usatsi-15148724-168392141-lowres.jpg
USA Today Images

Doug Pederson angered plenty of Philadelphia Eagles fans throughout the 2020 NFL season, but on Sunday night, for his closing act of the year, he welcomed fury from elsewhere in the NFC East. With the rival New York Giants needing the Eagles to beat the Washington Football Team in order to clinch a division title and playoff spot, the former Super Bowl-winning head coach elicited all kinds of fury from New Jersey when he pulled quarterback Jalen Hurts early in the fourth quarter of Sunday's contest.

It's unclear whether Pederson benched Hurts for third-stringer Nate Sudfeld because of the former's struggles (Hurts finished just 7-of-20 passing for 72 yards and an interception), or simply to "tank" the game for a shot at a higher draft pick in 2021. But if the latter was his intention, it quickly looked like a brilliant move, with Sudfeld almost immediately gifting Washington two takeaways in his first series in place of Hurts. And it also sent shockwaves through the Giants organization and fan base, which watched as NFC East title hopes dwindled thanks to Washington's simpler path to victory:

Want inside access into this unprecedented NFL season? Download and subscribe to All Things Covered with Patrick Peterson and Bryant McFadden for a player's perspective including thoughts on how Doug Pederson handled Week 17.