Eagles Week 18 PFF Grades: Jalen Hurts struggles in his first game back under center; Kyzir White bounces back
It wasn’t pretty, but the Philadelphia Eagles managed to secure the No. 1 seed and NFC East title on Sunday by defeating the New York Giants’ backups 22-16.
It was QB Jalen Hurts’ first game back under center after spraining his right shoulder against Chicago in Week 15. He struggled a bit, which isn’t all that surprising after it was revealed by Nick Sirianni that he was fighting through the pain. Hurts finished the game going 20-for-35, for 229 yards, while tossing one interception. His 65.0 passer rating was the worst mark he’s posted all season.
Both AJ Brown and DeVonta Smith set franchise records on Sunday. Brown surpassed Mike Quick for the most receiving yards in a single-season in team history (1,496) and Smith broke Irving Fryar’s record for most receptions in a season by an Eagles wideout (95).
Defensively, Jonathan Gannon’s group did a fine job against the second-string unit Giants – which was to be expected. They allowed two late touchdowns to make the game close. But overall, they did their jobs on Sunday.
As we’ve done all season, let’s take a look at how Pro Football Focus graded the Eagles performance this week.
Jordan Mailata, Landon Dickerson, and DeVonta Smith lead the way offensively
The Eagles offensive line dominated the Giants in Week 18, evidenced by the two highest-graded players on offense, Jordan Mailata and Landon Dickerson.
Mailata finished the day as the highest-graded player on the Eagles offense, posting an overall mark of 84.0, along with a pass blocking grade of 87.7. He allowed just one pressure and hurry on Hurts.
Dickerson was just as stout, earning an 80.3 overall grade and an 88.0 pass blocking mark. He didn’t surrender a single pressure, QB hit, or sack on the evening.
As a unit, Jeff Stoutland’s group only allowed three pressure and three hurries on the day. They’re still the best offensive line in football – just in case you needed a reminder.
Rounding out the top-three for the Eagles offense was WR DeVonta Smith. He finished the game with an overall grade of 79.3 and a receiving grade of 78.3. Smith led all pass catchers in receptions on Sunday, hauling in seven receptions for 67 yards.
C Jason Kelce and WR AJ Brown were the only other offensive players to post grades of 70.0 or higher for the Birds.
Jalen Hurts struggles in his first game back
As mentioned earlier, Hurts wasn’t at his best in Week 18. He ended the day as the second-worst graded player on the Eagles offense, posting an overall mark of 49.8. That’s by far the worst PFF grade he’s received for a game all season.
Given the circumstances surrounding his return, it’s not all that surprising that Hurts struggled. Sirianni told reporters following the win that Hurts was hurting (no pun intended) throughout the contest.
It really just comes down to this – Hurts wanted to be out there for his team in a meaningful game. At the end of the day, he and the team succeeded by securing the first-round bye and NFC East title.
Now that he’ll have two full weeks to recover, there’s no doubt Hurts should be back in MVP form come the divisional round.
PFF grades for the entire Eagles offense
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Kyzir White, Javon Hargrave, and Milton Williams lead the way defensively
For the first time in weeks, LB Kyzir White had a positive impact for Gannon’s defense. He’s struggled as of late, posting abysmal grades against the Cowboys and Saints. This week, he bounced back in a big way as the highest-graded Eagles defender.
White finished the game with an overall grade of 91.9, along with an impressive 92.1 coverage grade. He allowed just 15 yards on six targets against the Giants. White has struggled in coverage in recent weeks. It was nice to see him have a pick-me-up performance.
Behind White we have Javon Hargrave, who’s been a mainstay atop PFF’s grade sheet all season. He earned a 91.5 defensive grade and a 91.7 pass rushing grade for the game. Hargrave recorded three pressure, two hurries, and one QB hit in Week 18. On the season, Hargrave’s 90.8 pass rushing grade ranks third among 105 qualifying interior defenders.
Rounding out the top-three is another interior lineman, second-year tackle Milton Williams. He finished the game with an overall grade of 89.6, along with a pass rushing grade of 83.1.
Williams has come on strong as of late, recording a defensive grade of 83.7 over the past three weeks. His emergence will come in handy during the postseason.
PFF grade for the entire Eagles defense
Mandatory Credit: USA Today Sports
