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EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- **For Eagles quarterback Sam Bradford, the feeling of winning a regular season NFL game is something that he hasn't experienced since October 13, 2013. That day, he led St. Louis to a 38-13 victory over Houston. Then the injuries set in. Now, almost two years later, Bradford walked off the field at MetLife Stadium as a winner against a physical New York Jets defense.
It wasn't the prettiest game for Bradford, who completed 14-of-28 passes for 118 yards and touchdown, but a win is win, and for Bradford, another milestone in his comeback from ACL surgery.
"(It was a) tough win," Bradford said after the game. "Our defense did a great job today keeping us in the game. It was just a great win for the team.
"They're a good defense. I thought they matched up with us well today. I missed a few throws. I think we had a few drops. There were a couple different things on different drives that set us back, but I don't think there was anything major. I'm really proud of the way we fought to get that win, to hang in there, to fight. That's huge for us."
Bradford admitted that his afternoon in New Jersey was far from perfect, but the Eagles turned the ball over just once on Sunday on a fourth-quarter fumble by Ryan Mathews. Not turning the ball over is always an emphasis, but it was even more so this week against a ballhawking Jets defense.
"It's something we talked a lot about this week," Bradford said of the turnovers. "This defense had 10 takeaways in the first two weeks. For us to have I think one giveaway today, that's big. Obviously with the passing game, we just have to be more efficient.
"Hopefully we can continue to (play with a lead). It's a lot more fun to play from ahead than it is behind. We've got to figure out a way when we get those leads to continue to put drives together in the second half. That was a bit of a struggle for us today. Hopefully, we can learn from that and continue to build."
Not only was Sunday's game the first of the season in which Bradford didn't throw an interception, but it was also the first game that the Eagles went over 100 yards rushing as a team. Mathews led the way with 108 yards on 25 carries after DeMarco Murray was ruled inactive due to a hamstring injury. As Bradford explained, getting the running game going early was what opened up the rest of the offense.
"It was great in the first half to get those guys going," Bradford said. "I thought they ran really hard and did a great job opening holes. That's a good front seven that we just played. To be able to come out and run the ball the way we did in the first half, that's really big for us."
Now that the first win of the 2015 season is in the books, the Eagles can take a collective breath before looking ahead to a pivotal NFC East matchup with Washington.
"I think it can do a lot, especially for us," Bradford said of Sunday's win. "I feel like the first couple weeks there was a lot of pressure on us. I feel like we're all pressing a little bit. It's just nice to get that first one. Now that pressure is gone. Like I said, it wasn't perfect today. There are things that we need to correct, but I think this is a great building block for this team."
The Eagles traveled to New York to face the Jets in Week 3 of the regular season. View the full gallery here...
RB Ryan Mathews on the run
RB Darren Sproles going for the touchdown!
Making the turn
RB Ryan Mathews celebrates his touchdown
RB Ryan Mathews puts up protection
S Malcolm Jenkins closes in
Almost home free!
QB Sam Bradford warms up in New York
WR Riley Cooper faces off against S Malcolm Jenkins during pregame
QB Sam Bradford has some space to make the play
Talking strategy against the Jets
RB Kenjon Barner gets moving
WR Jordan Matthews is ready for the game!
LB DeMeco Ryans gets the team fired up
LB Marcus Smith leads the charge
LB Brad Jones takes his turn with the run
LB Najee Goode runs the route
Goode in focus
TE Zach Ertz warms up
The Eagles have arrived in the Empire State
DT Beau Allen prepares for the game
K Cody Parkey gets ready for the kick
C Jason Kelce is ready to take the field
Ready to fly
FlyEaglesFly
It's game time
The Eagles make the stop early
LB Jordan Hicks squares up
Taking the field
LB Najee Goode runs towards the play
S Chris Maragos sticks with the tackle
LB Brad Jones and S Chris Maragos stop the Jets
RB Darren Sproles plots his route
RB Darren Sproles pushes through the line
WR Jordan Matthews gets the yards
RB Darren Sproles tries to break free
LS Jon Dorenbos and K Cody Parkey celebrate the extra point
S Malcolm Jenkins pounces on the Jets
RB Ryan Mathews runs past the blocks
C Jason Kelce directs the line
WR Jordan Matthews runs through the open field
Closing in on his next move
WR Jordan Matthews steers through Jets traffic
RB Darren Sproles pushes through
QB Sam Bradford takes the snap
K Cody Parkey makes the kick
QB Sam Bradford finds his target
Sproles on the go
DE Brandon Bair gets in the mix
WR Jordan Matthews takes off
RB Darren Sproles takes the handoff
DT Bennie Logan and DB Walter Thurmond team up for the tackle
RB Darren Sproles celebrates the huge punt return for a touchdown
Off to the races!
LB Marcus Smith congratulates RB Darren Sproles
CB Byron Maxwell goes for the ball
CB Byron Maxwell fights for the tackle
QB Sam Bradford sends the ball flying
The Eagles defense works hard
Congratulations are waiting on the sidelines
P Donnie Jones sets up for the kick
Going, going, gone!
QB Sam Bradford takes his time to make the play
The Eagles swarm
TE Zach Ertz with the reception
RB Ryan Mathews prepares to make the catch
RB Ryan Mathews takes off
The Jets try to close in on Mathews
Congratulations after the extra point
QB Sam Bradford looks for his receiver
TE Zach Ertz holds onto the ball
LB DeMeco Ryans gets in position
DE Vinny Curry goes for the ball
DE Vinny Curry is not giving up
RB Darren Sproles looks for the opening
RB Darren Sproles shakes the tackle
Getting to the open field!
LB Najee Goode celebrates with RB Darren Sproles
The running backs celebrate the touchdown!
LB Jordan Hicks takes possession
The Eagles recover the ball!
WR Jordan Matthews stretches for the touchdown
Another Eagles stop
DT Bennie Logan gets ahold of the Jets
CB Nolan Carroll marks up
RB Ryan Mathews breaks free
QB Sam Bradford looks down the field
RB Ryan Mathews has the endzone in sight
Mathews moves along
Making the call
The defense is dialed in
Going long
RB Darren Sproles celebrates the touchdown
Head Coach Chip Kelly makes the call
On the line
DE Vinny Curry holds on tight
RB Darren Sproles pushes through the coverage
RB Darren Sproles walks away with the ball
Another celebration for RB Darren Sproles
RB Darren Sproles protects on the run
Eagles Nation representing in New York
The pass is in the air...
Getting the yards
LB Brandon Graham applies pressure
The Eagles continue to pressure Fitzpatrick
DT Bennie Logan stops the run
The line puts up a wall
LB Jordan Hicks charges
DT Bennie Logan is pumped up!
LB Marcus Smith watches the ball
The Eagles break up the pass
DB Walter Thurmond goes for the interception
Not so fast!
The head coaches shake hands after the game
Brotherly Love
Ryans and Fitzpatrick shake hands
CB Byron Maxwell speaks with Jets QB Ryan Fitzpatrick after the game
Catching up after a tough game
Eagles Nation showed their support
CB Byron Maxwell thanks Eagles Nation
RB Darren Sproles is unstoppable
The linebackers celebrate
DE Fletcher Cox congratulates LB Jordan Hicks
A huge stop!
DB Walter Thurmond is on Cloud 9
...On the Road to Victory!
RB Ryan Mathews breaks free
WR Seyi Ajirotutu recovers the ball
A quick timeout discussion
