Eagles’ Sirianni on 49ers: ‘They got after us good today’

The San Francisco 49ers (9-3) marked Sunday’s game against the Philadelphia Eagles (10-2) on their calendar, and they played like it. 

After trailing the Eagles 6-0 at the end of the first quarter, San Francisco scored touchdowns on six straight possessions and defeated Philadelphia 42-19 at Lincoln Financial Field.

San Francisco, who lost their starting quarterback Brock Purdy to injury on the first possession of last season’s NFC Championship game, where they were defeated by the Eagles 31-7, got their revenge. 

Philly’s defense could not stop San Francisco’s playmaker. Purdy threw for 314 yards and four touchdowns, Deebo Samuel caught four passes for 116 yards and two touchdowns, and Christian McCaffrey ran for 93 yards and one touchdown.

This was a dominating performance by the 49ers.

“They got after us good today,” Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni said after the loss. “Again, a lot of credit to them. They’re a really good football team. We didn’t play our best game. They’re really good. You can’t play that way and coach that way against a really good team.”

Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts, who had to be evaluated for a concussion in the third quarter but returned in the fourth, says the team must learn from this loss.

“Win. You know, find ways to win,” he said. “That’s always the mentality. That’s always the approach. I think this is a moment where you go back and you reflect on it. You learn from it like every win. You know you treat them all the same. When you win or when you lose. It’s about, ‘What can I learn from this?’ So you know the process remains the same in terms of how we respond and how we approach it. Just have to be self-critical, as we always are. Analyze everything as it’s supposed to be and respond.”

An interesting situation happened in the third quarter after 49ers LB Dre Greenlaw was flagged for a personal foul when he slammed Eagles WR DeVonta Smith to the ground. Following the play, Greenlaw would get into it with Eagles Chief Security Officer Dom DiSandro on Philly’s sideline. Greenlaw finger would touch DiSandro’s face. Ultimately, Greenlaw would be ejected, and DiSandro would be removed from the Eagles sideline. 

49ers head coach Kyle Shannahan was not happy with what went down on that play, but he was pleased with his team’s response.

“That is why I tried my hardest not to lose my mind I hope I didn’t embarrass myself too bad,’ he said. “I didn’t get to see it all from where I’m at, but when I started hearing people explain it to me and stuff, I just can’t believe someone uninvolved in a football game can taunt our players like that and put their hands in our guy’s face. From what I was told, Dre did it back to him, and I was told that he mashed him in the face a little bit, so he got ejected. It was a very frustrating play. I have to watch it to have a true opinion on it. I love how we rallied after.”

Credit to the 49ers; they might be the best team in football, and they sent a message to the Eagles, but you don’t win the Super Bowl in December, so there’s still a lot of football to be played. Plus, the Eagles are still the number one seed in the NFC.

We’ll see how the Eagles respond next Sunday night in Dallas against the Cowboys.

Ryan Garcia: ‘I want to become a world champion’

Ryan Garcia returned to the ring, and it was a success. Garcia stopped Oscar Duarte in the eighth round at the Toyota Center in Houston on Saturday night.

The fight was contested at a catch-weight of 143 pounds. 

Garcia (24-1, 20 KOs) stunned Duarte (26-2-1, 21 KOs) with a left hook in the eighth and would drop Duarte, who did get up at 10 seconds, but the referee waived it off, and Garcia got a much-needed win.

“King Ry” was not always at his best in this fight under his new trainer, Derrick James, and Duarte had his moments, especially in Rounds five and six, where he landed 33 power shots; Garcia’s chin stood up to those big shots, and he finally put Duarte away in the eighth. 

Photos: Golden Boy Promotions

After the win, Garcia, who openly feuded with Golden Boy Promotions heads Oscar De La Hoya and Bernard Hopkins during fight week, called out WBA 140-pound champion Rollie Romero.

“I want to become a world champion. I want Rollies next,” Garcia said. “Everyone kept asking me why Oscar Duarte – he was so tough! I thought I would get him out in the second or third, but he was like a rock. I felt like me and Derrick have a lot to build on after this fight.”

