Jalen Hurts answered any questions about his health with a perfect two-touchdown first quarter as the Philadelphia Eagles outclassed the New York Giants 38-7 in Saturday's NFC Divisional Round game.
The NFC top seeded Eagles opened up a 28-0 halftime lead and never looked threatened by the Giants, who they beat twice during the regular season, at Lincoln Financial Field.
The win means the Eagles progress to the NFC Championship Game for the first time since 2017 when they won Super Bowl LII.
Eagles QB Hurts, who missed two late regular-season games with a shoulder injury on his throwing arm, threw touchdowns for Dallas Goedert and DeVonta Smith in the first quarter.
Hurts went seven-of-seven for 89 yards in a stunning opening period, where Haason Reddick had sacks on back-to-back plays, forcing a turnover on downs, while ex-Giants cornerback James Bradberry intercepted Daniel Jones' pass.
Midway through the second, running back Boston Scott maintained his remarkable record against the Giants, scoring his 11th of 19 career touchdowns against them.
Hurts, who made 760 yards from 165 rushes during the regular season, got in on the act with a running TD before halftime.
Giants running back Matt Breida ran in a third-quarter TD, before Kenneth Gainwell brought up 100 rushing yards in style in the fourth quarter, with the Eagles' fifth touchdown. Gainwell had 112 yards on 12 carries, while Miles Sanders added 90 yards on 17 carries, with the Eagles totaling 268 rushing yards for the game.
Hurts completed 16 of 24 passes for 154 yards while rushing nine times for 34 yards, while opposition counterpart Jones threw 15 of 27 attempts for 135 yards with no TDs and one interception. Saquon Barkley was restricted to only 61 yards on nine carries.
Vikings plan to release Pro Bowl RB Cook
Dalvin Cook's run with the Minnesota Vikings appears to be over, as NFL.com reports the team intends to release the four-time Pro Bowl running back after six seasons.
The Vikings plan to make the move official on Friday while they make a last-ditch attempt to find a trade partner for Cook, who is slated to count $14.1 million against the salary cap this season. Releasing the 27-year-old will save Minnesota $9 million.
Cook should have no shortage of suitors once on the open market after putting together another productive season in 2022. The Florida State product rushed for 1,173 yards and eight touchdowns while playing in all 17 regular-season games, and added 295 yards and two touchdowns on 39 receptions.
A second-round pick of Minnesota in 2017, Cook is one of two players to record 1,000 or more rushing yards in each of the last four seasons, along with Cleveland Browns standout Nick Chubb. Cook's 5,024 rushing yards since 2019 are the third most in the league behind Chubb (5,345) and Tennessee Titans star Derrick Henry (6,042).
Cook's 5,993 career rushing yards are also the third most among Vikings players behind Adrian Peterson and Robert Smith, the only two other players in franchise history with four consecutive 1,000-yard rushing seasons.
Alexander Mattison, who served as Cook's backup in each of the last four seasons, is expected to take over as the Vikings' No. 1 back after re-signing with the team in March on a two-year, $7 million deal. Minnesota also added UAB's DeWayne McBride in the seventh round of this year's draft.
Bills sign veteran pass-rusher Leonard Floyd to one-year deal
The Buffalo Bills have upgraded their pass rush, agreeing to a one-year deal with veteran outside linebacker Leonard Floyd.
Ian Rapoport of NFL Network was the first to report the agreement on Monday.
Drafted with the ninth overall pick by the Chicago Bears in 2016, the 30-year-old Floyd is entering his eighth NFL season after spending the last three with the Los Angeles Rams following his first four years with the Bears.
He won a Super Bowl with the Rams two years ago while playing on the opposite side of the defense as Von Miller, who he'll be reunited with in Buffalo.
The Bills were tied for 14th in the NFL in sacks last season with 40, but their production dipped after Miller tore the ACL in his right knee in November and missed the rest of the season.
Following Miller's injury, Buffalo had two or fewer sacks in five of their final seven games.
Floyd had nine sacks while playing in all 17 games last season and has 47 1/2 sacks in his career.
Since the start of the 2020 season, his 29 sacks rank 10th in the league.
The Bills have lost in the divisional round of the playoffs each of the last two seasons, and hope the addition of Floyd will help them get back to the Super Bowl for the first time since the 1993 season.
Buffalo opens the 2023 season with a highly anticipated Monday night showdown against Aaron Rodgers and the New York Jets on September 11, and Miller is optimistic he'll be able to play.
Bills agree to terms with OLB Leonard Floyd on a 1-year deal. (via @rapsheet) pic.twitter.com/4NKBxj1Lcr
— NFL (@NFL) June 5, 2023
Milan 3-1 Hellas Verona: Leao double condemns visitors to Serie A relegation play-off
Milan signed off the Serie A season with a 3-1 victory as Rafael Leao's double condemned Hellas Verona to a relegation play-off with Spezia.
The Rossoneri wrapped up a frustrating campaign on a winning note at San Siro, with a late Leao brace enough to seal three points.
Milan had already secured Champions League football for another term but struggled at times against the visitors, who cancelled out Olivier Giroud's first-half penalty through Marco Faraoni's 72nd-minute strike.
Yet Leao struck in the 85th minute and again seven minutes later, leaving Verona to face a relegation decider with Spezia, who succumbed to a late 2-1 loss at Roma.
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