The Eagles moved to 2-0 after an exciting 29-14 win over the Chicago Bears on Monday Night Football. Here are all the highlights from the game ...
Carson Wentz Shines In Prime Time
The prime-time stage was not too big for the rookie quarterback. Carson Wentz was 21-of-34 for 190 yards with a touchdown for an 86.6 rating. He has not turned the ball over in his two NFL starts. Wentz had a number of other excellent throws that were either dropped or plays negated by penalty. On the opening drive of the game, Wentz ran a no-huddle offense with a number of snaps out of an empty set. He even converted a fourth-down conversion on the way to a field goal.
Ryan Mathews Finds The End Zone - Twice
With time in the third quarter expiring, the Eagles' offense was still searching for its first touchdown of the game. The team began with the ball at its own 32-yard line and quickly moved to the Chicago 46-yard line thanks to a Ronald Darby 22-yard catch. From there, the Eagles continued to move the chains until they sealed the deal with a 3-yard Ryan Mathews run, scoring their first touchdown of the night.
Mathews tacked on a 1-yard touchdown run on a fourth-down run with 10:36 remaining in the game for the Eagles' final points. Mathews finished with just 32 yards rushing on nine carries for a 3.6-yard per carry average, but did convert the two red zone opportunities into touchdowns.
Defense Continues To Force Turnovers
At the 10:56 mark of the third quarter, rookie defensive tackle Destiny Vaeao sacked quarterback Jay Cutler at the Philadelphia 48-yard line, forcing the Bears quarterback to fumble the ball. Linebacker Jordan Hicks scrambled to recover it at the Eagles' 47-yard line, giving the Eagles' offense possession. Unfortunately, the team was unable to convert the turnover into points.
About 10 minutes later, the Eagles' defense was at it again. On the Bears' first play after Mathews' first touchdown, Cutler threw an interception to linebacker Nigel Bradham, who returned the ball 28 yards before he was pushed out of bounds just short of the end zone. The Eagles' offense took over at the 2-yard line and seconds later, quarterback Carson Wentz found tight end Trey Burton for another six points. A missed extra point put Philadelphia up, 22-7.
Then on the Bears' next offensive drive, the story was much the same. With 13:47 remaining in the game, Vinny Curry was credited with a forced fumble of quarterback Brian Hoyer, who replaced an injured Cutler (hand). Bennie Logan was also in on the strip, and cornerback Ron Brooks recovered the ball. The turnover resulted in a second Mathews touchdown.
Eagles Tack On Three Field Goals
On the offense's opening possession, Wentz led the team down the field to set up a Jake Elliott 25-yard field goal. Starting at the Philadelphia 46-yard line, the quarterback connected quickly with receivers Nelson Agholor and Dorial Green-Beckham to move the chains. He then found Green-Beckham again for a gain of 9 yards on a fourth-and-2 to keep the drive alive. The Eagles moved down to the Chicago 4-yard line, but were forced to settle for the field goal. The kick gave the team a 3-0 lead.
Then just prior to halftime, the Eagles added another six points to the score with two more Sturgis kicks. First, the team went on a 77-yard drive, resulting in a 29-yard field goal with 2:31 left on the clock in the second quarter. On the Eagles' next drive, Wentz successfully moved the offense to the Chicago 35 with eight seconds left in the first half. The Birds almost notched their first touchdown of the game on third down, but a Jordan Matthews drop meant it was time for Sturgis to take the field once again. His 53-yard attempt was successful, giving the Eagles a 9-7 lead headed into the locker room.
Bears Nab First Touchdown
At the start of the second quarter, the Bears used a 49-yard Alshon Jeffery catch to move to the Eagles' 5-yard line. Rookie cornerback Jalen Mills, who saw increased playing time due to the Leodis McKelvin injury, was beat on the play. The pass set up an eventual 1-yard Jeremy Langford touchdown. In total, the Bears were able to move 65 yards in six plays, taking just 3:44 off the clock.
Bears Special Teams Strikes
With 5:30 left in the game, Eddie Royal returned a Donnie Jones punt 65 yards for a touchdown, bringing the score to 29-14, Philadelphia. Chicago attempted an onside kick immediately after, but tight end Brent Celek recovered it.
Injury Updates
Safety Jaylen Watkins (knee contusion) left the game during the third quarter and Burton (muscle cramps) then left in the fourth quarter.
From the arrival in Chicago to the final whistle, here is a look at the Eagles' Week 2 showdown with the Bears on Monday Night Football.
Safety Jaylen Watkins (knee contusion) left the game during the third quarter and Burton (muscle cramps) then left in the fourth quarter
From Tackle to Guard: A Q&A with Mekhi Becton
The former first-round pick has settled in nicely as part of an offensive line that is fueling a franchise-record-setting season.