Jalen Hurts had a strong night, and the Eagles make a statement with a convincing victory over the Vikings.

Jalen Hurts had a strong night, and the Eagles make a statement with a convincing victory over the Vikings.

Every season we've watched Jalen Hurts play football on a large platform, he's gotten better.

He progressed throughout his collegiate career, first at Alabama (where he was dethroned by Tua Tagovailoa before his junior year) and later at Oklahoma. He also improved from his first to second NFL season.

The Philadelphia Eagles have created a club around Hurts that can compete for a division title and maybe much more. Hurts' contribution was required.

Perhaps it's not surprising that Hurts has improved with the support of a fantastic ensemble. He was fantastic on Monday night, passing for over 300 yards in a convincing 24-7 victory over the Minnesota Vikings.

After the Vikings defeated the Green Bay Packers in Week 1, everyone was talking about them. Perhaps we should have talked more about the Eagles.

Jalen Hurts shines in victory.

Hurts had a fantastic start on Monday night. He was 10-of-10 for 154 yards when he launched a 53-yard touchdown pass to Quez Watkins eight seconds into the second quarter. He also had a running touchdown, which he would add in the second quarter.

Hurts exuded confidence throughout the evening. He produced solid throws and consistently made the correct read. Hurts' running ability is an important aspect of his game, and he added 57 yards and two rushing touchdowns on Monday night. However, he needed to improve as a passer in his third season for the Eagles to reach their peak. Hurts has shown to be a competent runner and passer in two games.

The Eagles bolstered their quarterback by constructing around him, like the Miami Dolphins did with Hurts' former college colleague, Tagovailoa. The Eagles have a strong offensive line, an effective rushing game, and have acquired alpha receiver A.J. Brown in a deal. Hurts had no excuses if the Eagles failed this season because he didn't play well enough.

Hurts has had a strong start to the season. Last week, the Vikings shut down Aaron Rodgers and the Packers, only to be destroyed by Hurts in Week 2. Hurts completed 26 of 31 passes for 333 yards.

Jalen Hurts is first player in NFL history to have:

300+ passing yards
80.0+ completion %
Rush for multiple TDs

pic.twitter.com/RWuS76UxLV

— John Clark (@JClarkNBCS) September 20, 2022

Hurts appears to have advanced in his third NFL season. That shouldn't come as a surprise. 

Jalen Hurts of the Philadelphia Eagles was outstanding against the Minnesota Vikings in Week 2.

The Eagles' defense is also having a good game.

The Eagles defense was chastised when the Detroit Lions scored 35 points on them last week, but this appeared to be an overreaction. Many of the Lions' points came after the Eagles had taken a huge lead. The defense is too talented to keep playing like that all season.

It was evident against the Vikings. Justin Jefferson, who had a big game in Week 1 and is perhaps the finest receiver in the NFL, did little nothing on Monday night. Darius Slay Jr. had a terrific night in coverage against him, with two interceptions. The Eagles paid special attention to Jefferson and made sure he didn't defeat them. Jefferson had six catches for 48 yards and it appeared that he had even less.

In its own territory, the Eagles defense produced many major plays. They had a field goal blocked in the third quarter, and punter/holder Arryn Siposs made a fantastic hustle play to make a stop and avoid a touchdown on the return. The Vikings still had a chance to get back into the game. Kirk Cousins then threw an interception to Eagles defensive back Avonte Maddox. Cousins' second interception in Eagles territory — he'd throw one more in the end zone — effectively secured Philadelphia's victory.

The Eagles have a lot of intriguing players. There are no obvious weaknesses on the squad, though many questioned whether the quarterback would be one. What happens if the quarterback turns out to be a strength for the Eagles this season?