Philadelphia Eagles Commit Four Turnovers vs. New York Jets, Drop First Game of Season
The Philadelphia Eagles had barely kicked off on Sunday against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium before becoming the last undefeated team in the NFL following a loss by the San Francisco 49ers during the day's early window of games.
Philly's reign at the top didn't last long.
The Eagles (5-1) plummeted in the second half and dropped their first game of the season in a 20-14 loss to the Jets (3-3), who scored 17 unanswered points for the win. The victory also marked the Jets' first-ever win over the Eagles, as they had been 0-12 all-time against Philadelphia headed into Sunday.
An elite New York defense held the Eagles scoreless in the second half and forced four turnovers, three of which were interceptions from Philly quarterback Jalen Hurts. He finished 28 of 45 for 280 yards, one touchdown and the three picks.
Hurts' first two interceptions were the result of tipped passes, but his third was the most costly and fell on his shoulders. Up 14-12 with under two minutes left, he tossed a pass directly into the arms of Jets defensive back Tony Adams, who returned it to the goal line. On the next play, Jets running back Breece Hall ran it in from eight yards out to put New York in front for good.
Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (1) is tackled by New York Jets cornerback Bryce Hall (37) and safety Tony Adams (22) during the first quarter at MetLife Stadium.
© Brad Penner, USA TODAY
The loss overshadowed an impressive day from the Eagles' defense. Despite not forcing any takeaways, Philly held New York to four field goals and just 244 yards of total offense and 2 of 11 on third down. The Eagles sacked Jets quarterback Zach Wilson a season-high five times, but it didn't make a difference since Hurts and the offense couldn't get anything going in the second half.
The Eagles nearly had a chance to overcome the offensive inconsistency and four turnovers after getting the ball back with 1:46 left, but the Jets defense forced a four-and-out, as Philly never got a legit chance at a game-winning score.
While the Eagles offense had a forgettable day, it was another monster performance from receiver A.J. Brown, who finished with seven catches for 131 yards. He now has four straight games of 125 receiving yards or more, the longest active streak in the NFL.
Eagles running back D'Andre Swift had just 10 carries for 18 yards but added a team-high eight catches for 40 yards and a touchdown. His nine-yard touchdown grab in the second quarter put the Eagles up 14-3, but was ultimately the last score of the day for Philadelphia. Despite his big receiving day, Swift's fumble late in the second quarter resulted in a field goal for the Jets, which proved costly considering how the Philly offense stalled.
The Eagles will look to pick up the pieces and start a new winning streak in a huge Week 7 matchup at home against the Miami Dolphins.
