The Eagles hosted the Carolina Panthers in a Monday Night Football matchup ...
WR Jordan Matthews diving accross the goal line for the TOUCHDOWN
Eagles fans showing up early for some Monday Night Football
Members from all branches of United States service join the Eagles in the #EaglesSalute game opening ceremonies
Jeffrey Lurie joins fans for some tailgating outside Lincoln Financial Field
Jeffrey Lurie signing a fan's tailgate trailer
Eagles fans welcoming Jeffrey Lurie to their tailgate with big smiles
Jeffrey Lurie and a fan posing for a selfie
A group of happy fans hanging out with Jeffrey Lurie
C/G Julian Vandervelde preparing for the game
K Cody Parkey getting in some practice kicks before kickoff
LB Bryan Braman making a special teams tackle on the opening kick off
DE Cedric Thornton grabs the ball to gain possession for the Eagles
QB Mark Sanchez in his first start for the Philadelphia Eagles
K Cody Parkey hits a 39 yard field goal to put the Eagles up 3-0
United States servicemen lead the Philadelphia Eagles on the field for #EaglesSalute
SWOOP follows closely behind the servicemen being honored at the game as they run onto the field
LB Mychal Kendricks lines up with his sights on the Panthers QB
QB Mark Sanchez escapes a sack to complete a pass
RB Darren Sproles carries for the Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles Cheerleaders make some noise for the team
A die-hard Eagles fan sports his green face for the team
Teammates celebrate with CB Cary Williams after he makes an interception
QB Mark Sanchez and G Evan Mathis work the field on an offensive drive
Eagles players stand side-by-side with current United States servicemen, holding the full field flag during the National Anthem
QB Mark Sanchez looks for RB Darren Sproles as he makes a run upfield
RB Darren Sproles celebrates a touchdown for the Eagles
TE Zach Ertz congratulates RD Darren Sproles on a touchdown play
CB Cary Williams surrounded by his teammates
G/T Matt Tobin makes contact with a Panthers lineman
RB Darren Sproles solutes in honor of #EaglesSalute
TEs Brent Celek and Zach Ertz join RB Darren Sproles in celebration
LB Connor Barwin and DT Bennie Logan work together to take down a Panthers player
CB Brandon Boykin in the mix with the team
WR Jordan Matthews carries the ball into the end zone for a touchdown
QB Mark Sanchez congratulating WR Jordan Matthews on his touchdown
LB Casey Matthews takes down a Panthers player
RB Darren Sproles cuts past a Panthers defenseman
An Eagles Cheerleader pumps up the crowd
LB Connor Barwin goes airborne to sack the Panthers QB
LB Connor Barwin celebrating with the crowd
WR Jordan Matthews gaining yards for the Eagles
An Eagles Cheerleader psyching up the fans in the stands
RB LeSean McCoy breaking free for a run
P Donnie Jones punting for the Eagles
LB Brandon Graham grabbing a Panthers player to take him down
Another carry by RB Darren Sproles
WR Jordan Matthews on the move for the Eagles
LB Trent Cole catches the leg of the Panthers QB to break up a play
LB Trent Cole with a QB sack
RB Darren Sproles crossing the line for a touchdown
Eagles President Don Smolenski on the sidelines
Eagles celebrating another touchdown
TE Brent Celek takes control of the ball
The Eagles defense pounces on a Panthers player
The Philadelphia Eagles Cheerleaders perform for the stadium
SWOOP dons camouflage gear for #EaglesSalute
Eagles fans supporting the team
An Eagles fan showing his support of #EaglesSalute with a camouflage baseball cap
On the sidelines Eagles fans celebrate a big lead over the Panthers
LB Mychal Kendricks dances after a QB sack
LB Mychal Kendricks celebrates a stop
Another sack from the Eagles defense
TE Zach Ertz blocks for WR Jordan Matthews on an offensive drive
S Chris Prosinski keeping an eye on a Panthers player
CB Bradley Fletcher intercepts the ball and runs it in for a touchdown
LB Connor Barwin with a QB sack
LB Connor Barwin flying high after a sack
S Nate Allen leaps into the air for an interception
The United States Marines showcase their rifle skills at halftime
CB Bradley Fletcher celebrating his touchdown
Fly Eagles Fly!
Servicemen hold the full field flag for the National Anthem
Flares go off above Lincoln Financial Field during the National Anthem
Fireworks erupt marking the start of the game
An Eagles banner flies across Lincoln Financial Field
CB Bradley Fletcher celebrates his touchdown
LB Trent Cole going in for a QB sack
LB Mychal Kendricks charges the Panthers QB
LB Mychal Kendricks in celebratory dance
CB Bradley Fletcher with the ball
CB Bradley Fletcher running an intercepted ball
CB Bradley Fletcher celebrating his touchdown
S Malcolm Jenkins and LB Emmanuel Acho take down a Panthers player
The Eagles on defense
The Panthers QB running from the defense
LB Connor Barwin celebrating after a sack
LBs Connor Barwin and Brandon Graham congratulate each other
Eagles fans cheering with excitement
DE Cedric Thornton getting ready to make a big play
WR Jordan Matthews taking the ball down field
LB Trent Cole running down the line of scrimmageÂ
DE Fletcher Cox reaching in and disturbing the Panthers' QBÂ
LB Connor Barwin with another sack!
LB Connor Barwin had 3.5 sacks on the night
S Nate Allen making a late first half interception
DE Vinny Curry getting pressure on the quarterback
TE Brent Celek throwing out the stiff arm
TE Brent Celek busting through tackles
WR Jordan Matthews rocking the #EaglesSalute gloves
WR Riley Cooper slipping down after making an athletic catch
WR Jeremy Maclin running after the catch
RB LeSean McCoy breaking through tackles
QB Mark Sanchez making a pass
The Eagles have accommodated quarterback Mark Sanchez nicely in his first regular season start since December 30, 2012.
Thanks to four forced turnovers, an interception return for a score by cornerback Bradley Fletcher and a 65-yard punt return by Darren Sproles for a touchdown, the Eagles took the pressure off Sanchez en route to a 31-7 halftime lead. It is the most points scored in a first half by an Eagles team since, fittingly enough, the 2010 Monday night win in Washington when the Eagles put up 45.
Sanchez aided his cause by completing 10 of 21 passes for 182 yards and a touchdown, good enough for a 93.8 passer rating.
The Panthers turned the ball over on their first two possessions. First, linebacker Casey Matthews, starting for the injured DeMeco Ryans, forced a DeAngelo Williams fumble that was recovered by defensive end Cedric Thornton. After Cody Parkey notched his 13th-straight field goal to give the Eagles a 3-0 lead, Panthers quarterback Cam Newton's first pass attempt of the game was intercepted by cornerback Cary Williams. Sproles scored the first of his two touchdowns with a wide open run for 8 yards.
Carolina answered with its best offensive drive, an 11-play, 80-yard effort, that ended with a 1-yard touchdown run by Jonathan Stewart.
After that play, however, it was all Eagles ignited by Sproles' touchdown. Sproles caught the ball from punter Brad Nortman at the Eagles' 35-yard line, ran up the middle across midfield and cut past the punter toward the end zone.
Sanchez engineered a 91-yard touchdown drive of his own that resulted in an 11-yard touchdown pass to rookie Jordan Matthews.
Since the offense and special teams got in on the scoring fun, the defense did not want to be left out. Newton threw a pass along the right sideline intended for former Eagle Jason Avant, but Fletcher jumped in front of it and took it back 34 yards for the touchdown.
It was the Eagles' ninth return touchdown of the season. No other team has more than four.
