After Eagles’ miracle win over Bills, NFL analysts are raving: 10-1 and ‘haven’t played an A+ game’ yet

Were those rain drops falling at Lincoln Financial Field on Sunday night, or rose petals being thrown at the feet of the Philadelphia Eagles after their stunning 37-34 overtime victory over the Buffalo Bills ?

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While Eagles fans went through the usual agonizing gameday stages — excitement ( ”Fly, Eagles, fly!” ) to disappointment (”We suck!”) to anger (” Fire the offensive/defensive coordinator! ”) to overtime (”I can’t take this!) to victory (”Greatest team in history!”) — NFL analysts spoke like they knew the win was in the bag.

First up with the Philly Felicitations is NBC analyst Chris Simms, a notorious Jalen Hurts hater ... until last season:

“The Eagles are unreal. Their resilience. They hold you to a field goal, they score a touchdown. You miss a field goal? They kick a 59-yarder in the rain. It’s like watching the old Patriots teams with Tom Brady. They need a touchdown? They’re going to score a touchdown.

“They always have an answer. They’re 10-1, and I don’t feel like they’ve really played an A-plus game all year. Philly just does whatever they’ve got to do to win on a given Sunday and there’s a lot to be said about that.”

Up next, Rutgers guy Devin McCourty , a former Patriots Pro Bowl defensive back with three Super Bowl rings and Simms’ NBC colleague:

“That’s the difference between the Eagles and all of the other teams in the NFL. They can do it multiple ways. We’ve talked about the 49ers: They have to play a certain type of game to be successful. Philly doesn’t. They figure it out in-game, they adjust, and they win at the end of the day.”

That’s pretty close to what Hurts said to the media after the game: “What am I supposed to say? What do you guys want me to say? We just continue to find ways to win. We play together. We’ve shown our resiliency day in and day out.”

Hurts, who accounted for five touchdowns — three in the air, two on the ground, including the game-winning 12-yard run — might heard all of the MVP chatter for Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud growing. Critics said Hurts’ game had fallen off from last season and pointed to nine interceptions.

His performance on Sunday silenced that talk and likely vaulted him back into the MVP favorite’s spot.

Former Eagles and Giants DB Emanuel Acho , an NFL analyst and Emmy-nominated actor:

“The Eagles can and will beat you anywhere! Down 17-7 at halftime two weeks in a row vs. the two AFC preseason favorites [Chiefs and Bills], and they win both games. Terrible conditions, nothing going right. Doesn’t matter. As long as you have Jalen Hurts, you have a chance.”

Head coach Nick Sirianni topped that: “Having [Hurts] out there is like having Michael Jordan.”

All the while, kicker Jake Elliott laughed at The Announcer’s Curse, kicking a 59-yard field goal in a driving rain to tie the game at the end of regulation — seconds after CBS revealed he was 8-for-8 on field-goal attempts in the last two minutes of the fourth quarter when the Eagles trailed by three points or fewer.

One of those kicks, you might recall, was a 61-yarder to beat the Giants in 2017.

Hurts rallied after a miserable first half, when he threw for 33 yards and the Eagles had just 99 yards overall. But for the second straight game, he rallied the Eagles from a 10-point halftime deficit. He connected with A.J. Brown from 3 yards and Smith from 10 yards to get Philly back into the game.

The rest, of course, is now Eagles legend.

But just to keep the NFL’s best team humble:

Still the only QB in the league to beat the Philadelphia Eagles this season... pic.twitter.com/41kj4Gjjtr

— NFL Memes November 27, 2023