Philadelphia Eagles Solidify Super Bowl Talk with ‘Thursday Night Football’ Win

Posted on: November 4, 2022, 04:20h. 

Last updated on: November 10, 2022, 05:35h.

Erik Gibbs Read More
Expertise: Asia Pacific Gaming, Gaming Business, Global Gaming.

The Philadelphia Eagles are on a path they’ve never seen before. They’re now 8-0 this season after a strong Thursday Night Football performance, the first time in the team’s history that it has achieved the feat.

Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia Eagles tight end Dallas Goedert and tackle Lane Jonson celebrate a successful play against the Houston Texans on Thursday Night Football. The Eagles walked away with another win to remain undefeated this season. (Image: Getty Images)

The Eagles beat the Houston Texans 29-17, sending their opponents down to 1-6-1 on the season. At the same time, they continued to show their determination to be true contenders for a Super Bowl run this year.

Philadelphia has odds of around +500 to win Super Bowl LVII. This keeps them in second place, just behind the Buffalo Bills’ +225. The Eagles have a real shot as long as they continue to play solidly on both sides of the ball.

Hurts Puts the Hurt on Houston

Philadelphia’s quarterback Jalen Hurts had another brilliant performance. He posted excellent numbers, passing for 243 yards with two TDs. Eagles running back Miles Sanders also stood out with 93 rushing yards and a TD.

Dallas Goedert was Hurts’ go-to man, as the tight end recorded eight receptions for 100 yards. That was enough to give him his second-highest receiving game of the season. Receiver A.J. Brown followed with 59 yards and a touchdown.

On defense, defensive tackle Javon Hargrave shone with three sacks. Safety Chauncey Gardner and corner James Bradberry each intercepted Texans QB Davis Mills, a reflection of how complete this Eagles team is.

The Texans’ offense, second to last in the league, took control on the game’s opening drive. It pushed back the Eagles’ defense as it advanced 75 yards in nine plays. Houston then punctuated the drive with a pass into the end zone that tight end Teagan Quitoriano deftly grabbed to give the Texans a 7-0 lead.

Philadelphia, with the NFL’s third-best offense, answered immediately. It chewed up just over eight minutes on the clock in a drive that ended with a rushing touchdown by Sanders.

In the second quarter, the Texans’ defense found something that has avoided them for most of the season – positive results. It caused the Eagles’ first fumble of the season when cornerback Steven Nelson hit Hurts, leading to a fumble that defensive tackle Jaleel Johnson scooped up.

In the fourth quarter, already sitting on a comfortable lead, Hurts threw his second TD of the game. He found Goedert in the end zone and, following a successful two-point conversion, extended the Eagles’ lead to 29-17.

Turning up the Pressure

No NFL team has gone undefeated throughout the season, including the postseason and the Superbowl, since the Miami Dolphins pulled off the feat in 1972. While Philadelphia might not get there this year, it should be able to coast to a strong finish with several easy weeks coming up.

The Eagles soared on a night when their counterparts in MLB, the Philadelphia Phillies, were losing to the Houston Astros in the World Series. However, they didn’t give sports bettors a lot to cheer about. The spread had been set at around 14, and they only won by 12.

The over/under was around 45.5, and the final score missed hitting the over by a couple of points. Despite winning, the Eagles didn’t provide the runaway performance most expected.

They’ll get an extended break before taking on the Washington Commanders on Monday Night Football on November 14 to close out Week 10. The Commanders, the latest acquisition target of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, are 4-4 after winning three straight.

The Texans can now officially call this a transition year, as they’re not in a spot to improve. They’ll next face the 6-2 New York Giants, coming off a bye week.