This was a great road win. The Eagles came up big when it mattered most and put together their best wall-to-wall win of the season on Sunday at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, beating the Vikings 28-22 with a big-play passing game, a defense that produced a touchdown and five stops in the red zone, and a special teams that did the job as Philadelphia ended a two-game losing streak and upped its record to 5-2.

"We found ways to play good ball and we made big-time plays when we needed to," said quarterback Jalen Hurts, who had just the third perfect game (158.3 passer rating) in Eagles history. "The defense played a helluva game – getting a touchdown is big – and for us as a team we were able to capitalize on opportunities. We still have a lot to clean up but we didn't put ourselves behind the sticks, we had some runs when we needed them, and came away with the win."

Here are some observations about a gutty, terrific win over a tough Vikings team ...

1. QB Jalen Hurts at his very best

Let's begin with the performance by quarterback Jalen Hurts. He faced pressure from the Brian Flores blitz packages and Hurts handled things well. He was cool when there was pressure and he was money when he had an opportunity to throw the football down the field. Hurts' numbers were terrific: 19-of-23 for 326 yards – his first 300-yard passing game of the season – 3 touchdowns and a perfect passer rating of 158.3. The only other quarterbacks in Eagles history with a perfect passer rating? Donovan McNabb in 2007 vs. Lions and Nick Foles in 2013 at Raiders. Hurts averaged 14.2 yards per passing attempt. The idea that the Eagles can't throw the football? Nonsense. Hurts did it mostly to his wide receivers – Brown and Smith combined for 13 receptions, 304 yards, and three touchdowns. Both Brown and Smith had more than 100 receiving yards, the third time that's happened and in each of those games the Eagles have won. The Eagles are now 13-0, according to the FOX broadcast, when Brown and Smith each score a touchdown in the same game. Great stuff.

2. What an opening drive!

The Eagles took the opening kickoff and it was perfect: 12 plays, 75 yards, and 8:01 off the clock. Hurts was perfect on all three of his passes, including a 37-yard touchdown strike to wide receiver A.J. Brown – great protection as Brown untangled from linebacker Josh Metellus and moved down the left sideline as Hurts led Brown perfectly for the catch and the score to convert a fourth-and-1 play. The Eagles were able to convert twice on the drive on fourth down – one on a Tush Push (presented by DUDE Wipes) and again on the touchdown play. Great drive all around.

3. A pick-six for Jalyx Hunt!!!

This is how you play defense: On Minnesota's third drive, early second quarter, defensive tackle Jalen Carter destroyed Minnesota center Blake Brandel and leveled quarterback Carson Wentz just as Wentz threw a pass over the middle to wide receiver Justin Jefferson. However, outside linebacker Jalyx Hunt, lined up at left edge, dropped into coverage and intercepted Wentz's pass and returned it 42 yards into the end zone for a touchdown and, after Jake Elliott's PAT, the Eagles led 14-3 early in the second quarter.

4. Eagles defense: 5 stops in the red zone

The Eagles had five stops in the red zone. Amazing. No doubt coordinator Vic Fangio will harp on some 'X' plays allowed, but in the second quarter, the Eagles held Minnesota to a field goal after the Vikings had three plays with 1 yard to gain for the first down inside the 10-yard line. It was a critical stop for the Eagles, who added to it early in the third quarter with a hold after a big kickoff return set up the Vikings in Eagles territory. Then Moro Ojomo sacked Wentz on third down early in the fourth quarter to force a field goal and preserve an Eagles lead – 21-19 at the time. Then, late in the fourth quarter, the Eagles held again in the red zone, forcing another field goal and keeping the lead at six points. Five red-zone stops – one early in the game when a poor snap ended a Vikings drive and forced a 59-yard field goal – ended up meaning a whole bunch in this one.

5. DeVonta Smith has the game of the season

DeVonta Smith ran a double move on cornerback Isaiah Rodgers, looked over his right shoulder and hauled in Hurts' perfect throw, kept going as Rodgers tried to bring Smith down by pawing at the back of his jersey and ran into the end zone for a 79-yard touchdown – a career-long catch for Smith – to put the Eagles ahead 21-9 after the Jake Elliott PAT with 8:07 remaining in the third quarter. Minnesota had only given up three completions of 20-plus yards all season and Hurts hit them with two of them – the touchdown passes to Brown and Smith – in this game.

Smith finished with 9 catches for 183 yards and the touchdown on 11 targets – a career high in yardage for Smith and the most for anyone in the NFL this season. Smith was unstoppable and Hurts did a magnificent job getting the football to him.

6. A.J. Brown wasn't bad, either!

The 37-yard catch and run for a touchdown was already discussed. Huge play. And he came up big in the fourth quarter, catching a pass to convert a third-and-13 situation with the Eagles leading 21-19. Hurts rolled right and threw on the run and Brown made the catch coming back to the football and keeping the drive alive. Brown capped the drive with a 26-yard touchdown pass to give the Eagles, after the PAT, a 28-19 lead halfway through the fourth quarter.

And then, the closer: On third-and-9 with under two minutes left, Brown runs a slant and go against Rodgers and Hurts lofts a pass to him on the left sideline for a catch and run and gain of 45 yards to the Minnesota 11-yard line. Boom.

7. Let's talk depth, shall we?

The Eagles were and are banged up. But they went deep into their reserve group and players stepped up. Let's give a hand to Brett Toth for replacing Cam Jurgens at center, Kelee Ringo for replacing Adoree' Jackson at cornerback, Patrick Johnson for good reps at edge in place of Azeez Ojulari. Ojomo also went out late in the game. Jeremiah Trotter, Jr. left the game so the Eagles had players step for him on special teams. It may not have been discussed much, but that part of the win has to be recognized.

8. Good discipline makes a difference, too

Big game. Big moment. Eagles on the road in a hostile environment. And what happens? The Eagles don't flinch, they tackled extremely well, and limited wide receiver Justin Jefferson to five receptions for 79 yards. This is a superstar wide receiver and, yes, Jordan Addison had nine catches for 142 yards and a touchdown, but to hold Jefferson is huge. Tight end T.J. Hockenson had only six catches and 43 yards. The defense had some pressure in addition to a pair of sacks – Joshua Uche came up huge on Minnesota's last drive for his first sack as an Eagle.

And, look, when you are facing a blitz like this and you lose your starting center and the quarterback has a perfect game – give some big-time credit to the offensive line (and Fred Johnson, who was used eight times as a sixth OL) and the running backs protecting Hurts.

9. Two takeaways again a statistic to believe

It is something to talk about every single week and this one reinforces the importance: The Eagles took the football away twice – one the pick-six from Hunt – and did not turn the football over. Absolutely huge.

And how about the Red Zone: The Eagles kicked a field goal in their lone Red Zone visit, but the defense stuffed Minnesota – one touchdown in six trips.

10. Xavier Gipson chips in in his Eagles debut

Xavier Gipson returned the final kickoff to the Philadelphia 43-yard line to set the Eagles up in the final 1:52, and that was really important. With A.J. Dillon inactive and Tank Bigsby getting a couple of touches in the offense, Gipson averaged 25.6 yards and Will Shipley averaged 29 yards on kickoff returns as the kickoff return team did its job for the most part. There are still things to clean up, but this was a big step forward for the return teams.