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Jalen Hurts, Eagles power past Dolphins 31-17 on Sunday Night Football: Highlights and analysis
Eagles soar to resounding 31-17 win vs. Dolphins on SNF
The Philadelphia Eagles responded after losing to the New York Jets last week with a resounding 31-17 win against the Miami Dolphins on Sunday. Here’s what you need to know:
- Trailing 24-17 early in the fourth quarter, Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa was picked off by Eagles cornerback Darius Slay at Philadelphia’s one-yard line.
- Eagles QB Jalen Hurts connected with receiver A.J. Brown for 42 yards on Philly’s next drive. Eagles RB Kenneth Gainwell capped off the 13-play, 83-yard march downfield with a 3-yard touchdown run, giving Philadelphia a 31-17 lead.
- Down two scores, the Dolphins had to go for it on fourth-and-10 on their own 25 and Eagles rookie Eli Ricks broke up Tagovailoa’s pass intended for Tyreek Hill. Miami was 0-for-2 on fourth down and now 2-for-9 on fourth down this season (22.2 percent), the second-lowest rate in the NFL.
- Hurts went 23-of-31 passing for 279 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. The Eagles posted 355 yards of total offense while the Dolphins — who entered Sunday averaging 498.7 yards per game — only recorded 244.
- The Eagles improve to 6-1 while the Dolphins fall to 5-2.
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Dolphins missed an opportunity to win a big one, but they aren’t moping about it
Tyreek Hill convulsed like a flopping fish in the end zone.
He’d just released off the line of scrimmage, given Eagles cornerback James Bradberry a double move and then boosted straight through the middle of Bradberry and Terrell Edmunds, who were assigned to bracket Hill and smother him in double coverage from each side. But Hill was too fast to be hemmed in like that, and once free, he pulled in a touchdown pass from Tua Tagovailoa to make it a one-score game at halftime: Eagles 17, Dolphins 10.
In the end zone, the receiver dropped to the ground and twitched like a gulping fish hooked on a line. Right guard Robert Hunt reeled him in. Hill’s touchdown celebrations have become must-see TV this season, but this one was more like a bad omen. These fish were out of water. These fish had been caught.
Miami’s night on offense started with a delay of game penalty on its very first play. Coming into the game, the Dolphins were the NFL’s No. 1 offense in almost every conceivable category and had been averaging 37 points per game. The Eagles held them to just one offensive touchdown in eight possessions and season lows in yards, touchdowns, first downs, EPA per drive and success rate.
“We weren’t as crisp as usual coming out of the huddle,” Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said postgame. “Which always leads to stuff.”
And that “stuff” showed in 10 penalties for 70 yards, and an out-of-character offensive performance. Running back Raheem Mostert said the offense used the silent count on nearly every play because the Eagles’ crowd was so loud. Tagovailoa took responsibility for the struggles this offense had on the road Sunday night.
“I have to be able to communicate to the offensive line, the cadence in a loud environment, which makes it tough,” he said. “It’s hard to replicate crowd noise the way it is over here and in other places, but that’s what’s the next step closer in what we’re trying to do.”
This game was supposed to be the ultimate win that would silence the haters who have doubted Miami’s gaudy offensive records. Instead, it gave them more fodder.
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Eagles rediscover their signature toughness in win vs. Dolphins
Clinging to a one-touchdown lead with about 10 minutes left in Sunday’s game, but facing fourth-and-1 from his own 26-yard line, Philadelphia Eagles coach Nick Sirianni sent his punt team onto the field.
The Eagles about a minute earlier had snuffed out a potentially game-tying Miami Dolphins scoring opportunity when cornerback Darius Slay intercepted quarterback Tua Tagovailoa at the 1-yard line. Sirianni would have liked to have directed a long, game-clinching drive, but his team failed to move the sticks in three plays. That prompted the call for the punt unit.
The Philly faithful at Lincoln Financial Field — now accustomed to aggressive calls by the third-year head coach — booed.
But upon seeing a more favorable spot than he initially realized, Sirianni had second thoughts and called timeout, reassessed the scenarios and reversed course.
“He just said, ‘Forget it, man. Let’s go out there and get it,’” running back Kenneth Gainwell said. “It showed toughness, you know? It just shows what we’re all about. What we do here.”
Sirianni sent his offense back onto the field and whipped the fans into a frenzy as his linemen dug in for their signature quarterback sneak play, and of course, the Eagles picked up the first down. Four plays later, needing another first down on fourth-and-1, Sirianni dialed up the “tush push” and his players again converted to continue the march that six plays later culminated with a Gainwell 3-yard run, spin and dive into the end zone.
That’s how you deliver a knockout punch.
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Why the Eagles beat the Dolphins on Sunday Night Football
- The Eagles held the vaunted Dolphins offense to season lows in points (17), yards (244) and first downs (12). Miami also went a combined 4-of-11 on third and fourth down (30.8%), the second time it was held under 35% this season (lost both games).
- The Dolphins tied the game 17-17 with 4:02 left in the third quarter on a pick-six by LB Jerome Baker. In the final 19:02 of the game, the Eagles outscored Miami 14-0, outgained Miami 156-50 and forced a turnover after the Dolphins had moved the ball inside the Philly 30-yard line (final trip into Eagles territory).
- Eagles WR A.J. Brown had a season-high 10 catches for 137 yards and a touchdown that gave Philadelphia the lead at the end of the third quarter. Brown has now topped 100 receiving yards in a career-high five straight games.
