NFL: Eagles soar to a gritty but necessary win over Washington to close Week 15

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania - The Philadelphia Eagles stay alive in ^their hunt for an NFC Wild Card playoff spot with a big home win over the Washington Football Team.

Eagles running back Miles Sanders rushed for a team-high 131 yards on Tuesday night.
Eagles running back Miles Sanders rushed for a team-high 131 yards on Tuesday night.  © imago/Icon SMI

The Eagles beat Washington 27-17 on Tuesday night for their second-straight win and fourth victory in the last five games.

For Washington, it’s their second loss in a row, likely knocking them out of playoff contention as the season approaches its end.

Philly wasn’t in control at the start, but they definitely battled to get the much-needed win.

Washington jumped out to an early 10-0 lead after one quarter before the Eagles answered back with 10 points of their own in the second to tie at halftime.

Philly continued to have control in the third quarter, putting another 10-spot on the scoreboard as their defense took over in the second half to ensure the Eagles kept the lead.

On their first drive to open the fourth quarter, Washington ran into the end zone to pull within three, but Philly would score one last touchdown in the final minutes to seal the deal.

The player spotlight

Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (c) scored three total TDs against Washington on Tuesday night.
Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (c) scored three total TDs against Washington on Tuesday night.  © imago/Icon SMI

In his first game back from an ankle injury that sidelined him for two weeks, Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (23) was the driving force behind his team’s success on Tuesday night.

His efforts in the ground game got his name in the franchise record books with two QB sneaks that pulled him next to former Eagle Michael Vick’s 10 rushing touchdowns by a quarterback.

Hurts finished the game with 20-for-26 passing for 296 yards, one touchdown through the air, along with eight carries for 38 yards and two rushing touchdowns.

The big picture

Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni (c.).
Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni (c.).  © imago/Icon SMI

The Eagles are now 7-7, just a spot behind the seventh and final playoff seed, but it could’ve been worse for them if they had lost on Tuesday night.

They’ve got three of the traditionally toughest games left to go in the regular season, all against divisional opponents.

The next two they are expected to win, including a rematch against Washington. The season finale is against the division-leading Cowboys, where Philly’s chance at the playoffs could be decided right then and there.

Next Sunday, the Eagles (7-7) will stay at home to take on the Giants (4-10), while Washington (6-8) will hit the road again to face the Cowboys (10-4).

Cover photo: imago/Icon SMI

More on NFL: