Eagles inspire with goal line stand, return of star receivers with 20:16 win against Braune

PHILADELPHIA – The Eagles walked away from their bye with the same nagging problems as they began.

They still can't score in the first quarter. Their discipline is shaky, there were two false starts in one pass, and their offense is still far too inconsistent.

Still, the Eagles shrugged it off and earned a hard-fought 20-16 victory over the visiting Cleveland Browns at Lincoln Financial Field on Sunday.

“Definitely there are still points left, but you can complain about a win, or you can play the way we played and win and kind of feel good because you know you can do a lot better.” said DeVonta Smith. “We know we missed a lot, but a win says a lot.”

AJ Brown added: “Everyone wants a game of perfection, but they also get paid for it. “They will try to stop us. That's why I'm not worried about it. You make adjustments and go. Most importantly, you learn. We got the win.”

The Eagles were buoyed by the return of their superstar receivers Smith and Brown after Smith missed the previous game with a concussion and Brown missed three straight games after the season opener in Brazil with a hamstring injury.

It was Brown's catch of a long throw with 1:49 left that sealed the victory, bringing the Eagles to 3-2. Next up were two more road games – next week against the Giants, followed by the Bengals.

He had a 22-yard touchdown catch and Smith had a 45-yard TD catch.

The Eagles defense stepped up with a strong goal line, handing the Browns their fourth straight loss and a 1-5 record. They still haven't scored more than 18 points in a game this season.

It was far from a masterstroke for the home team, but it was a win.

TURNING POINT

Goal line score. The Eagles were on the ropes late in the fourth quarter when the Browns reached their 8-yard line on a first-and-goal. The process from then on looked like this:

1 score at 8: Cooper DeJean made a nice tackle after three yards.

2-goals at 5: Nolan Smith sharply tackles Deshaun Watson after a two-yard gain.

3 goals at 3: Brown's movement penalty.

3-goals at 8: CJ Gardner Johnson had a nice pass breakup on a quick shot to tight end David Njoku.

4 goals at 8: Browns movement penalty.

4-Goal at 13: Field goal from 31 yards, 3:54 minutes before the end of the game. Cleveland didn't see the ball again.

PIECES

AJ Brown and DeVonta Smith. Brown collected 116 yards on six catches, including the game-ending and 22-yard touchdown. Smith had a 45-yard TD catch that gave Philly a 20-13 lead with 7:54 left in the fourth quarter. It was the sixth touchdown catch of his career from over 45 yards. He finished with 64 yards on three receptions.

Jalen hurts. The quarterback started 0-5 but finished the game 16-25 with 264 yards. He threw two touchdowns and finished the season with a passer rating of 126.1, his highest of the season. More importantly, it was his first game without a turnover since November 20, 2023, in a 21-17 win over the Kansas City Chiefs.

Grant Calcaterra. After Dallas Goedert left early due to a thigh injury, he moved into a more important role. The backup tight end had several key catches and finished the game with four grabs for 67 yards, both career highs.

“The defense probably isn't too worried about Grant, but Grant does a great job every day and he's a great teammate, too,” Brown said. “We have a lot of confidence in him and he had a great day and I’m proud of him.”

Cooper DeJean. The rookie started his career for the first time and showed a good performance. He made six tackles and hit four punts for 51 yards (12.8 average).

Nakobe Dean. Sure, he missed a tackle or two, but he ended up making 12 of them and leading the team.

Bryce Huff. It was a small step, but the maligned pass rusher eventually managed to get a sack. OK, he shared it with Cooper DeJean. Oh, and he had two tackles.

Jake Elliott. The kicker had a 57-yard field goal blocked but blamed the coaches for putting him in that position. He made two game-winning kicks, one from 49 yards, to open the 3-0 victory, and a 44-yarder late in the third quarter gave the team a 13-10 lead.

Tush push. The game was successful all four times in four attempts in the first half.

Idiots

-Problems in the first quarter. The Eagles still didn't score a point in the first quarter. You would think that they would have had a crisper start, but you would be wrong. They scored a three-pointer on their first possession and scored again on their second possession. That's five games in a row without a point in the first 15 minutes of games this season.

Saquon Barkley. The running back failed to convert a second-one reception and ran out of bounds before reaching the first-down marker. The miss led to a sack on the next play by Jalen Hurts and then a blocked field goal that led to Rodney McLeod's 50-yard scoop-and-score that tied the game at 10 with 14 seconds left before halftime. Barkley had a very uncharacteristic 47 yards on 18 carries and just two catches for seven yards.

INJURIES

-Tight end Dallas Goedert (hamstring), who was listed as questionable early in the first quarter, did not return.

-Cornerback Darius Slay (knee) left early in the third quarter and was replaced by Isaiah Rodgers. Slay did not return.

– Left tackle Jordan Mailata (hamstring) left the game with 9:30 remaining, unable to put much weight on his left leg. He did not return and was replaced by Fred Johnson.

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