It wasn't pretty and it oftentimes became sluggish, but the Philadelphia Eagles are 2-0.
The defending NFC champions hosted Kirk Cousins and the Minnesota Vikings on Thursday Night Football in a game that was quite chaotic in the first half but monotone in the second despite what the scoreboard read.
Thanks to four fumbles lost by Minnesota, the Eagles managed to drain out the clock in dominant fashion en route to a 34-28 win.
Philadelphia held possession for almost 40 minutes compared to just 20:25 for the Vikings. Kirk Cousins completed 31-for-43 passes for 364 yards, four touchdowns and no picks in that span, but the turnovers proved to be too much to overcome.
Let's dig into five players who stood out the most from the matchup:
D'Andre Swift, RB, Eagles
The first night as the lead back couldn't have gone any better for D'Andre Swift. The former three-year Detroit Lion racked up 175 rushing yards on 28 carries (6.3 average) and a touchdown that helped Philadelphia dominate the clock. Boston Scott chipped in with 40 yards on five carries with Rashaad Penny adding nine yards on three attempts. But it was Swift who will deservedly gain the praise for his electric performance. In fact, it was the most rushing yards in a game by an Eagle since LeSean McCoy in 2013. That was 10 years ago.
NFL
Danielle Hunter, DE, Vikings
The Vikings probably could've allowed more points given the amount of turnovers, but it held strong in the first half to keep the game close despite trailing 27-7 at one point. Hunter played quite a significant role in that, as he sacked Jalen Hurts three times and registered eight tackles in total on the night. It marked the fourth time in his career that he hit three sacks in a single game.
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Jalen Hurts, QB, Eagles
Hurts didn't have the best first half nor did he light up the stat sheet in the second, but he gradually improved his play in the pocket and delivered when needed for the win. He completed 18-for-23 passes for 193 yards, one touchdown and one pick to go with 35 rushing yards on 12 attempts and two touchdowns. It was far from a signature performance, but his 63-yard deep ball to DeVonta Smith for a touchdown in the third quarter marked his best play. He'll need to improve his form rather quickly, though, as this level of performance may not cut it against the elites of the league.
Justin Jefferson, WR, Vikings
Jefferson remains a joy to watch and one of the most dominant receivers in the game. Both aren't particularly surprising given his statistical output, but seeing him do almost whatever he wanted against a tough Eagles secondary was a pleasure. The 24-year-old hauled in 159 receiving yards on 11 catches (13 targets), but his sole touchdown was called back. Jefferson fumbled the ball as he lunged to cross the plane, but the ball went out of bounds in the end zone and eventually ruled a touchback. That play may have changed the outcome of the game, but Jefferson still did his thing on an individual level.
DeVonta Smith, WR, Eagles
On a night where A.J. Brown never found momentum with four catches for 29 yards, the Eagles got their receiving production from their other elite option. The 24-year-old Smith had 131 yards on four catches and a touchdown - the aforementioned 63-yarder.
Philadelphia didn't need to pass much on the night given its ground dominance, but the opposition has to take into account what the Eagles can do through the air when they have players like Smith.