This was a nice comeback win for Garcia following his first career loss to Gervonta Davis last April. Many fighters would want to get in the ring with Garcia because of his popularity and vulnerability, so he should have no issues getting a big fight down the line.

Schofield Shines:

In a spectacular co-main event, it only took WBA Lightweight International Champion Floyd “Kid Austin” Schofield (16-0, 12 KOs) 1:51 in the first round to successfully defend his title against Tijuana, Mexico’s Ricardo “Explosivo” Torres (17-8-3, 12 KOs) in a fight presented in association with Davies Entertainment. Scheduled for 10-rounds, Austin’s Schofield sent Torres to the mat three times in a row, the referee stopping the fight after the third time he was knocked down.

Mosley Mows Down Conley:

Shane Mosley Jr. (21-5, 12 KOs) became the new WBA Continental Americas Middleweight Titleholder with a TKO victory against San Bernardino’s Joshua Conley (17-6-1, 11 KOs) in a fight scheduled for 10-rounds. Mosley Jr. took his time, ultimately forcing Conley to retire in his corner at the beginning of the seventh round. 

Magsayo: ‘My last three fights were all at the world class level’

Former WBC featherweight world champion, Mark “Magnifico” Magsayo (24-2, 16, KOs), returns to the ring on CBN Promotions’ “New Blood” card scheduled for December 9, 2023, at Infinite Reality Studios in Long Beach, California, formerly known as Thunder Studios. Magsayo, hailing from Tagbilaran City, Bohol, Philippines, will face Isacc Avelar (17-6, 10 KOs) form Aguascalientes, Mexico in an eight-round  junior lightweight bout.

Here is what Magsayo had to say about his recent training camp, his upcoming matchup with Isacc Avelar, what a win will do for his career, and more.

On his recent training camp:

“Coach Marvin (Somodio) and I have been working on numerous parts of my game. For instance, we are starting to pace ourselves better. I feel I’ll be stronger going into the later rounds with all the specialized conditioning we’ve been doing. Moving up to junior lightweight will make a big difference making weight, I’ll be a lot stronger in this division. It’s been a great training camp and I can’t wait to get back in the ring.”

On his matchup with Isaac Avelar:

“Avelar is a tough fighter and he’s been in the ring with some good fighters. He’s got a lot of heart and I know I’ll have to be at my best to come out on top. I have full confidence in my ability to win this fight. The plan will be to end the fight early, but I’m prepared to go the distance if need be.”

On what a win does for his career:

“I’m coming into this fight having fought some of the best fighters in boxing. My last three fights were all at the world class level. A victory will get me notoriety at 130 pounds, where I feel I can become a two-division world champion. So this fight is very important to my career and I’m going to come out victorious.”

On fighting for his people back in the Philippines:

“I’m very happy that this fight will be available for all my people back home to see live. At the end of the day, I’m a proud Filipino fighter who will always be looking to bring home a victory for my countrymen. It’s very important that I follow instructions and that I win this fight.”

Photo: Lucas Noonan

Irving struggles, Mavs fall to Grizzlies

The Dallas Mavericks*11-7) were shorthanded against the visiting shorthanded Memphis Grizzlies(5-13) on Friday. They were without Luka Doncic, who celebrated the birth of his daughter, Tim Hardaway Jr.(back), and Maxi Kleber(toe), and it showed.

Dallas trailed by as many as 21 points to Memphis and fell to the Grizzlies 108-94.

With the win, Memphis gets its first two-game winning streak of the season.

The Mavericks’ second-best player, Kyrie Irving, struggled with his shot on Friday night; he was 3/15 from the floor and finished with only 10 points. Irving was 0/7 in the first half.

Memphis did a good job of trying to keep the ball out of Irving’s hands, which Mavs coach Jason Kidd believes frustrated the eight-time All-Star.

“I think just understanding he might have gotten a little frustrated with being face-guarded,” Kidd said. “We’ve got to do a better job of getting him the ball and knowing how to play when something like that’s happening. I’ll take the blame for that in the sense that we didn’t put him in a good situation to be successful.”

