Kenny Pickett had something to prove in Eagles win over Cowboys, plus showed he can start in NFL again

PHILADELPHIA — Plenty of Philadelphia Eagles players were adamant Kenny Pickett played well filling in for Jalen Hurts in last Sunday’s loss to the Washington Commanders. If DeVonta Smith catches a third down pass, the narrative completely changes regarding Pickett’s performance. 

The Eagles were preparing Pickett to start against the Dallas Cowboys knowing Jalen Hurts wasn’t going to pass concussion protocol in time for Sunday’s game. Pickett was going to get his chance to show he can be a starting quarterback again with a full week’s work of preparation, not running an offense designed for Jalen Hurts and filling in at the last minute. 

When the gameplan was tailored around Pickett’s strengths, the narrative changed outside the NovaCare Complex. Inside the Eagles practice facility, the story was different. 

“We know Kenny’s a baller,” said Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown. “He came in and did what he was supposed to do. I was happy for him…But he did exactly what he needed to do. He gave us a chance last week to win (too).”

Pickett did more than play well in the Eagles’ 41-7 victory over the Cowboys, he played exceptional. He finished 10 of 15 for 143 yards and a touchdown with no interceptions for a 119.6 passer rating, including a rushing touchdown. From the second quarter on, Pickett was 9 of 12 for 138 yards with a touchdown and a 140.3 passer rating. 

This was with broken ribs he suffered in last week’s loss to the Commanders. Pickett practiced all week with the broken ribs and played two-and-a-half quarters with the injury before aggravating his condition late in the third quarter. The Eagles were up 24-7 and had the game in hand, so there was no reason for Pickett to reenter the game. 

“He was amazing,” said Eagles cornerback Darius Slay. “People always forget that Kenny was a starting quarterback in this league and won a lot of games over there in Pittsburgh. We expect…

Source link : https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/kenny-pickett-had-something-to-prove-in-eagles-win-over-cowboys-plus-showed-he-can-start-in-nfl-again/

Author : Jeff Kerr

Publish date : 2024-12-30 19:06:00

Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.