CINCINNATI – The Eagles won their third straight game of this 2024 regular season on Sunday at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati, putting together a three-phase masterpiece and tearing apart the Cincinnati Bengals 37-17 to move to 5-2 on the year.

It was a great win in every way.

The Eagles took control of the game late in the second quarter and early in the third, had great balance on offense, took the football away twice, and withstood an early blitz from Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow and the Bengals' offense to put together an outstanding 60-minute performance.

On a perfect fall day in front of a great showing from Eagles fans on the road again, Philadelphia put it all together and had one of those this-is-how-good-we-can-be games at the right time.

Here are some observations from a great, great victory …

1. Win the coin toss, defer, and score

The Eagles turned this game around late in the second quarter and early in the third quarter – driving 56 yards on 12 plays and eating up nearly 5 minutes off the clock in the second quarter, scoring on a Jalen Hurts Brotherly Shove and, in the process, leaving only 22 seconds on the clock for the Bengals' final possession of the half. That score, plus Jake Elliott's PAT, tied the game at 10-10.

The Eagles then received the kickoff to open the third quarter and put together a beauty of a drive – 8 plays, 70 yards, and a touchdown on a Hurts run around the right edge from 7 yards out. Hurts completed passes of 15 yards to DeVonta Smith and 28 yards to Grant Calcaterra and another completion for 6 yards to Jake Stoll. Saquon Barkley had 4 carries for 14 yards on the drive and Hurts delivered the 7-yard sprint for the score thanks to a key block by Calcaterra on the perimeter.

Just like that, the Eagles went from down seven points to up a touchdown, and the entire complexion of the game changed. This, reminding everyone once again, is why teams are right to defer after winning the opening coin toss.

2. Jalen Hurts – an A+ football performance

In every way possible, Hurts was at the top of his game on Sunday.

He outplayed Joe Burrow and, in fact, played as close to a perfect game as can be played. Hurts completed 16 of 20 passes for 236 yards and a 45-yard touchdown pass to DeVonta Smith. He was a perfect 9-for-9 for 150 yards in the second half. Hurts was brilliant in and out of the pocket, he was poised, he avoided traffic, and he was on point throwing the football. Hurts also scored 2 touchdowns on Brotherly Shoves, so in total he accounted for 4 touchdowns. The designed runs were effective – quarterback draws opened things up for the offense – and Hurts finished with 10 carries and 37 yards and those 3 scores. It was an A-plus game for Hurts all the way around.

"I'm excited and pleased with how we played as a team, how we played as an offense, and I think Kellen (Moore) did a really good job today. We're just all in it together, sticking together and communicating and going out there and trying to play efficient ball," Hurts said.

3. Critical, huge defensive sequence late in third quarter

Vic Fangio's defense played a great football game, especially after Cincinnati came out and converted five third downs on an opening 17-play, 70-yard drive on which Burrow completed 11 of 12 passes. It started that way and maybe some were thinking, "Oh, boy …" But then the defense stiffened, had some help on a missed field goal, and then late in the third quarter, made the stops of the game on one possession.

The Bengals trailed 24-17 and had a third-and-1 play from their 39-yard line. Burrow handed off to running back Zack Moss and the Eagles blitzed and Brandon Graham penetrated and stopped Moss dead in his tracks. The Bengals went for it on fourth-and-1, sent wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase in motion and Burrow flipped a throw to Chase on the right side. Nickel defensive back Cooper DeJean was there, made a great tackle for a 2-yard loss, and the Eagles took possession of the football and turned it into a 49-yard Jake Elliott field goal for a 27-17 advantage with 13:34 remaining in the game.

4. Isaiah Rodgers and C.J. Gardner-Johnson, what a play!

After the Eagles went on top 27-17, Burrow tried to get some of it back quickly on Cincinnati's next possession, throwing deep on the right side for Chase. Isaiah Rodgers, in for Darius Slay (groin injury) at cornerback, reached up with his left hand on the right sideline and tipped the pass back into the field of play right to safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson, who had help over the top in coverage. CJGJ made the catch, got both feet down inbounds, and the Eagles had an enormous takeaway early in the fourth quarter. Rodgers made the play with tight coverage and a heady tip and CJGJ finished it off with an interception as the Eagles took over the game.

"Isaiah Rodgers, playing great man technique and trusting me like I always tell me corners 'I got you over the top,' I'm always over there regardless," Gardner-Johnson said. "That's what the team expects from me, even if the ball is overthrown, tipped, just get there so I can make a play on the ball and give my team a chance to win the game."

5. The Eagles' offense takes the next step

We've been waiting for it and on Sunday the Eagles delivered a superb all-around offensive performance. They collected 397 total net yards, racked up 24 first downs, controlled the clock for 31 minutes-plus, and scored points on 7 of their 8 possessions, and had drives of, get this, 62 yards (field goal), 18 (punt), 73 (touchdown), 70 (touchdown), 70 (touchdown), 6 (field goal), 85 (touchdown), and, late in the fourth quarter, 3 yards (field goal). Great balance, great execution. The Eagles mixed it up, attacked weaknesses, and spread the ball around beautifully. Oh, and while the Eagles didn't score in the first quarter – Cincinnati had a 10-minute drive to open the game, remember – Philadelphia scored on its first possession and roared from there, up and down the field.

"Just trying to build that understanding so we can go out there and be efficient as a team, as an offense, but it definitely starts in practice, and you build. The coaches, more importantly, I think they build a lot of confidence from how we execute in practice. And then obviously the players feed off the energy and how we find our flow in that and so, like I said, I think we had a we had a good rhythm out there today," Hurts said.

6. Some love to unsung standouts

• Left tackle Fred Johnson stoned defensive end Trey Hendrickson, who had seven quarterback sacks entering the game (17.5 last season), finished with four total tackles (2 solos). The offensive line, missing left tackle Jordan Mailata and right guard Mekhi Becton, didn't skip a beat as Johnson and Tyler Steen started and played well.

• "God blessed me with this opportunity, blessed me with this potential and I'm trying to make the most of it," Johnson said. "The preparation never changes, you still do the same things. Still film study, still practice hard, still have to know the gameplan, When your starting, that sense of unknown, you have to go out there and execute."

• Linebackers Zack Baun and Nakobe Dean were outstanding. Baun led the team with 12 total tackles and a forced fumble. Dean had 9 total tackles, a fumble recovery, a tackle for loss, and a quarterback hit. They helped limit Cincinnati to 58 rushing yards on 20 carries.

• How about the secondary? Cincinnati didn't have wide receiver Tee Higgins, so the Eagles loaded up against Chase, and he was relatively (for him) quiet with 9 receptions, 54 yards, and the touchdown.

• Brown and Smith were great, as usual. Smith had 6 catches for 85 yards and the spectacular touchdown catch on 7 targets. Brown had 5 receptions for 84 yards on 6 targets. And tight end Grant Calcaterra helped again, grabbing 3 passes for 58 big yards.

• "He (DeVonta Smith) made some huge plays down the stretch of the game, down the field, and then on third downs, he showed up big. And so I think that was a great showing for him, and great showing for offense and our team," Hurts said.
• Barkley? A stud again. The yards were tough, for sure, but he was bruising on his way to 22 carries and 108 yards. Outstanding as the Eagles rushed for 161 yards on 39 rushing attempts.

• Elliott deserves a hug, too. He nailed field goals of 38 yards, 49 yards, and 47 yards. The Operation was perfect on a beautiful day in The Jungle.