Irving said he hurt his foot in the first quarter, which he believes limited his performance against Memphis.

“I had a bit of a tweak to my foot at the end of the first quarter,” Irving said. “So, [I was] just trying to get my balance underneath me. It was hard to settle back in when you feel a tweak like that, especially in my feet. So, I am just doing my best to stay mentally prepared for anything that could happen out there. The competitive side of me says no excuses, just fight through it and be in the right positions offensively and defensively.

“I just think as a team we weren’t doing that, including myself. Just not picking up the ball as much and as often, and just missing some plays that gave them that lead and confidence going into halftime. We knew that we had the talent tonight to be able to perform well and beat this team, but we just didn’t do that, and it starts with me as one of the leaders on the team. [I] just [did] not play my ultimate best, and not bringing the energy that my team needs. Definitely one of those games I look back on, and there’s a level of frustration. But we have another one in the next 24 hours.”

The Mavericks will now battle the Thunder on Saturday night in Dallas, and they probably won’t be without Doncic, and they may not have Irving’s services, making winning that game very difficult. Irving discussed what OKC brings to the table.

“They’re a good team, they’re showing it night in and night out,” Irving said about OKC. “Their record is what it is, but they’re going to be a team that’s going to be reckoned with in the Western conference. [I’m] just looking forward to seeing them up close, not only Chet [Holmgren] but also SGA [Shai Gilgeous-Alexander). A few of those guys played in the summertime in the FIBA world games. They’re in great shape, they’ve got a great camaraderie around them, they play defense really hard. Offensively, you can tell they’re a juggernaut, so we’ll have our hands full tomorrow.”

Notes:

Memphis’ Desmond Bane had a game-high 30 points.

Derrick Jones Jr. tied for a team-high 16 points (6-14 FG, 4-7 3FG) as well as adding four rebounds, one assist and one steal. His 16 points marked the first time he has led the Mavericks in scoring in a single game, the fourth time in his career leading a team-high for any team

Grant Williams tied for a team-high 16 points (4-12 FG, 3-9 3FG, 5-6 FT) while adding a team-high eight rebounds, three assists, one block and a steal tonight. His eight rebounds is a season-high and ties for the eighth-most rebounds he has recorded in a game in his career.

 

Week 15: Eagles-Seahawks flexed to MNF

On Thursday, the NFL announced that the Week 15 Philadelphia Eagles at Seattle Seahawks game will move to Monday Night Football on ESPN while the Kansas City Chiefs at New England Patriots matchup will be played at 1 p.m. ET on FOX.

Week 15 will also feature an NFL Network tripleheader on Saturday, Dec. 16.

The final Week 15 schedule (all times ET):


Thursday, Dec. 14, 2023

Los Angeles Chargers at Las Vegas Raiders

8:15p

Prime Video


Saturday, Dec. 16, 2023

Minnesota Vikings at Cincinnati Bengals

1:00p

NFLN

Pittsburgh Steelers at Indianapolis Colts

4:30p

NFLN

Denver Broncos at Detroit Lions

8:15p

NFLN


Sunday, Dec. 17, 2023

Atlanta Falcons at Carolina Panthers

1:00p

FOX

Chicago Bears at Cleveland Browns

1:00p

FOX

Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Green Bay Packers

1:00p

CBS

New York Jets at Miami Dolphins

1:00p

CBS

Kansas City Chiefs at New England Patriots

1:00p

FOX

New York Giants at New Orleans Saints

1:00p

FOX

Houston Texans at Tennessee Titans

1:00p

CBS

San Francisco 49ers at Arizona Cardinals

4:05p

CBS

Washington Commanders at Los Angeles Rams

4:05p

CBS

Dallas Cowboys at Buffalo Bills

4:25p

FOX

Baltimore Ravens at Jacksonville Jaguars

8:20p

NBC


Monday, Dec. 18, 2023

Philadelphia Eagles at Seattle Seahawks

8:15p

ESPN/ABC

 

Eagles’ Sirianni talks relationship with Shaq Leonard

Free agent LB Darius Shaquille Leonard was in Philadelphia visiting the Eagles on Wednesday. The three-time Pro Bowler, who the Colts released in early November, also visited the Cowboys earlier this week.

