Commanders end Eagles’ perfect season
PHILADELPHIA: With uncharacteristic sloppiness, the Philadelphia Eagles’ bid for an undefeated season is over.
The Washington Commanders turned methodical drives into scores and took advantage of turnover-prone Philadelphia, stunning the Eagles, 32-21, on Monday (Tuesday in Manila), and sending them to their first loss in nine games this season.
Behind Jalen Hurts, the Eagles were 8-0 for the first time in franchise history and the last team in the NFL that could make a run at Miami’s 17-0 mark in 1972 and the lone perfect season. The 2007 New England Patriots came close, going 18-0 before a Super Bowl loss.
“We started 8-0 together, we lost this game together, we’re going to move on together,” Eagles coach Nick Sirianni said.
The Eagles had their shot at perfection slip out of their hands.
Trailing at halftime for the first time this season, Hurts seemed to have one more big play left to pull out a victory. He connected on a deep ball to wide receiver Quez Watkins on a 51-yard reception late in the fourth quarter trailing 26-21. Watkins hit the ground, popped up and took off running, only to fumble the ball and give Washington possession.
That was it for the Eagles and their four turnovers, a bloated number for a team that had only three in the first eight games.
“Flush it and move on,” Eagles defensive end Brandon Graham said.
Graham was flagged for a late unnecessary roughness call on QB Taylor Heinicke that extended Washington’s drive.
“I was just trying to touch him down, because it just looked like he was going to get up. You just never know. But that’s on me. I own that one. That’s on me,” he said.
He wasn’t alone in making miscues that cost the Birds.