In Roob’s Stats: A record for Dallas Goedert, history from Eagles’ defense originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
Lots of interception stats, an all-time Eagles receiving record, an NFL record Jalen Hurts is closing in on and the worst Packer ever.
This is a loaded postseason edition of Roob’s Eagles Stats, so let’s get right to it!
1. The interception section
1A. Quinyon Mitchell became the youngest Eagle in 44 years with a postseason interception and Darius Slay became the oldest Eagle in 45 years with a postseason interception. Mitchell, who is 23 years, 178 days, is the youngest Eagle with an INT in the playoffs since Roynell Young had one off Danny White in the 1980 NFC Championship Game win at the Vet at 23 years, 41 days old. Mitchell is also the first Eagles rookie with a postseason INT since Young in 1980. Slay, 34, became the oldest Eagle with a postseason interception since Bob Howard picked off Mike Phipps in the Eagles’ wild-card win over the Bears at the Vet in 1979. Slay is also the oldest NFL player with a postseason INT in seven years, since 36-year-old Mike Adams of the Panthers had one off Drew Brees in the Superdome in 2017. The last time a team had interceptions in the same game from two players 11 years apart in age was in the 1999 NFC Championship Game, which the Bucs lost 11-6 to the Rams at TWA Dome in St. Louis. In that game, 34-year-old Hardy Nickerson and 23-year-old Brian Kelly of the Bucs both picked off Kurt Warner.
1B. With Mitchell, Slay and Zack Baun each recording their first career playoff interception, this was the first time in 36 years three Eagles had their first postseason INT in the same game. In 1988, Todd Bell, Seth Joyner and Terry Hoage each had their first lifetime postseason interceptions off Mike Tomczak in the Fog Bowl, the Bears’ 20-12 conference semifinal win at Soldier Field.
1C. Baun’s interception was the first in the postseason by an Eagles linebacker since DeMeco Ryans picked off Drew Brees in the 2013 wild-card game at the Linc.
2. The surprising Jalen numbers
2A. It might not have been Jalen Hurts’ most efficient game. At one point, he threw seven consecutive incomplete passes over five series. But he still finished with a 111.4 passer rating with two touchdowns and no interceptions. His fourth career postseason game with a passer rating of 100 or higher is 3rd-most ever by a quarterback before his 27th birthday, trailing only Patrick Mahomes (7) and Russell Wilson (5). It also ties Nick Foles for most in Eagles history.
2B. Hurts has had five straight postseason games with 20 or more pass attempts and no interceptions. That’s tied for the 2nd-longest streak ever, one game behind Patrick Mahomes’ six-game streak over the 2022 and 2023 seasons. Joe Montana, Matt Ryan, Drew Brees and Joe Flacco also have five-game streaks. His streak of three straight postseason games with a passer rating of 100 or higher is tied for 7th-longest streak ever. Montana holds the record with eight.
2C. With 21 passes and no interceptions, Jalen Hurts extended his streak of postseason pass attempts without an INT to 158. That’s the 7th-longest streak in NFL history but only six passes short of the 4th-longest streak. Hurts has thrown two interceptions in 186 career pass attempts, and both were in his first playoff game – in Tampa after the 2021 season. His average of one INT every 93 passes is 8th-best in NFL history (minimum 100 attempts). In 12 games since Week 4, Hurts has thrown one interception in 259 pass attempts.
215 … Drew Brees [Saints], 2006-2011
195 … Joe Flacco [Ravens], 2011-2014
178 … Patrick Mahones [Chiefs], 2021-2023
163 … Jared Goff [Rams, Lions], 2019-date
163 … Tom Brady [Patriots], 2001-2003
163 … Peyton Manning [Broncos], 2013-2015
158 … Jalen Hurts [Eagles], 2021-date
157 … Patrick Mahomes [Chiefs], 2018-2019
156 … Neil O’Donnell [Steelers], 1992-1995
155 … Josh Allen [Bills], 2019-2020
3. The Saquon Section
3A. Saquon Barkley’s 119 rushing yards are the most by an Eagle in the postseason since Brian Westbrook had 141 against the Giants in the 2006 wild-card game at the Linc. The only other higher rushing totals in Eagles history are Steve Van Buren’s 196 yards in the 1949 NFL Championship Game vs. the Rams and Wilbert Montgomery’s 194 yards against the Cowboys in the 1980 NFC Championship Game. At 27 years, 338 days, Barkley is the Eagles’ oldest 100-yard rusher in a playoff game since Van Buren in 1949.