The 28-year-old is coming off back surgery last season, which caused him to miss 14 games in 2022. This season, Leonard played in nine games with the Colts.

Leonard has a history with Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni. Leonard was with Sirianni in Indianapolis when Sirianni was the offensive coordinator with the Colts from 2018-2020, and the two have a close relationship, which he discussed on Wednesday.

“I was close with him when we were in Indy,” Sirianni said about his relationship with Leonard. “I just thought you can learn so much from good players. Just think about how he went about how he attacked the day, and also how he saw the game as an offensive coach. That was always a good perspective talking to him and I just had so much respect for him.

“It was good to be able to catch up with him and relive some memories, but also talk a little bit about what this building is like.”

Sirianni was asked what his pitch was to Leonard, and according to him, he will be honest about why he believes Philly is good for Leonard.

“All I’ll ever do is just be honest with him and tell him what the situation is here, what the situation is in this building,” Sirianni said.

“I think the pitch is just the guys that we have in this building, and some of them he has a prior relationship, too. I want Shaq to make the decision that’s best for him. Because, again, when there is that prior relationship you want to make sure — and that’s what I said to him, ‘I just want you to make the best decision for you. Take all the information from both places and do what’s best for you.’

“So, I’ve called him a bunch the last couple days, and, shoot, he’ll make the decision that’s best for him. I’m confident in that. He’s a good person.”

With Zach Cunningham(hamstring) possibly out for a few weeks, the Eagles need linebacker help, and Leonard would help. If it’s down to the Eagles and Cowboys, Leonard could make his debut when the two teams collide in Week 14. The only question is what color jersey he will be wearing that day.

Mielnicki Jr. returns December 29 in Newark

Rising junior middleweight Vito Mielnicki Jr. will look to thrill his hometown crowd on Friday, December 29TH, as it was announced today that he has been added to the BRICK CITY FRIDAY NIGHT FIGHTS at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. GH3 Promotions and Prudential Center have partnered to launch a multi event boxing series, BRICK CITY FRIDAY NIGHT FIGHTS, slated to continue in 2024. The launch of this exciting boxing series will present an evening filled with the best “the sweet science” has to offer.

Mielnicki of Roseland, New Jersey has a record of 16-1 with 11 knockouts, most recently he knocked out Alexis Salazar just 2:27 into their scheduled 10-round junior middleweight match on the David Benavidez-Demetrius Andrade undercard.  Mielnicki will take on Salim Larbi in a 10-round bout for the debut of BRICK CITY FRIDAY NIGHT FIGHTS on December 29th.

“I am so excited to be fighting at Prudential Center on December 29th for the launch of BRICK CITY FRIDAY NIGHT FIGHTS. I would like to thank Al Haymon and Premier Boxing Champions for allowing me to fight in front of my hometown fans. It is always special to have my friends and family at my fights, and December 29th will be no different,” said Mielnicki.

An accomplished amateur, Mielnicki turned professional at the age of 17 and now the WBA Continental Americas Super Welterweight Champion and WBC World Youth champion is currently ranked eight by the WBA. Mielnicki has won his first eight fights and is currently riding an eight-fight winning streak that is highlighted by wins over Nicholas DeLomba (16-3), Omar Rosales (9-1-1), Jose Sanchez Charles (20-3-1) and a one-round destruction over tough Alexis Salazar (25-5) this past Saturday night at The Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas.

Larbi of Cambrai, France is 22-12-3 with eight knockouts. The 36-year-old Larbi has wins over Mohamad El Maghnouji (2-0), Davit Makaradze (16-4), Patrice Sou Toke (17-2). In his last bout, Larbi went 10-rounds with world ranked middleweight Thomas LaManna before dropping a decision on March 11 in Orlando, Florida.

