By STEPHEN WHYNO AP Sports Writer
LANDOVER, Md. (AP) — Jalen Hurts threw for four touchdowns while gutting through a knee injury, A.J. Brown had 130 yards receiving and the Philadelphia Eagles beat the Washington Commanders 38-31 Sunday to improve to 7-1 this season.
Hurts was noticeably limping and reluctant to run because of his gimpy left knee, but that didn’t stop him from completing 29 of 38 passes for 319 yards and the TD passes to Brown twice, DeVonta Smith and Julio Jones. Before kneeling twice to end the game, his 7 yards rushing on two attempts were Hurts’ fewest since Dec. 26, 2021.
One of those rushes was a “Tush Push” attempt when Hurts fumbled at the Washington 1-yard line, one of two Philadelphia turnovers inside the 5. Kenneth Gainwell lost a fumble at the 4 in the first half.
With not much going on the ground, Hurts had plenty of options passing, starting with Brown, who became the first player in NFL history with 125-plus yards receiving in six consecutive games. Brown made a terrific one-handed grab on his first touchdown and caught the ball through double coverage on his second.
After allowing Sam Howell to complete 24 passes in the first half, Philadelphia’s defense responded down the stretch. Reed Blankenship intercepted Howell in the fourth quarter, and Haason Reddick sacked him with just over two minutes left — the Eagles’ first of the game — to set the stage for D’Andre Swift’s TD run.
Washington (3-5) lost for a fifth time in six games despite Howell throwing for a career-high 397 yards and four TDs behind a revamped offensive line. Coach Ron Rivera did not challenge a key fourth-down catch by Smith in the third quarter that replays showed should have been incomplete, and top receiver Terry McLaurin had consecutive drops that led to a turnover on downs late.
RECORD KICK
Joey Slye’s 61-yard field goal for Washington late in the first half was the longest in franchise history and of his career. It came after a false start penalty on lineman Chris Paul pushed Washington back 5 yards.
INJURIES
Eagles: Rookie DT Jalen Carter left in the third quarter with a back injury. … TE Grant Calcaterra was concussed in the first half. … CB Bradley Roby missed a second consecutive game with a shoulder injury.
Commanders: WR Curtis Samuel injured a toe in the second half. … Rookie OL Ricky Stromberg injured his right knee midway through the first quarter on Washington’s first extra-point attempt and was quickly declared out.
UP NEXT
Eagles: Host the Dallas Cowboys next Sunday.
Commanders: Visit the New England Patriots next Sunday.
