NEW ORLEANS – Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts encountered a challenging game as he threw an interception and lost a fumble. The right side of the Eagles’ offensive line was further weakened when Pro Bowl tackle Lane Johnson exited the game with an injury in the first half. Adding to their woes, star wide receiver DeVonta Smith left in the fourth quarter with a potential concussion, while A.J. Brown was sidelined with a hamstring injury. Notably, cornerback Darius Slay also was out.
Despite these setbacks, the Eagles managed to keep their composure against a Saints team that previously scored 91 points in their first two games. The turning point came with Saquon Barkley, who scored a pivotal 65-yard touchdown run early in the fourth quarter, putting the Eagles on the scoreboard and giving them the lead.
Dallas Goedert played a significant role as well, making a 61-yard reception that brought the Eagles to the Saints’ 4-yard line. Barkley then added another touchdown and successfully converted a two-point play with just over a minute remaining, leading to an unexpected 15-12 victory for Philadelphia.
Barkley finished the game with 17 carries for 147 yards, while Hurts completed 29 of 38 passes for 311 yards despite the turnovers. Goedert achieved a career-high performance with 10 receptions for 170 yards.
On the defensive front, the Eagles managed to contain the Saints, who ranked as the highest-scoring team in the NFL, previously averaging 45.5 points per game. The game concluded dramatically with safety Reed Blankenship intercepting a pass from Derek Carr with 48 seconds left in regulation.
Carr completed 14 of 24 passes for 142 yards, and running back Alvin Kamara struggled, requiring 26 carries to gain 87 yards. The Eagles improved their record to 2-1, although the game was marred by Hurts’s ongoing turnover issues and injuries to key players.
The first half ended with the Saints leading 3-0 after they opened the game by moving down the field but settled for a field goal following a crucial stop by Jalen Carter. The Eagles squandered several scoring opportunities, including a fumble by Hurts and an interception in the end zone.
In the fourth quarter, the Eagles, despite the adversity, found their rhythm. After Barkley’s long run gave them a 7-3 lead, the Saints responded with a field goal before taking the lead back with Carr’s touchdown pass to Chris Olave. However, the Eagles mounted a final drive to secure their victory, largely thanks to the efforts of Goedert and Barkley.