Other action:

Scheduled to appear in a ten-round bout will be Newark’s own Michael Anderson. Anderson (23-3-1, 17 KOs) has wins over Dashon Johnson (11-2-3), DeMarcus Rogers (14-3-1) and a third-round stoppage over Marklin Bailey. Anderson will take on Eudy Bernardo (25-6, 18 KOs) of Elias Pina, Dominican Republic.

Seeing action in a ten-round bout will be former world title challenger and current WBA number-three ranked middleweight Thomas “Cornflake” LaManna taking on Nicolas Hernandez (27-7-3, 12 KOs) of Reading, PA.

LaManna (36-5-1, 15 KOs) of Millville, New Jersey will take part in a 10-round bout. The 31-year-old LaManna has quality wins over Kendal Mena (20-3), Matthew Strode (25-6), Michael Marcano (25-5-1) and his bout when LaManna stopped Juan Manuel Witt (33-1-2) in the third round to retain his WBA Fedelatin Middleweight crown on July 22 in Atlantic City.

Fighting in an eight-round bout will be popular Albanian heavyweight Kristian Prenga (14-1, 14 KOs) taking on Ahmed Hefney (13-3, 5 KOs) of Alexandria, Egypt.

Appearing in six-round bouts will be:

Joseph Adorno (18-3, 15 KOs) of Allentown, PA battling Barulio Rodriguez (20-8, 17 KOs) of the Dominican Republic in a super lightweight bout.

Mike Lee (10-2, 5 KOs) of Orange, NJ fighting Rickey Edwards (13-5, 3 KOs) of Paterson, NJ in a welterweight contest.

Paul Kroll (10-0-2, 6 KOs) of Philadelphia collides with Weah Archibald ((10-15, 5 KOs) of Mount Vernon, NY in a welterweight fight.

In Four-Round Bouts:

Dwyke Flemmings Jr. (4-0, 4 KOs) of Paterson, NJ squares off with Luis Briceno Roman (3-4, 3 KOs) of Houston in a junior middleweight bout.

Malik Nelson (4-0, 3 KOs) of Avenel, NJ fights Romel Tasanimp (2-1) of Baltimore in a Featherweight bout.

Anthony Johns (6-1, 5 KOs) of Newark, NJ takes on an opponent to be named in a flyweight bout.

Kasir Goldston (5-0-1, 2 KOs) of Albany, NY will fight George Gethers (0-5) of Jersey City in a super lightweight tussle.

John Vallejo (4-0, 2 KOs) of New York scraps with Nelson Morales (4-11, 1 KO) of Scranton, PA in a junior middleweight affair.

Keon Ivory (2-2, 1 KO) of Lodi, NJ will take on Orland Ortiz (1-1, 1 KO) of New York in a super middleweight fight.

Photo: Ryan Hafey/PBC

DeSean Jackson announces retirement from NFL

On Wednesday, the Philadelphia Eagles announced that DeSean Jackson will officially retire as a member of the team on Friday, December 1.

The three-time Pro Bowl wide receiver, who played eight of 15 NFL seasons with the Eagles, will be recognized as the honorary captain for the team’s big showdown against the 49ers at Lincoln Financial Field on Sunday.

Originally a second-round draft pick (49th overall) of the Eagles in the 2008 NFL Draft, Jackson spent eight of his 15 seasons in Philadelphia, where he garnered three Pro Bowl nods (2009, 2010, 2013) as a dual-threat on offense and special teams. In 95 career games with the Eagles, he ranks third all-time in receiving yards (6,512), sixth in receptions (379), and ninth in receiving touchdowns (35). As a punt returner, he finished second in punt returns (132), third in punt return yards (1,296), and is the team’s all-time leader in punt return touchdowns (tied Darren Sproles with four).

Jackson’s most decorated season came in 2013 when he set career highs in receptions (82), receiving yards (1,332), touchdown catches (nine), and 100-yard games (five) en route to his third Pro Bowl selection. It was his third season with 1,000-plus receiving yards, which tied the franchise mark set by Harold Carmichael and Mike Quick. His 82 catches that season were the fourth-most in team history and third-most by a wide receiver.

