Jalen Hurts and the Philadelphia Eagles started strong and held on for a tense 31-25 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in a clash of unbeaten teams Sunday in steamy Tampa, Fla.
Hurts had more touchdown passes (two) than incompletions (15 of 16) in the first half as the Eagles built a 24-6 lead. He was shut out in the second half, finishing 15-of-24 passing for 130 yards. Dallas Goedert caught both touchdowns.
The defending Super Bowl champions are off to a 4-0 start for the third time in four seasons and have won 10 straight games, including playoffs, matching the franchise record set last season.
After eking out last-minute wins in their first three games, the Buccaneers (3-1) fell behind quickly on a blocked punt returned for a touchdown and never led.
Baker Mayfield threw for 289 yards with two TDs and one interception. Rookie Emeka Egbuka recorded his first career 100-yard game and caught his fourth touchdown pass in four games. Bucky Irving had 165 yards from scrimmage (63 rushing, 102 receiving).
The Buccaneers built momentum in the third quarter with two explosive plays, starting with Egbuka’s 77-yard catch-and-run TD to pull within 24-13.
After the Eagles capitalized on Irving’s fumble with Saquon Barkley’s 6-yard TD run on a fake “tush push,” Mayfield’s 72-yard TD pass to Irving made it 31-20.
It was a one-score game at 31-23 after Chase McLaughlin’s 58-yard field goal with 12:16 to play.
The Bucs were driving for the potential tie with less than eight minutes left when Mayfield was intercepted in the end zone by Jihaad Campbell. Tampa Bay crossed midfield yet again after a Philadelphia punt but failed to convert a fourth-and-9 with 57 seconds left.
Eagles punter Braden Mann took the final six seconds off the clock by running out of the end zone for a safety.
After capping last weekend’s win against the Los Angeles Rams with a special teams touchdown, the Eagles opened the scoring with another one.
Cameron Latu blocked Riley Dixon’s punt and Sydney Brown returned it 35 yards for a 7-0 lead with 12:51 left in the first quarter.
It was 14-0 after Hurts finished Philadelphia’s first drive with a 2-yard TD toss to Goedert.
McLaughlin put the Bucs on the board with a 42-yard field goal to end the first quarter.
Hurts and Goedert hooked up again with a 5-yard shovel pass to make it 21-3.
Jake Elliott’s 39-yard field goal extended the lead to 24-3 with 58 seconds before halftime.
McLaughlin answered with a franchise-record 65-yard field goal on the final play of the half.
