Oct 13, 2024
For the first time since early December, a span of 10 games, Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts didn’t turn the ball over Sunday. No interceptions. No fumbles. Instead, he had a 126.1 QB rating in a 20-16 win over the Cleveland Browns at the Linc. Hurts didn’t put up gaudy numbers at 16-for-25 for 264 yards and a pair of touchdowns, to A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith, but he was efficient enough, despite another slow start for the Eagles’ offense. “Just coming out here and playing clean, good to come off of a win, especially after all the work that we put in, all the conversation that I’ve had with everyone,” said Hurts, who stuck around during the bye week, studied film, and found what he described as “harmony” with head coach Nick Sirianni. “It’s good to win,” Hurts said. “That’s what it’s all about at the end of the day. We all come here, put in our time, our efforts, our energy. We spend so much time with one another, just to chase this common goal. And that’s team football. And I think today we played Eagles football. (We) have to clean up some things, the situation before the half, I think could have been avoided. But ultimately, we’re building and it’s always good to build off a win.” With 32 seconds left in the half, Cleveland linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah blew past Saquon Barkley to sack Hurts on a on a third-and-1. It led to the Browns’ Myles Garrett blocking a 57-yard field goal attempt by Jake Elliot, which former Eagle Rodney McLeod returned to the house. But, perhaps this enigma of an Eagles team truly is building. Certainly, it’s under construction. All the pieces seem to be there, but they haven’t been put together yet. Ironically, that Dec. 3 game when Hurts last didn’t turn the ball over, a 42-19 beatdown at home by the 49ers, was when the Eagles’ season began to fall apart last year. They went on to lose four more times in the final five games, limped into the playoffs, and got throttled by Tampa Bay 32-9 in the first round. Speaking of last year… Dec. 31 against Arizona, in the second-to-last week of the regular season, was the last time the Eagles (3-2) scored points in the first quarter. • • • The Eagles defense came to play, not allowing a touchdown, racking up five sacks and 10 quarterback hits while unleashing several blitzes — which coordinator Vic Fangio isn’t known for. It was a clear adjustment in Fangio’s approach against an offensive front that was ripe for the picking. The Birds didn’t gain any turnovers, but they kept Browns QB Deshaun Watson on the run. Rookie defensive back Cooper DeJean emerged in his first start, with six tackles and a partial sack. Linebacker Nakobe Dean led the Birds with 12 tackles, including seven solo. Zack Baun had eight and C.J. Gardner Johnson had six “I felt prepared going out there,” DeJean said. “The biggest thing, I just had to go play with confidence. I feel like I’d worked up to this moment, with all the help of the older guys and teammates around me. They’ve done a good job of making sure if I was in the game, I’d be ready. “There was a little bit of butterflies, a lot of excitement leading up to this,” he said. “But once you get out there and make that first hit, it all slows down for you.” • • • Unfortunately, there was some carnage for the Eagles. Left tackle Jordan Mailata suffered a hamstring injury in the fourth quarter and had to be carted off the field. He was on crutches after the game. Darius Slay hurt his knee early in the second half and had to be helped to the locker room. Isaiah Rodgers replaced him at cornerback, with Quinyon Mitchell on the other side. Tight end Dallas Goedert injured his hamstring in the first quarter after just one target and didn’t return. • • • NOTES >> Sirianni is 4-0 after bye weeks during the regular season. … Cleveland was just 3-for-12 on third downs. … The last time the Eagles had five sacks in a game was Nov. 5 of last year, a 28-23 home win against the Cowboys. … With his 44-yard field goal in the third quarter, Elliot became the third player in Eagles history to score 800 points, behind David Akers (1,323 points, 1999-2010) and Bobby Watson (881, 1951-1962).
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