Thursday Night Preview: Philadelphia Eagles (7-0) at Houston Texans (1-5-1)
Week 9 of the 2022 NFL season gets underway on Thursday, November 3 (8:15 PM ET, Prime Video) as the Philadelphia Eagles (7-0) visit the Houston Texans (1-5-1). Philadelphia has won all five previous meetings between the two clubs. The Eagles look to begin a season 8-0 for the first time in franchise history and have a league-low two giveaways this year, becoming the second team in the Super Bowl era with two-or-fewer giveaways through their first seven games of a season, joining the 2017 Kansas City Chiefs (one giveaway).
Philadelphia quarterback JALEN HURTS has won 10 consecutive starts, including his final three starts of the 2021 season, the longest such streak by a quarterback in Eagles franchise history. Last week, he set career highs in touchdown passes (four) and passer rating (140.6) in the team’s 35-13 win over Pittsburgh. Entering Week 9, Hurts leads all NFC quarterbacks in combined passing and rushing yards per game (300.3) and is one of three NFC quarterbacks (JIMMY GAROPPOLO and GENO SMITH) with a passer rating of 100-or-higher (105.1). The Eagles lead the NFL with 14 rushing touchdowns this season, including six from Hurts and five from running back MILES SANDERS. They are the only pair of teammates each with at least five rushing touchdowns this season. Sanders has four rushing touchdowns in his past four and aims for his third in a row overall with a rushing touchdown.
Wide receiver A.J. BROWN registered six receptions for 156 yards and three touchdowns last week. Each of his three touchdown receptions came in the first half and at 39, 27 and 29 yards, he became the first player since DREW BENNETT (December 5, 2004) with three touchdown receptions of 25-or-more yards in the first half of a game. Since 2019, Brown has six games with at least 150 receiving yards, tied with JUSTIN JEFFERSON for the second-most in the NFL. Brown (39 receptions for 659 yards this season), wide receiver DEVONTA SMITH (38 receptions for 420 yards) and tight end DALLAS GOEDERT (32 receptions for 421 yards) are the only trio of teammates in 2022 each with at least 30 receptions and 400 receiving yards.
Philadelphia enters Week 9 ranked second in the NFC in scoring defense (16.9 points per game allowed) and total defense (298.1 yards per game allowed). Linebacker HAASON REDDICK has recorded 5.5 sacks in his past five and had 1.5 sacks in his last game against the Texans (September 23, 2021, with Carolina on Thursday Night Football). Safety C.J. GARDNER-JOHNSON recorded his career-high fourth interception of the season last week as the Eagles rank tied for second in the league with 10 interceptions as a team this season. Cornerback JAMES BRADBERRY has recorded at least one pass defensed in each of the team’s first seven games this season and is the only player in the NFL with at least 10 passes defensed in each of the past seven seasons. Bradberry and cornerback DARIUS SLAY are tied for first in passed defensed since 2016 (92 each).
Houston quarterback DAVIS MILLS is slated to make his 10th career home start. In his first nine home starts, he has recorded 17 touchdown passes against four interceptions for a 104.7 rating. Since 2021, he is one of three AFC quarterbacks (JOE BURROW and TUA TAGOVAILOA) with a home passer rating of 100-or-higher (minimum five starts). Rookie running back DAMEON PIERCE registered his first career touchdown reception last week and has a touchdown in four of his past five games. He leads all rookies with four games with 100-or-more scrimmage yards and aims for his seventh in a row with at least 50 scrimmage yards. Wide receiver BRANDIN COOKS has at least four receptions in six of his first seven games this season. He aims for his third in a row against Philadelphia with at least 50 receiving yards and third in a row on Thursday with at least 85 receiving yards.
Defensive lineman JERRY HUGHES leads the Texans with five sacks this season, his sixth-career season with at least five sacks. Linebacker CHRISTIAN KIRKSEY has at least five tackles in each of his first seven games in 2022 and aims for his third in a row on Thursday Night Football with at least 10 tackles. Rookie defensive back JALEN PITRE has at least five tackles in six of his first seven career games and aims for his third in a row at home with a tackle for loss. Defensive back JONATHAN OWENS leads all defensive backs with four games with at least 10 tackles this season.
Prime Video will stream 15 Thursday Night Football games this season (Weeks 2-17, excluding Thanksgiving). The game will feature Al Michaels, Kirk Herbstreit and Kaylee Hartung on the call.
