Breaking down Sunday's 17-16 Eagles win in Indianapolis

INDIANAPOLIS IND - The Eagles lowest point in the season may have come during the 4th quarter of Sunday’s 17-16 win over the Indianapolis Colts. Whether it was entering the final frame down 13-3 as the Colts drove downfield, or following AJ Browns fumble with just 9 minutes to go - The Birds stood tall in the face of adversity and won their battles.

Head Coach Nick Sirianni acknowledged the hole his team “scratched and clawed” out of postgame; “I’d love to win by more than that, but we had our backs against the wall and we came out swinging”.

Though the national media has tried to use Sunday’s win against the Eagles, many should soon realize that yesterday's set may just be the turning point that propels the Birds to the next level.

Following last week's shocking loss on Monday Night Football, the momentum that the Eagles possessed was lost and the success they pined for seemed to be all but gone. As the mid-week practices trudged on it never seemed as though the Eagles regained the same drive and excitement they had before Monday. It was evident in the media and with fans across the Delaware Valley that the hype train had slowed down a bit so to speak.

However as coach Sirianni stressed in his postgame presser; with their backs against the wall, at the lowest point in their season - the team banded together and rallied to win the ballgame. That, is what gives me hope that this team is about to take another step in the right direction. It takes a certain kind of Football team to be able to block out all the noise, make the right changes, put their head down and keep going.

There were so many opportunities for the Eagles to give up and take their foot off the pedal and they never did. That was mainly to the credit of one Jalen Hurts, despite losing his number-one tight end and having some uncharacteristically deficient offensive line play, Hurts deserves all the credit in rallying his team through the ladder half of the ballgame.

Beginning early in the 4th quarter, when the young QB marched the Birds downfield before hitting Quez Watkins over the middle for a 20-yard touchdown. However, following the clutch turnover by the Birds defense on a Jonothan Taylor run - AJ Brown would cough up a pass from Hurts and give the ball right back to Indy in prime field position with only 9 minutes left on the clock. Howbeit, despite a few big plays from Matt Ryan and the Indy attack, the Birds defense stood tall holding the “Boys in Blue” to just a field goal on the drive.

That would then leave it up to Jalen Hurts and the offense to deliver the win - when many would claim there never was a doubt. The drive began with a heave downfield for a smothered Miles Sanders who would warrant a defensive pass interference call; moving the offense down to the 15-yard line. From then on it was Jalen Hurts and his legs making the magic happen. First; a 4-yard run on a crucial 4th and 2 from the 10-yard line would set the Eagles up with 1st and goal from about the 7-yard marker. The positive was then reversed as Hurts was sacked on an RPO attempt, sending him back another 5-7 yards. Nonetheless, it all came together on 3rd and goal with 1:30 left, as Hurts rushed it in from the 13-yard line, all the same winning the game for the Birds.

At this point in the season, there is little reason to make as to why Jalen Hurts is not the MVP of the NFL. He has made strides in every area of his game and has been the deciding factor in nearly all of the Eagles games. The Birds have got their guy, and they should be thinking about locking him up long-term ASAP.

Although you can say that Jalen Hurts may have singlehandedly won Sunday’s game for the Birds. You can never overlook the value of a team banding together and forcing their will on another squad to win the ballgame. This Eagles team is exciting and as great as they’ve played already, and as great as they’ve played to this point in the year - it would surprise nobody if they were just starting to hit their stride.