FIGHT TO THE FINISH
BIRDS BOUNCE BACK, TAKE DOWN 49ERS
SANTA CLARA, CALIF. » Carson Wentz hit Travis Fulgham on a 42-yard touchdown pass with 5:50 remaining to lift the Philadelphia Eagles to their first win of the season, 25
20 over the San Francisco
49ers on Sunday night. With the Eagles (1-2-1) missing their top three receivers and No. 2 tight end Dallas Goedert, the littleknown Fulgham delivered the play of the game for Philadelphia.
The Eagles were backed up with a second-and-18 from the 42 after Jalen Hurts botched a shotgun snap. But Fulgham got past backup cornerback Dontae Johnson and Wentz delivered a perfectly placed pass for the score that gave Philadelphia an 18-14 lead.
Nick Mullens then threw an interception that Alex Singleton returned for a TD on the next drive for the
49ers (2-2), who were sent to their second loss in as many home games.
Mullens committed three turnovers, including losing a fumble on a strip sack by Cre’Von LeBlanc that Malik Jackson recovered to set up the go-ahead score.
Mullens went 18 for
26 for 200 yards and one touchdown before being replaced by C.J. Beathard following his third giveaway.
Beathard led a late TD drive and got the Niners to the Eagles 33 before his desperation heave fell incomplete in the end zone on the final play.
The Niners are expected to get starter Jimmy Garoppolo back next week from an ankle injury that has sidelined him for two games.
Rookie Brandon Aiyuk hurdled his way to a 38yard touchdown run on a lateral from Mullens, and George Kittle had a career-high 15 catches for 183 yards and a score to lead the Niners.
Wentz came into the week with the lowest passer rating and most turnovers in the NFL. But he ran for an 11-yard TD and threw for 193 yards and a score to move the Eagles into first place in the hapless NFC East with their first win of the season.
TAKE IT AWAY
The Eagles got their first defensive takeaway of the season thanks to a poor decision by Mullens. With the Niners in the red zone, Mullens threw a ball up for grabs while under pressure and Rodney McLeod came up with it. They added two more in the fourth quarter. Philadelphia’s only takeaway coming into the game came on special teams.
SLOPPY PLAY
Wentz threw his NFLworst seventh interception on Philadelphia’s second drive of the game. His pass was deflected by Javon Kinlaw and picked off by Azeez Al-Shaair. The seven interceptions equal Wentz’s total in each of the past three seasons and are his most since he had 14 as a rookie in 2016. The last Eagles quarterback with at least seven picks in the first
four games was Ron Jaworski in 1982.
INJURY REPORT
Eagles: RT Lane Johnson left the game in the first
half with an ankle injury but later returned. ... LB T.J. Edwards and S Ruby Ford both left the game in the first half with hamstring injuries and didn’t return.