The Eagles have been the best team in the NFL for most of the season. The Birds were undefeated through eight games and Jalen Hurts led them to a 13-1 record through Week 15.
Hurts suffered a shoulder injury in that win against the Bears that kept him out of last week’s loss to the Cowboys in Dallas. Gardner Minshew took over at quarterback and held his own in the loss.
Hurts’ status for the rest of the regular season is still up in the air but he has practiced with the team. It’s still possible that he plays this week against the Saints.
If he can’t go, or if he aggravates his injury, the Eagles may have to rely on Minshew once again.
Zach Gelb and Andrew Fillipponi of the Audacy Original Podcast “1st & Pod” talked about the Eagles’ Super Bowl chances with Minshew if Hurts gets hurt again.
“You said that you think the Niners can still go to the Super Bowl with Purdy,’ Fillipponi said (2:43 in player above). “If Jalen Hurts couldn’t play, do you think Minshew could get the Eagles there? If Hurts played and got hurt and aggravated that shoulder and he’s out, and they’ve got Minshew the rest of the way, do you think it’s Nick Foles 2.0?”
“No. I think they could win a playoff game or two – I think they can win one playoff game,” Gelb said. “I would have a tough time thinking Minshew – even though he’d be at the Linc – can beat the 49ers.”
“But it would be Brock Purdy at the Linc in Philly in an NFC Championship Game,” Fillipponi exclaimed.
The Eagles sit at 13-2 but have yet to clinch the NFC East as well as the top seed in the conference. They can do just that with a win in either of their remaining two games.
“The Eagles have been my pick to go to the Super Bowl with Jalen Hurts,” Gelb said. “You take Jalen Hurts off that team, I think there is more of a dropoff from Hurts to Minshew than there is from whatever the 49ers have been throwing out the last few years as a product of their system.”
Hurts has emerged as an MVP candidate this season and is still in the mix for the award despite his injury.
While Gelb doesn’t believe in Minshew, Fillipponi thinks the mustachioed man could work some magic.
“I happen to think that they could go with Minshew if he had to play,” Fillipponi said. “To me, he’s the type of quarterback that giveth and taketh, and I think he could get hot and play two or three good games and get them to a Super Bowl.”
Hopefully, Hurts can return before the end of the regular season and be ready to go for the playoffs. But if not, Minshew may be capable of quarterbacking the Birds to the Super Bowl.
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