LANDOVER, Md. — — Walking gingerly back to the huddle after an early run, it was evident that Jalen Hurts was hindered by his injured left knee. Nevertheless, he powered through, leading the Philadelphia Eagles to another impressive victory.
Hurts showcased his resilience by throwing for 319 yards and four touchdowns, including two to A.J. Brown, as the defending NFC champions defeated the Washington Commanders 38-31 on Sunday. Despite their quarterback’s injury, the Eagles improved to 7-1 and solidified their position as Super Bowl contenders, staging a comeback from a double-digit deficit.
When asked about his knee, Hurts simply stated that he was “here.” Brown and coach Nick Sirianni refrained from providing details on the injury, but they commended Hurts for his gutsy performance, which was one of his best games of the season.
Sirianni expressed his admiration for Hurts, stating, “I know he’s tough, and I may not always know how he feels because he doesn’t vocalize it. But that’s the kind of quarterback and leader you want, and he played exceptionally well.”
Despite being less active on the ground, Hurts displayed his prowess as a passer by completing 29 of 38 passes, including touchdown throws to DeVonta Smith and Julio Jones. His rushing yards of 7 on two attempts were his lowest since December 26, 2021.
During one rushing attempt, known as a “Tush Push,” Hurts fumbled at the Washington 1-yard line, contributing to Philadelphia’s two turnovers inside the 5-yard line. Kenneth Gainwell also lost a fumble at the 4-yard line in the first half.
With limited success in the running game, Hurts relied on his passing options, particularly Brown, who made NFL history by recording 125-plus receiving yards in six consecutive games. Brown’s spectacular one-handed catch in the end zone mirrored a move he had executed during practice, prompting his teammates to respond, “I’m not surprised.”
After allowing Sam Howell to complete 24 passes in the first half, the Philadelphia defense tightened up in the second half. Reed Blankenship intercepted Howell in the fourth quarter, and Haason Reddick recorded the Eagles’ first sack of the game with just over two minutes remaining, setting the stage for D’Andre Swift’s touchdown run.
Despite Howell’s career-high 397 passing yards and four touchdowns behind a revamped offensive line, the Washington Commanders suffered their fifth loss in six games. Head coach Ron Rivera opted not to challenge a crucial fourth-down catch by Smith in the third quarter, despite replays suggesting it should have been ruled incomplete. Additionally, top receiver Terry McLaurin’s consecutive drops contributed to a turnover on downs late in the game.
Both Rivera and McLaurin took responsibility for their mistakes. McLaurin acknowledged, “Those are tough plays that I have to make. When you have a young quarterback, you have to find a way to make those plays, so I definitely own that and take accountability.”
Notably, Joey Slye of the Washington Commanders set a franchise record and achieved a personal milestone with his 61-yard field goal late in the first half. This remarkable feat was accomplished despite a false start penalty that pushed the team back 5 yards.
In terms of injuries, the Eagles saw rookie DT Jalen Carter exit the game in the third quarter due to a back injury, while TE Grant Calcaterra suffered a concussion in the first half. CB Bradley Roby missed his second consecutive game with a shoulder injury.
For the Commanders, WR Curtis Samuel injured his toe in the second half, and rookie OL Ricky Stromberg sustained a knee injury during the team’s first extra-point attempt and was quickly ruled out of the game.
Looking ahead, the Eagles are set to host the Dallas Cowboys next Sunday, while the Commanders will visit the New England Patriots on the same day.
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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
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