3B. With 2,005 rushing yards during the regular season and 119 on Sunday, Barkley now has 2,124 combined rushing yards this year, 5th-most in NFL history behind Terrell Davis in 1998 (2,476) and 1997 (2,331), Eric Dickerson in 1984 (2,212) and Adrian Peterson in 2012 (2,196). Derrick Henry is at 2,107 going into the Ravens’ game Sunday against the Bills. That’s 9th-most all-time.
4. A record-setting day for Dallas Goedert
With four catches, Dallas Goedert increased his career postseason total to a franchise-record 39, one more than Chad Lewis. Goedert’s 39 catches are 2nd-most among active tight ends, just behind Travis Kelce, who has 165. Goedert’s 39 catches are 13th-most all-time by a tight end in the postseason, one more than former teammate Zach Ertz. Goedert needs six more catches to enter the all-time top-10. Goedert’s four postseason touchdowns are two shy of the Eagles record of six, held by Hall of Famer Harold Carmichael.
5. Quickest one ever
Hurts’ touchdown pass to Jahan Dotson just 1:39 into the game was the Eagles’ quickest touchdown ever in the postseason. The previous fastest was Nick Foles’ 37-yard touchdown pass to Jordan Matthews 4:11 into the Eagles’ conference semifinal game against the Saints at the Superdome in 2018.
6. DeVonta Smith closes in on record
With 55 receiving yards, DeVonta Smith increased his career postseason total to 460 yards, just five shy of Harold Carmichael’s franchise record of 465. Smith and Mike Evans are the only active players to average 75 yards per game and 14.8 yards per catch (minimum five games).
7. The turnover Oren Burks forced that Jeremiah Trotter Jr. recovered on the game’s opening kickoff was the Eagles’ first postseason special teams takeaway since that 2001 Bears game in Chicago. In the fourth quarter, with the Eagles leading 23-17, David Akers kicked off to Autrey Denson, who fielded the ball at the Bears’ 19-yard-line and returned it 19 yards. Tim Hauck tackled him at the 34, forcing a fumble that Quintin Caver recovered, setting up a field goal that gave the Eagles a two-possession lead on the way to a 33-19 win.
8. A Jake Elliott stat that might shock you
Although he missed a PAT, Jake Elliott made all three of his field goal attempts against the Packers and improved to 19-for-19 in his career in the postseason. That’s tied for the 2nd-most attempts in NFL history without a miss in the playoffs. Robbie Gould was 29-for-29 with the Bears, Giants and 49ers from 2006 through 2022. Evan McPherson of the Bengals is also 19-for-19.
9. Nolan Smith joins elite company
Nolan Smith is only the fifth Eagle with two sacks in a playoff game, following Hugh Douglas vs. the Bucs in 2000, Derrick Burgess vs. the Falcons in 2004, Darwin Walker vs. the Saints in 2006 and Haason Reddick vs. the 49ers in 2022. Smith is the youngest of the bunch. Smith had half a sack in the playoff loss to the Bucs last year, and with his 2 ½ career postseason sacks he’s already tied for seventh in Eagles history.
10. The Packers’ worst ever
Jordan Love’s 41.5 passer rating was lowest ever by a Packers quarterback in a postseason game. The previous low was a 51.2 by Irv Comp in a 14-7 win over the Giants at the Polo Grounds in 1944. Comp was 3-for-10 for 73 yards with one touchdown pass and three interceptions. It’s lowest against the Eagles since Eli Manning had a 40.7 in the Eagles’ 23-11 win at Giants Stadium in 2008. Manning was 15-for-29 for 169 yards with no TDs and two interceptions (Quintin Mikell, Asante Samuel).
Tune in to the next Mission 59 special on NBC Sports Philadelphia this Wednesday, presented by Toyota.