Commanders end sloppy Eagles’ perfect season 32-21
PHILADELPHIA — Brandon Graham took a knee at midfield as most of his Eagles teammates trudged off the field in stunned disbelief that their undefeated season had been wiped out.
An Eagles team that romped toward the first 8-0 start in franchise history played with uncharacteristic sloppiness, failed to hit on the game-breaking plays that had defined their season, and had every flaw exposed in quite an imperfect performance.
The Washington Commanders turned methodical drives into scores and took advantage of turnover-prone Philadelphia, stunning the Eagles 32-21 on Monday night and sending them to their first loss in nine games this season.
Behind Jalen Hurts, the Eagles were 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.
“I was just trying to make a play. I know I didn’t get touched and I knew I had left him behind, so I just wanted to get up and get some extra yards,” Watkins said.
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,” Graham said.
The defensive end was flagged for a late unnecessary roughness call on QB Taylor Heinicke that extended Washington’s game-ending 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,” Graham said.
NFL referee Alex Kemp told a pool reporter Graham was penalized because Heinicke “had clearly given himself up.”
“Therefore, he is down and a defenseless player. The contact by Philadelphia No. 55 was not only late, but also to the head and neck area,” Kemp said.
Graham wasn’t alone in making miscues that cost the Birds.
A.J Brown had a catch knock off his hands and turn into an interception. And, Dallas Goedert fumbled in the fourth quarter when linebacker Jamin Davis grabbed the tight end by the facemask — but no penalty was called.