After the 2013 season, Jackson was released by Chip Kelly and the Eagles and signed with the then-Washington Redskins; he would return to Philly in 2019 and would spend two seasons with the Eagles.

“DeSean Jackson was a dynamic playmaker who captivated Eagles fans with his game-breaking speed, unique skill set, and explosive play,” said Jeffrey Lurie, Philadelphia Eagles Chairman and CEO, in a press release. “What made DeSean truly stand out during his accomplished 15-year career was his ability to make miraculous plays look routine.”

Here are some highlights of Jackson’s career:

-Became the first player in NFL history to earn Pro Bowl honors at two positions – kick returner and wide receiver.

-Tied the NFL record with eight touchdowns of 50-plus yards in a single season.

-His 52.8 yards per score average during the 2009 season was the highest in NFL history among players with at least 10 touchdowns in a season.

-Became the second player in NFL history to score touchdowns via receiving, rushing, and punt return during each of his first three seasons.

-Became the fifth player in NFL history to have eclipsed 900-or-more receiving yards in each of his first four seasons.

Jackson’s most memorable play came on December 19, 2010, when the Eagles faced off against the division-rival New York Giants at MetLife Stadium. Down 31-10 in the fourth quarter, the Eagles remarkably went on to score 21 unanswered points to tie the game, 31-31. With 12 seconds remaining, the Giants were forced to punt from their own 35-yard line. Jackson, the return man, secured the football off the turf and raced 65 yards to the end zone as time expired, which marked the first time in NFL history that a game had ended on a walk-off punt return.

A native of Los Angeles, CA, Jackson played collegiately at the University of California (Berkeley) and played 15 NFL seasons for the Eagles, Washington, Tampa Bay, Rams, Raiders, and Ravens.

 

Zayas: ‘I can’t wait for the bell to ring on December 9’

Puerto Rican junior middleweight contender Xander Zayas hopes to close the year on an emphatic note.

Zayas will take on Spain’s Jorge Fortea in a 10-round battle on Saturday, Dec. 9 at Charles F. Dodge City Center in Pembroke Pines, Florida. Zayas-Fortea will serve as the co-feature to the WBO featherweight world title showdown between reigning champ Robeisy “El Tren” Ramirez and unbeaten Mexican contender Rafael “El Divino” Espinoza. 

Ramirez-Espinoza and Zayas-Fortea will be broadcast live on ESPN, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+ beginning at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.
 
Zayas (17-0, 11 KOs) signed with Top Rank at 16 and has been on the path to superstardom ever since his pro debut in October 2019. In his fifth year as a pro, he is already inching closer to a title shot in the competitive 154-pound division. He notched an eight-round unanimous decision over Ronald Cruz during Puerto Rican Day Parade weekend in June and a fifth-round TKO against the hard-hitting Roberto Valenzuela Jr. in September. Fortea (24-3-1, 9 KOs), a 13-year pro from Spain, is riding a three-bout winning streak.

Following a recent training session, this is what Zayas had to say:

“We are counting down the days to fight night! I can’t wait for the bell to ring on December 9 in South Florida. I dedicate this fight all my Boricuas from the ‘Island of Enchantment’ and the ‘Puerto Rican Diaspora’ who I know will tune in to my fight that night on ESPN.”
 
“I am determined to close the year with a bang and to continue positioning myself as one of the main contenders at junior middleweight. In the new year, I’m aiming to continuing my climb up the ranks step by step. That is why I push myself to give my all every day in the gym. You will see a better version of me every time I fight.”
 
“I am grateful for the support of the fans. I am also very happy to share the card with a great friend whom I respect a lot like “El Tren” from Cuba, Robeisy Ramírez. We are already close to a sold out venue, and we are ready to bring joy to our people. We’re coming to put on a great Latin party between Cubans and Puerto Ricans.”

