It’s been 371 days since the Philadelphia Eagles lost a football game. That is all in the past now. A last-second Hail Mary landed just out of the reach of Devonta Smith and AJ Brown in a 21–17 loss to the Denver Broncos on Sunday afternoon at Lincoln Financial Field. It was Denver’s first win in Philadelphia in nearly 40 years.
Twenty years after another Eagles’ team who had won the NFC and gone to the Super Bowl the year prior was another game with an unfortunate ending to Denver (49–21.) One of the few highlights of that game was a ninety-one yard touchdown catch and run by Eagles franchise wide receiver Terrell Owens. Within less than a year — Owens was no longer one of Andy Reid’s Eagles.
On Sunday in South Philadelphia — after a week of controversy about the fluidity of the Eagles offense highlighted by a social media post by franchise receiver AJ Brown — the Eagles continued to stumble on offense. Even the combination of Brown and Devonta Smith combined for thirteen receptions for 157 yards was not enough.
The Eagles got out to a 17–3 start early in the 4th quarter — highlighted by a 47-yard Saquon Barkley touchdown catch and a six-yard Hurts to Dallas Goedert touchdown in the first half.
But the Broncos and Penn Charter graduate Mike McGlinchey stormed back in the 4th quarter — scoring fifteen points unanswered. The Eagles missed an opportunity with 5:18 left in the fourth quarter when Devonta Smith reception was called back on fourth and five. Eagles punter Braden Mann subsequently got off a terrible kick. The Eagles had the Broncos stopped on a third and two when linebacker Zach Baun was flagged for a fifteen yard unnecessary roughness penalty. The Eagles committed nine penalties for fifty-five yards in the game.
The Eagles overcame six sacks and did rally for one last drive coming down the field with one minute and six seconds left. Then a no-call on a pass interference call inside the ten yard line was proceeded by a last-gasp Hail Mary from the Broncos twenty-nine yard line with no time remaining that nearly was caught by Devonta Smith.
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