Returning home to Lincoln Financial Field for the first time in three weeks, quarterback Gardner Minshew was sacked six times on the afternoon, and went 18-32 passing for 274 yards, one touchdown, and one interception that was returned for a touchdown in the loss to New Orleans.
Minshew looked out of sorts at times and made several costly errors while trying to bring Philadelphia back from a 13-0 first-half deficit.
The scenario has been simple since the end of Week 15, with Philadelphia needing to win one of their final three games to win the NFC East and clinch home-field advantage in the NFC.
Philadelphia will now host the New York Giants at home in the season finale, in a game in which the visitors could rest their starters after clinching a playoff berth with a 38-10 beatdown of the Colts.
Here’s the national reaction to the Eagles’ shocking loss.
Jakib Sports
“Jalen Hurts is the damn system.”#FlyEaglesFly pic.twitter.com/tvkcjpoSzJ
— JAKIB Sports (@JAKIBSports) January 1, 2023
Les Bowen
If they get Hurts back healthy, the Eagles are a good team again. But to really win the conference championship game or the Super Bowl, they’ll need an effective Lane Johnson and probably two of the three defensive starters who are currently injured.
It doesn’t look likely.— Les Bowen (@LesBowen) January 1, 2023
USA Today
Eagles fail to clinch NFC’s No. 1 seed
x – 1. Philadelphia Eagles (13-3), NFC East leaders: They’re 0-for-2 without injured QB Jalen Hurts, failing twice to wrap up NFC’s No. 1 seed. But Philly can still do it in Week 18 against a Giants team ticketed for sixth seed and with little to play for before wild-card round. Remaining schedule: vs. Giants
Jori Epstein
Is flex scheduling in the works?
NFL hasn't set Week 18 schedule yet. Given this dynamic, will we see Cowboys-Commanders in an earlier slate than Eagles-Giants? https://t.co/unBzWsJbra
— Jori Epstein (@JoriEpstein) January 1, 2023
Pro Football Talk
Eagles lose to Saints 20-10, leaving top seed in NFC up for grabs.
The 20-10 loss leaves the Eagles needing a win at home against the Giants in Week 18 in order to secure both the top seed and the NFC East title. The Giants will not have as much to play for as they are locked into the No. 6 seed, but the prospect of causing a division rival pain may be enough to get them to go all out anyway.
Jalen Hurts‘ status for that game will be a big topic this week. Minshew could not get anything going offensively on Sunday outside of a 78-yard touchdown pass to A.J. Brown. The team didn’t get a first down on their first four offensive possessions and the Saints had over 37 minutes of possession over the course of the day.
ESPN
The Cowboys all a sudden have a chance at the NFC East title 😳 pic.twitter.com/ih2Gld6e7D
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) January 1, 2023
Bejamin Solak -- The Ringer
Is it time to panic?
Eagles panic meter is still pretty low so long as Hurts can come back and be healthy. OL didn't play that badly. Defense has structural problems but the pass rush is great.
Eagles panic meter if Hurts is unhealthy? Eeeeeek!
— Benjamin Solak (@BenjaminSolak) January 1, 2023
Darius Butler
Damn. I thought any QB could play in this Eagles Offense. 🤔🧐
— Darius Butler (@DariusJButler) January 1, 2023
CBS Sports
The Saints play spoiler.
The Philadelphia Eagles will have one more chance to clinch home-field advantage in the NFC playoffs after failing to accomplish the task, thanks to a brutal 20-10 loss to the New Orleans Saints at Lincoln Financial Field. In what was arguably their worst offensive performance of the season, the Eagles couldn’t muster more than 10 points against the Saints defense with Jalen Hurts missing his second consecutive game.
Gardner Minshew sealed the Eagles’ fate by throwing an interception to Marshon Lattimore that was returned 12 yards for a touchdown with 5:10 to play. The Eagles, trailing 13-10, needed to go 91 yards for the win but the first giveaway for the team came at the worst possible time. Philadelphia never led in this one, going three-and-out on its first four possessions and allowing New Orleans to build a 13-point lead the Eagles couldn’t overcome.
