PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The Eagles are positioned again to make a strong run at another Super Bowl — not solely on the arm of Jalen Hurts, the legs of Saquon Barkley and other marquee offensive players all NFL fans know — but on a defense that has churned out a string of masterpieces that fired them to the top of the NFC.
Get to know these names. It might come in handy around early February.
Jalen Carter. Jordan Davis. Jaelan Phillips. Nakobe Dean.
The Lions were just the latest playoff hopeful to have their best efforts derailed by Vic Fangio’s crew.
Hurts scored the only touchdown in an otherwise feeble effort from the Philadelphia Eagles’ offense, and it was enough to lead them to a 16-9 win over the Detroit Lions, who failed on every fourth-down try Sunday night.
“As I watch football today, I saw a lot of teams waiting to lose,” Eagles coach Nick Sirianni said. “Our team’s waiting to win. Because they know how to win. There’s something to be said for that, of knowing how to win.”
The Eagles (8-2) are the only team in the NFC East with more than three wins and the second one in the conference to eight victories, putting them in pole position to take the top seed and earn home-field advantage as the Super Bowl champions go for a repeat.
Hurts threw for only 135 yards, Barkley ran for 83 in another average outing a season after he topped 2,000-yards rushing, and former 1,000-yard receivers A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith combined for nine catches for 57 yards. They have scored only a combined 26 points the last two games —- both wins.
Yet those struggles didn’t matter much against a Detroit team that seemed happy to try and give the game away. The Lions, who entered averaging 31.4 points per game, failed to convert on five fourth-down attempts and were 3 of 13 on third down.
“Five-for-five the way we look at it,” Sirianni said. “Outstanding.”
Carter and Davis did their part with a combined five batted passes. Phillips, a trade-deadline pickup, had five tackles, a sack and four QB pressures.
“One of the best performances I’ve ever seen,” Hurts said.
Lions coach Dan Campbell replaced offensive coordinator John Morton as the play-caller last week. Campbell wasn’t ready to say it was a permanent move, although he called plays again against the Eagles.
Campbell wasn’t much of an improvement.
The Lions’ notable failure came late in the third quarter while trailing 13-6 after Jared Goff connected with Jahmyr Gibbs for a 42-yard gain that took the ball to the Eagles 22. The Lions went on to get a first-and-goal at the 8, but they turned the ball over on downs.
“They’re a good … defense,” Goff said.
The Eagles at least took advantage of their best scoring chance inside the 10.
Barkley had a 5-yard TD run in the second quarter overturned by a replay review, a momentary setback once Hurts scored from 1 yard out — yes, on a tush push — with 16 seconds left to send the Eagles into halftime with a 13-6 lead.
Jake Elliott kicked field goals of 27 and 34 yards in the half. He made a 49-yarder in the fourth for a 16-6 lead.
Goff — who went 14 of 37 for 255 yards —- hit Jameson Williams for a 40-yard score that tied the game at 6-all late in the second quarter. Williams celebrated by jumping onto the goal post padding and bear-hugging the upright, which earned him a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty.
On a blustery night in Philly, those lost yards cost the Lions when Jake Bates was wide right on the 48-yard extra point. Bates did kick a 54-yard field goal with 1:58 left.
What can Brown do for you?
Hurts tried to force the ball to an unhappy Brown early after yet another week of complaints from the wide receiver about his role in the offense.
Brown’s production has severely declined this season — he was targeted just three times last week at Green Bay — and he took to social media afterward to express his displeasure, saying on Twitch that fantasy owners should drop him from their teams.
Brown — who stood by his pervious complaints as he otherwise praised the team — finished with seven catches for 49 yards against the Lions.
“It was me trying to help contribute, that’s all,” Brown said.
DeJean gets his first interception
Eagles cornerback Cooper DeJean had his first career regular-season interception when he picked off Goff’s pass in the first quarter that led to a field goal.
The second-year standout, of course, is mostly remembered from an interception in last season’s Super Bowl. DeJean became the first player in Super Bowl history to intercept a pass or score a touchdown on his birthday when he returned a poor throw by Patrick Mahomes 38 yards for a TD.
Injuries
Lions: All-Pro safety Kerby Joseph missed his fourth straight game with a knee injury.
Eagles: OL Lane Johnson was ruled out at halftime with a foot injury. Johnson left last week’s win against Green Bay with an ankle injury in the second quarter but returned in the fourth.
Up next
Lions: Host the New York Giants next Sunday.
Eagles: At Dallas next Sunday.
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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
