five field goals (59, 34, 28, 35, 29 yards) to account for 16 points.
“We did not do enough to put the ball in the end zone offensively, with our multiple trips down to the red zone,” O’Connell said. “Pretty explosive, kind of competitive day moving the ball, but we’ve got to find—we basically had a better day on third down and fourth down (around) 50%. Gave ourselves a chance for points, but we weren’t able to overcome the fact that they win the turnover battle two to nothing.”
A controversial overturned touchdown call on a T.J. Hockenson reception in the fourth quarter further frustrated Minnesota. The Vikings converted the ensuing fourth down but failed to punch the ball into the end zone on the next series of plays.
“My question was kind of connected to T.J.’s play, to the (DeVonta Smith) challenge that I had earlier on in the game, because it seemed like a very kind of similar premise of why they should maybe be similar,” O’Connell said. “But I did not get any clarity or understanding.”
Addison, Jefferson Shine Despite Loss
Wide receiver Jordan Addison delivered a career performance, hauling in a career-high nine receptions for 128 yards—his sixth career 100-yard receiving game. Playing in his 35th career game, Addison broke the 2,000-yard receiving mark (2,069 career yards) and tied for the fifth-fastest Viking all-time to reach the milestone.
“He’s just really good. He’s really good and gets open,” Wentz said. “Obviously Jets (Jefferson) draws attention every single snap, and whether they’re trying to cloud him or put two guys over him, like they did a couple times today, it’s going to give JA, Speedy (Jalen Nailor), a lot of one-on-one chances, and those guys are good.”
Jefferson added 79 yards on five receptions, raising his career total to 529 catches and surpassing DeAndre Hopkins (528) for the second-most receptions by a player in his first six seasons in NFL history. Only Jarvis Landry (564) has more.
Sirianni’s Trust in Hurts Pays Off
Sirianni’s aggressive fourth-down decision-making—fueled by trust in Hurts and the offense—proved critical. The Eagles converted a fourth-and-four on their opening drive, setting the tone for a day where Philadelphia’s confidence in clutch moments never wavered.
“I think there’s sometimes you watch a game, it’s like analytics say you should go for it here. Do you trust your players in those moments? That’s what you lean on,” Sirianni said. “Every time we get a fourth-down conversion, I look at him and I say, ‘Hey, I trust you in these scenarios. Thank you for making me right.’ Because he makes you right in those.”
Hurts’ ability to deliver in high-leverage situations—particularly on third and fourth downs—gave Philadelphia the edge in a game that remained competitive until the final minutes.
Looking Ahead: Short Week for Vikings
The loss drops Minnesota to 4-3 and sets up a brutal turnaround, with the Vikings facing a Thursday night game in just four days. O’Connell acknowledged the challenge ahead while emphasizing the need for immediate recovery and preparation.
“Recovery starts immediately. Right when you get off this podium I’ll be icing. Guys will be taking care of their bodies. We’ll be in quick tomorrow,” Wentz said. “We’re not the only ones doing it; obviously they have a short week too. So quite frankly, I’ve never been a huge fan of the Thursday night games for this reason, but it kind of just is what it is. It’s part of the business.”
Philadelphia, meanwhile, heads into a mini-bye with momentum and renewed confidence in an offense that rediscovered its explosive potential.
By the Numbers
Final Score: Eagles 28, Vikings 22
Location: U.S. Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, MN
Attendance: 66,899
Weather: 52°F, Humidity 57%, Wind NW 12 mph
Records: Eagles 5-2, Vikings 4-3
Eagles Offense:
– Jalen Hurts: 387 passing yards, multiple TDs, multiple scramble-drill conversions
– A.J. Brown: Touchdown reception (scramble drill)
– DeVonta Smith: Deep post TD, multiple receptions
– Dallas Goedert: Multiple receptions, scramble-drill conversion
Vikings Offense:
– Carson Wentz: 26-of-42, 313 yards, 2 INTs
– Jordan Addison: 9 receptions, 128 yards (career high)
– Justin Jefferson: 5 receptions, 79 yards (529 career receptions)
– T.J. Hockenson: 6 receptions, 43 yards
– Will Reichard: 5 FGs (59, 34, 28, 35, 29 yards), 16 points
Eagles Defense:
– 5 red zone stops (held Vikings to FGs)
– 2 turnovers (1 pick-six, 1 INT)
– Stout run defense forced Vikings to pass in short-yardage situations
Vikings Defense:
– Joshua Metellus: 8 total tackles, 1 TFL, 0.5 sacks
– Eric Wilson: 1.5 sacks, 6 total tackles
– Harrison Smith: 4 total tackles, 1 TFL, 1 PD (first start of season)
– 3.0 sacks (10th straight game with multiple sacks, longest active streak in NFL)
Key Stats:
– Vikings total yards: 387 (season high)
– Eagles red zone defense: 5 stops in 6 trips
– Vikings red zone offense: 0 TDs in 6 trips
– Turnover battle: Eagles +2
– Third-down conversions: Vikings ~50%
Injuries
Vikings:
– S Zavier Scott: Right wrist (being evaluated)
– FB C.J. Ham: Left hand (being evaluated)
What’s Next
Eagles: Enter mini-bye week with momentum; next game TBD
Vikings: Thursday night game (4 days); opponent TBD
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