It’s a No-Brainer, Gardner Minshew Should Start in Dallas

PHILADELPHIA – Minshew Mania has been dormant for the past couple of years.

It blew up a couple of times last year, but, for the most part, it has blown itself out like a hurricane that loses strength after it makes landfall.

Gardner Minshew should be in the eye of the storm for Saturday’s game against the Cowboys.

The Eagles should let Jalen Hurts’ ailing throwing shoulder get the rest and treatment it needs and start Minshew in a game that means more for the 10-4 Cowboys than it does for the 13-1 Eagles.

READ MORE: Business as Usual For Hopeful Jalen Hurts as Eagles QB …

With three games left to play, the Eagles need to win only one more time to wrap up the NFC East and the No. 1 seed in the NFC playoffs. They may not even have to win all three. All they would need is another loss from the Cowboys and Vikings.

Now, you could go all 1964 Phillies all you want, but this lead would be hard to choke away.

Head coach Nick Sirianni wasn’t alive back then to witness that epic collapse, but that didn’t stop him from saying on Tuesday that he doesn’t want to take it for granted that his team will win at least one more game.

“We don’t take anything for granted,” he said. “We want to make sure that we go out there and take care of our business. We all know, we need to win one more game to make sure that we win the division. That’s your first goal that you want to do.

“We want to go out there and win this game, and if a guy is ready to play, then he’s ready to play. We’re never going to put the guy in a scenario where we’re going to be detrimental to him or set him back. So, it is all about if he’s ready to play.”

Sirianni talked about his QB’s “unbelievable toughness” and how he is an “unbelievable competitor,” and it’s all true, but why rush him back, why risk potentially injuring the shoulder further?

At this point of the season, this is about winning a Super Bowl now, not one more game.

Especially with a competent quarterback in Minshew, a running back in Miles Sanders who has rushed for 1,110 yards and 11 touchdowns, and a receiving duo in A.J. Brown (1,201 yards) and DeVonta Smith (901).

Especially with a defense that has been tremendous all season long, with 15 interceptions and 55 sacks, and especially now that tight end Dallas Goedert is back after the Eagles activated him from injured reserve on Tuesday.

Surely this team can find a way to carve out one more win without their MVP quarterback and remember, Minshew has 41 touchdowns and just 12 interceptions in 30 career games. 

He’s no slouch.

“Everybody’s got a lot of respect for Gardner,” said Goedert. “He came in here after he was in Jacksonville, you know, Minshew Mania. He kind of had that legend behind him. He came in here and didn’t disappoint. He’s been himself since the day he got in here. And he’s always been … he’s a little different in the best way possible, and I love that about him.

“He’s just got a lot of respect because he comes in here to work every day, prepares like the starter even though he knows he’s the backup. But he knows his role, and he just waits for his time for an opportunity like this, and we all have faith that he’s going to make the most of it.”

Minshew wasn’t at Tuesday’s walk-through practice. He was delivering the eulogy for his former head coach at Washington State, Mike Leach, in Mississippi.

He was emotional when talking about Leach last week after Leach passed away at 61, so it’s not hard to imagine him summoning the will to honor his former coach by helping beat the Cowboys and deliver the Eagles the East title and No. 1 seed.

Not only that, but Minshew is in the final year of his contract and it would behoove him to go out there and try to raise his stock for a new deal in a new city in the new year.

It’s a no-brainer, really, Minshew Mania should rise again.

READ MORE: The passing of Mike Leach Resonates with Gardner Minshew …

Ed Kracz is the publisher of SI.com’s Fan Nation Eagles Today and co-host of the Eagles Unfiltered Podcast. Check out the latest Eagles news at www.SI.com/NFL/Eagles or www.eaglesmaven.com and please follow him on Twitter: @kracze.

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