Hurts on Eagles: ‘We always find a way, and that’s something that you can’t really take for granted’

DJ Khalid would be happy with the 2023 Philadelphia Eagles(10-1) because all they do is win, and that continued on Sunday at Lincoln Financial Field as they defeated the Buffalo Bills 37-34 in OT.

Philadelphia won after Jalen Hurts(18/31, 200 yards, three TDs, interception, two rushing TDs), who recorded a career-high five total touchdowns against the Bills(6-6), had a 12-yard touchdown run to seal the victory in the extra session.

For the second consecutive week, the Eagles overcame 10-point halftime deficit, got a come-from-behind victory for the fourth straight week, and, most importantly, have the best record in the NFL. According to Elias Sports, Hurts is the second NFL QB since 1950 to start 10-1 or better through 11 games in back-to-back years, joining Peyton Manning (2005-06).

In addition, according to ESPN Stats & Info, Hurts has won 14 straight games against teams with winning records, marking the longest streak by an NFL QB since 1950.

Even with all this winning, Hurts, who struggled in the first half as he completed only 4 of 11 passes for 33 yards and two turnovers(interception, fumble), and a rushing touchdown, says he’s not playing up to his standards.

“We always find a way, and that’s something that you can’t really take for granted,” he said. “Obviously, I have had a ton to clean up, and I have not executed to the level of my standard. What that [standard] is yet? It seems to be enough. But in terms of the standard that I like to play to consistently and I’d like us to play to consistently. As a team, enough is never enough. So, you just want to continue to strive for more and play to that standard.”

The second half was a different story for Hurts. He was 14/20 for 167 yards and three touchdowns; he had seven carries for 43 yards and a touchdown on the ground. Hurts made every play that needed to be made in the second half, including putting the team in position to tie the game as Jake Elliott connected on a 59-yard field goal late in regulation, and scoring a touchdown in OT after the Bills made a field goal on their first possession in OT.

“Just clutch in clutch moments, right?” Eagles coach Nick Sirianni said. “There’s going to be plays he wants back from the first half. There’s going to be plays that we called that we’re going to want back from the first half.

“Really made some big-time plays when they mattered the most, none more than three touchdown passes. I thought he hit DeVonta (Smith), read the defense perfectly, and hit the ball to DeVonta on the touchdown. What an unbelievable throw and catch by OZ [WR Olamide Zaccheaus] and Jalen on the touchdown on the scramble. I mean, my goodness, that was a good play.

“He made a lot of really clutch plays in the second half. Then the big one obviously at the end right there. We did a good job of blocking up front. Jalen got himself through there for a touchdown in a clutch moment.”

Now, the Eagles have their biggest game of the season to date next Sunday when they host the San Francisco 49ers(8-3). A win against the Niners would pretty much give the Eagles home-field advantage throughout the playoffs in the NFC. However, to Hurts’ point, they must play to their “standard” to keep winning.

Notes:

-According to Elias Sports, Sirianni became just the third head coach in NFL history to guide his team to a 10-1 start or better in consecutive seasons. The other head coaches on that list are Tony Dungy (2005-06) and Don Shula (1972-73).

-Brandon Graham set a franchise record with his 189th regular-season game played with the Eagles, breaking the previous mark held by David Akers (188, 1999-2010). A 14-year NFL veteran, Graham is also tied with Chuck Bednarik (1949-62) for the most seasons played in team history and is 4th on the club’s all-time sacks list (73.0). In addition, Graham sacked Bills QB Josh Allen on third-and-14 during the fourth quarter. He has posted 2.5 fourth-quarter sacks over his last two home games.

-Hurts became the first QB in NFL history with 10+ rushing TDs in three consecutive seasons (10 TDs in 2021 and 13 TDs in 2022).

-Jake Elliott nailed a 59-yard FG with 0:20 remaining during the fourth quarter to tie the game at a 31-31 score. Elliott, who is the Eagles’ all-time leader in 50+ yard FGs (26), has made 6 FGs of 50+ yards this year, marking a single-season career high. Elliott has converted 8-of-9 FG attempts during the fourth quarter/overtime this season, including his 54-yard game-winning FG vs. Washington (10/1/23).