Not sure about you, but I’m calm and confident with this man running the Eagles offense:

I feel the same way I felt about Nick Foles in 2017 and maybe Jeff Garcia in 2006. There’s plenty of talent across the board, enough that the Birds can win without MVP candidate Jalen Hurts, which feels crazy to say, but it’s true. Gardner Minshew might be a goofy and eccentric dude, but he’s no joke on the football field.

He’s only played in garbage time this season, but he made two starts last year, doing the following:

  • at Jets: 20 for 25, 242 yards, two touchdowns, four carries for 11 yards
  • vs. Cowboys: 19 for 33, 186 yards, two touchdowns, one interception, five carries for 10 yards

The Jets game took place when the Birds still had a losing record, and he stepped in to outduel Zach Wilson in a 33-18 win. He hit Dallas Goedert six times for 105 yards and two touchdowns, and with Goedert activated to the 21-day practice window with a chance to play this weekend, that could be the type of boon that gives the Eagles a shot down in Arlington. Miles Sanders also ran for 120 yards on 24 carries in this game, so he’s likely to be another big piece here, assuming the Birds play the rest of their starters in Hurts’ absence.

Speaking of which, that Cowboys game listed there was a throwaway. The Eagles had already clinched, so they rested a bunch of starters and gave up 51 at home to Dak and company. Minshew opened with an 11-play scoring drive, and the game was tied 17-17 in the second quarter before Dallas started to pull away.

In both games, the Eagles did a lot of running. 41 carries in the Jets game and 33 in the Dallas game. What changes the most is the zone read and QB rushing game, because Minshew just can’t effectively run those option plays the same way Hurts can. He can do the rugby push and sneak it for a yard, sure, but they aren’t going empty set/five wide and calling a 3rd down draw for him. It’ll look like a more traditional offense out there, and if Goedert and Sanders are involved, the Eagles can indeed win this game.

But if they don’t, we’ll do what Dallas fans did in October, and say the loss doesn’t count because the starting QB was out.