The Eagles were back at Lincoln Financial Field and defeated the Browns 20-16 to improve to 3-2 on the 2024 season.

"It's hard to win in this league, so we're excited to get the win," Head Coach Nick Sirianni said. "We're going to stay hungry and stay humble and we'll look at the things we messed up and we'll have to fix it."

The Birds were on the bye last week but returned to action with a fully healthy lineup after missing A.J. Brown for three games, and DeVonta Smith and Lane Johnson for the loss to the Buccaneers in Week 4.

The longest-tenured Eagle, Brandon Graham, played in his 200th career regular-season game today – the most in Eagles history.

"I have to give it to the ones before me, the ones who helped me during dark times. I didn't think I would be here at 200, especially how I started. I told the guys it's not how you start it's how you finish," Graham said after the game.

First Quarter

• The Eagles got the ball first, going three-and-out after a 5-yard run from Saquon Barkley followed by back-to-back incompletions intended for A.J. Brown and Dallas Goedert. The Browns' offense followed suit with a three-and-out to begin the game. Center Nick Harris went down after a 3rd-and-5 incompletion and needed to be carted off the field with an ankle injury.
• The first snap of the second drive for the Eagles went over the head of Jalen Hurts but he was able to pick it up and throw it away before the defense could get to him. After a 4th-and-1 tush-push conversion, the Eagles couldn't make much progress and would have to punt again.
• Goedert left the field with a hamstring injury and was ruled OUT for the game.
• Browns' running back Jerome Ford walked off with a hamstring injury on their second drive and was ruled OUT for the game.
• Cooper DeJean, who made his first career start, came up with his first career half-sack after the Eagles challenged an incomplete pass ruling that was overturned after Deshaun Watson's knee hit the ground before he threw the ball.
• "It was good to get back there and get a hit on the quarterback," DeJean said. "I felt prepared going out there, the biggest thing was I just had to go out there and play with confidence. I feel like I've worked up to this moment with all the help of the older guys and my teammates around me. They've done a good job of making sure that if I was in the game, I'd be ready, and I felt prepared."

• DeVonta Smith made his first two catches of his return, one for 13 yards and another for six to close out the first quarter with the score tied at 0-0.

Second Quarter

• FIELD GOAL! The Eagles opened up the second quarter with a 49-yard field goal from Jake Elliott with 13:02 remaining, giving them their first points of the day. (Eagles 3 – Browns 0)
• After forcing a three-and-out, the Eagles saw their first big play of the day when Hurts found Grant Calcaterra for a 34-yard catch and run to set them up in Cleveland territory.
• TOUCHDOWN! Brown made his presence known in his return with a 22-yard touchdown catch in the end zone to extend the Eagles lead with 7:17 remaining in the half. (Eagles 10 – Browns 0)
• "Honestly, I was begging for man and when the tight end motioned out it let me know they were in man-to-man and I just had to win my one-on-one and Jalen gave me a great ball and thank God I hung on to it," Brown said after the game.

• SACK! Jalen Carter got into the backfield to take down Watson on 3rd-and-11 to force a 4th down. Dustin Hopkins would come in a hit a 43-yard field goal to put the Browns on the board with 1:58 left. (Eagles 10 – Browns 3)

• The Eagles began the two-minute drill with a 20-yard catch from Calcaterra, followed by 17- and 9-yard catches from Brown to set them up at the Browns' 31.
• Elliott came out for a 57-yard field goal attempt that was blocked by Myles Garrett and returned 50 yards by Rodney McLeod for a touchdown with 25 seconds left in the half. (Eagles 10 – Browns 10)

Third Quarter

• The Browns got downfield but were stopped after Brandon Graham brought down Cedric Tillman for a loss of five on 3rd-and-1. Hopkins missed a 52-yard field goal attempt wide to the right to keep the game even to start the second half.
• Slay would leave the field with a knee injury and was ruled OUT for the game. Isaiah Rodgers would come in to replace him at corner.
• SACK! Milton Williams and the defense swarm Watson to bring him down for a loss of four to push the Browns back to their own 4-yard line.
• The Eagles saw chunk plays from Jahan Dotson (13-yard rush) and Kenneth Gainwell (19-yard rush) to set themselves up inside Browns' territory with under five minutes remaining in the quarter.
• FIELD GOAL! Elliott knocked in a 44-yard field with 2:50 remaining to give the Eagles the lead back. (Eagles 13 – Browns 10)
• SACK! Josh Sweat gets in on the sacks with one of his own, taking down Watson for a loss of one at the Cleveland 29.
• "I feel like we have a good team, things are just now starting to show up for us and I'm happy that as a defensive line we got some sacks today," Graham said.

Fourth Quarter

• The Browns evened the game up after a 49-yard field goal from Hopkins with 9:49 remaining in the game. (Eagles 13 – Browns 13)
• Jordan Mailata left the field with a hamstring injury and was ruled OUT for the game. Fred Johnson would come in for him at the 9:30 mark in the quarter.
• TOUCHDOWN! Hurts found Smith on the right side for a short pass in which Smith turned and saw daylight, taking it all the way down the sideline for a 45-yard touchdown. (Eagles 20 – Browns 13)
• "We knew it was man, so it was a perfect man play," Smith said. "I kind of knew sooner or later it was going to be there like that."

• Rodgers would go down with an injury after a 35-yard catch and run from Jerry Jeudy. Kelee Ringo would come in for him at cornerback. Rodgers came back in with under five minutes to play.
• The Browns got down to the Eagles' 8-yard line for first-and-goal before DeJean tackled Elijah Moore after a gain of three. Moore would stay down with an injury after the play. After Nolan Smith brought down Watson after a gain of two, the Browns got a false start penalty to back them up. C.J. Gardner Johnson broke up a pass on third-and-goal following the penalty.
• The offensive woes continued for Cleveland after it got its second false start in three plays, forcing the Browns to kick a field goal. Hopkins drove through the 31-yard field goal to make it a four-point game. (Eagles 20 – Browns 16)
• Hurts found Brown deep for a 40-yard gain to set the Eagles up at the Browns' 12-yard line. Hurts dropped it into a bucket and Brown came down with the tough catch against Greg Newsome to ice the game away.
• "The play all along was to throw me the ball, but we saw a look that we liked, and we made the play," Brown said.

• Hurts would take a knee and the Eagles would get back in the win column, moving to 3-2 on the season. (Eagles 20 – Browns 16)

Key Stats

Passing Leaders

PHI: Jalen Hurts 16/25 for 264 yards and 2 touchdowns

CLE: Deshaun Watson 16/23 for 168 yards

Rushing Leaders

PHI: Saquon Barkley 18 carries for 47 yards (2.6 YPC)

CLE: Pierre Strong 8 carries for 43 yards (5.4 YPC)

Receiving Leaders

PHI: A.J. Brown 6 catches for 116 yards and a touchdown

CLE: Amari Cooper 4 catches for 42 yards

Tackle Leaders

PHI: Nakobe Dean – 7

CLE: Rodney McLeod – 8

– Written by Liam Wichser