Vikings vs Eagles Recap
The Eagles hosted the Vikings on Thursday night to kick off Week 2 of the 2023-2024 NFL season.
The Eagles dominated the Vikings on the ground in their 34-28 Thursday night victory. D'Andre Swift had a career-best game with 175 rushing yards on 28 carries, while backup Boston Scott added 40 rushing yards in just five carries. Kicker Jake Elliot matched his career-long with a 61-yard field goal to end the first half. Philly scored 34 points, including touchdowns by Jalen Hurts (2 rushing, 1 passing), D'Andre Swift (1 rushing), and Devonta Smith (1 receiving).
The Eagles started with a 24-yard field goal in their opening drive, but subsequent drives were marked by rustiness on both sides. The Vikings punted, the Eagles punted, and then a series of turnovers occurred, including a fumble by the Vikings, an interception by the Eagles, and another Vikings fumble. The scoring drought ended with a T.J. Hockenson touchdown for the Vikings.
The Vikings had a contrasting offensive strategy, with only nine rushing attempts. Kirk Cousins excelled with 31 completions for 364 yards. Justin Jefferson had his typical 100+ yard game, amassing 11 receptions for 159 yards but surprisingly, no touchdowns. In his second NFL game, Jordan Addison made a significant impact with a 62-yard touchdown reception.
Despite an exciting second half, the Vikings' defense proved costly, leading to their loss. The Eagles, now 2-0, acknowledge the need for improvements. Meanwhile, the Vikings drop to 0-2, currently the only NFL team with two losses, at least until Sunday.
Justin Jefferson became the fastest player to 5,000 receiving yards in NFL history on Thursday.