The Athletic Football Show recaps Eagles' win over Dolphins and rest of Week 7 LIVE
Join Robert Mays and Nate Tice as they break down all of Sunday's top games on The Athletic Football Show.
Eagles improve to 6-1
The Eagles close out the 31-17 win over the Dolphins and improve to 6-1, tied with the Chiefs for the best record in the NFL.
It’s the second straight season Philly has started at least 6-1 (7-0 in 2022), the first time the Eagles have started 6-1 or better in back-to-back seasons since 1980-81.
Eagles close the door
Down two scores, the Dolphins had to go for it on fourth-and-10 on their own 25-yard line and Eagles rookie Eli Ricks broke up Tua Tagovailoa’s pass intended for Tyreek Hill.
Miami is 0-for-2 on fourth down tonight and now 2-for-9 on fourth down this season (22.2%), the second-lowest rate in the NFL.
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The Eagles extend their lead on a 3-yard rushing score by Kenneth Gainwell
13 plays, 83 yards, two fourth-down conversions, a big pass play, potential door-slamming 3-yard touchdown run by Kenneth Gainwell. 31-17 Philly with 4:46 left.
Eagles pass game running through A.J. Brown
Following his 42-yard grab, Eagles WR A.J. Brown has now been targeted a season-high 15 times tonight. Brown has only had two games with more in his career:
- 2015 Week 15 with Titans vs. 49ers: 16
- 2022 Week 15 with Eagles at Bears: 16
Brown also topped 100 receiving yards on the night (137), his career-high fifth consecutive 100-yard receiving game.
Dolphins coming up empty
Eagles CB Darius Slay picks off Tua Tagovailoa after the Dolphins had moved the ball inside the Philly 30-yard line. Slay is back in the lineup tonight after missing last week’s loss to the Jets with a knee injury.
The pick marked Miami’s third empty drive that reached Eagles’ territory tonight (1 TD, 1 FG, 1 punt, 1 TO on downs, 1 INT).
What you missed in the third quarter on Sunday Night Football
- The Eagles enter the fourth quarter leading 24-17 thanks to a 14-yard TD pass from Jalen Hurts to A.J. Brown, Brown’s third of the season. Brown has a team-high 78 receiving yards and is eyeing his career-high fifth straight 100-yard game.
- The Dolphins had tied the game on a 22-yard interception return touchdown by Jerome Baker. It was Miami’s first defensive score of the season and Baker’s first touchdown since 2018 (also a pick-six).
- On the previous drive, the Dolphins had turned the ball over on downs following a fourth-and-3 incompletion from Tua Tagovailoa to Cedrick Wilson at the Philly 21-yard line. Miami is now 2-for-8 on fourth down this season (25.0%), the second-worst rate in the NFL.
Eagles third-quarter takeaways
Jalen Hurts clearly is hobbled. It doesn’t look like he is able to plant as firmly on his left leg when throwing. The quarterback is battling, though. He and his unit bounced back from his interception (a pass batted by Kader Kohou and returned by Jerome Baker for a touchdown) and put together an eight-play, 75-yard scoring drive capped by a 14-yard touchdown pass to A.J. Brown. The Eagles may have their inconsistencies, however, they remain resilient.
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Dolphins tie game on Jerome Baker pick-six
The Dolphins lead the NFL with 32 touchdowns scored this season but the Jerome Baker pick-six was their first scored by the defense.
Baker caught the Jalen Hurts pass after it was deflected by Kader Kohou and ran it back for his first touchdown since Week 9 of the 2018 season against the Jets (also an INT return TD).
Dolphins' fourth-down struggles continue
The Dolphins drive inside the Eagles’ 30-yard line, but turn the ball over on downs after Tua Tagovailoa fails to connect with Cedrick Wilson on fourth-and-3 from Philly's 21-yard line.
Miami is now 2-for-8 on fourth-down conversions this season (25.0%), the second-worst rate in the NFL (Patriots, 20.0%).
Dolphins finding some running room
After rushing for -7 yards in the first half, the Dolphins have the ground game going early in the third quarter.
Raheem Mostert already has five carries in the second half for five-plus yards including rushes for 21 and 15 yards on the first two plays of the current drive.
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Penalties thwart another Dolphins drive
The Dolphins moved the ball into Eagles’ territory on their opening drive of the half but again were done in by a pair of penalties and were forced to punt.
Miami has been flagged for eight penalties tonight matching their season-high set in the Week 4 loss to the Bills.
Eagles second quarter takeaways
- Offense humming – After faltering in the red zone and also turning the ball over during the first quarter, the Eagles offense found its rhythm in the second quarter, coming away from both trips in the red zone with touchdowns. For the second quarter, the Eagles gained 96 yards while picking up nine first downs. Jalen Hurts picked up his sixth rushing touchdown of the season.
- Dolphins strike late – Philadelphia’s defense played well for the bulk of the first half, but couldn’t get off the field during the Dolphins’ final possession of the half despite forcing the Dolphins into third-and-18 from the Miami 20. The Dolphins picked up 29 yards on a Tagovailoa pass to Cedric Wilson to keep the drive alive with two minutes left and five minutes later connected with speedster Tyreek Hill on a 27-yard touchdown. However, the 113 yards and 10 points are the Dolphins' lowest totals in a half this season.