Jalen Hurts Leads Dramatic Fourth-Quarter Comeback as Philadelphia Improves to 2-0
The Philadelphia Eagles escaped Nashville with one of the most dramatic wins of Week 2, rallying to defeat the Tennessee Titans 24-20 on Sunday.
Trailing 20-17 with less than two minutes remaining, Jalen Hurts orchestrated a 65-yard touchdown drive that ended with a three-yard touchdown pass to Darius Cooper with just nine seconds left. The touchdown was the first of Cooper’s NFL career.
Titans Strike First
Tennessee came out aggressively behind rookie quarterback Cam Ward.
Ward scored on a one-yard quarterback sneak in the first quarter, giving the Titans an early 7-0 lead.
Philadelphia answered in the second quarter. Tank Bigsby powered into the end zone from two yards out before Hurts connected with DeVonta Smith on a 22-yard touchdown pass.
The Eagles took a 14-10 advantage into halftime, but Tennessee refused to let the game get away.
Ward Keeps Tennessee in the Fight
Ward continued to make plays with both his arm and his legs.
The rookie finished with 183 passing yards and added two rushing touchdowns. His second one, a one-yard run late in the third quarter, tied the game at 17-17.
The Titans then took their first lead since the second quarter when Joey Slye drilled a 33-yard field goal with 1:56 remaining.
Suddenly, Philadelphia was in danger of suffering its first loss of the season.
Hurts Delivers When It Matters
Hurts had 1:56 to move the Eagles 65 yards.
He delivered.
The Eagles quarterback connected with Dontayvion Wicks for a key 27-yard gain before repeatedly looking toward Smith on the decisive possession.
Smith finished with 10 catches for 117 yards and a touchdown, including a spectacular 19-yard catch that brought Philadelphia to the Tennessee 3-yard line with only seconds remaining.
Two plays later, Hurts found Cooper in the back of the end zone.
Touchdown.
Philadelphia had reclaimed the lead, 23-20, with nine seconds remaining.
Cooper Gets His Moment
The final touchdown was particularly significant for Cooper.
The rookie wide receiver had never caught an NFL touchdown before Sunday. When Philadelphia needed a play to win the game, Hurts trusted him in the biggest moment.
Cooper made the catch, and the Eagles escaped.
“It’s special,” Hurts said afterward, praising Cooper for stepping up when Philadelphia needed contributions from everyone.
Titans Get One Last Chance
Tennessee still had a chance to answer.
Ward moved the Titans near midfield before the final seconds ticked away. But Philadelphia’s defense applied pressure, and Ward’s final pass fell incomplete as time expired.
The Eagles had completed the comeback.
DeVonta Smith Leads the Way
While Cooper delivered the game-winning play, Smith was Philadelphia’s offensive standout.
His 10 receptions and 117 yards were both game highs, and his touchdown helped keep the Eagles in control during the middle portion of the game.
Dontayvion Wicks also continued his strong start to the season with five catches for 74 yards.
Hurts finished with 264 passing yards, two touchdown passes and two interceptions.
Eagles Overcome Injuries and Turnovers
Philadelphia’s victory wasn’t clean.
Hurts threw two interceptions, and the Eagles lost tight end Dallas Goedert to a knee injury early in the game. Saquon Barkley also left with a stinger before returning in the third quarter.
Despite those setbacks, Philadelphia maintained enough offensive consistency to put together the winning drive.
The Eagles finished with 341 total yards and controlled the ball for more than 36 minutes.
A Tough Loss for Tennessee
For the Titans, the loss was particularly painful because they had the lead with less than two minutes remaining.
Tennessee played stretches of strong football and twice held Philadelphia’s offense to critical turnovers. But the Titans couldn’t finish the game after Slye’s late field goal.
The loss dropped Tennessee to 0-2.
Head coach Robert Saleh acknowledged afterward that his team had opportunities but said Philadelphia executed better in the critical moments.
Final Takeaway
The Eagles didn’t dominate this game. They survived it.
Philadelphia overcame two interceptions, injuries to key offensive players and a late deficit to produce another fourth-quarter comeback. Hurts remained composed on the final possession, Smith made the critical plays, and Cooper delivered the biggest moment of his young career.
For Philadelphia, the result is another road win and a 2-0 start.
For Tennessee, it’s another close loss and an 0-2 record despite several encouraging stretches from Ward.
Final: Philadelphia Eagles 24, Tennessee Titans 20.
The Eagles return home in Week 3 to face the Chicago Bears, while the Titans will look to earn their first victory against the New York Giants.
