NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Jalen Hurts had less than two minutes to rescue the Philadelphia Eagles.
He delivered when it mattered most.
Hurts directed a 65-yard game-winning drive in the final 1:56, capping it with a 3-yard touchdown pass to Darius Cooper with nine seconds remaining as the Eagles rallied past the Tennessee Titans 24-20 on a sweltering Sunday afternoon at Nissan Stadium.
The victory moved Philadelphia to 2-0 and gave the Eagles another comeback win after Tennessee had taken the lead late in the fourth quarter.
Hurts finished with 264 passing yards and two touchdown passes, including the decisive score to Cooper. DeVonta Smith was his primary target throughout the afternoon, hauling in 10 receptions for 117 yards.
Philadelphia appeared to be in control early.
The Eagles opened the game with three consecutive drives of at least 11 plays, including a 15-play possession that consumed significant time and kept Tennessee’s defense on the field.
But the Titans repeatedly found ways to keep themselves within striking distance.
Tennessee’s defense recorded three sacks against Hurts and intercepted him twice, turning the takeaways into 10 points.
The biggest mistake came late in the fourth quarter.
With Philadelphia trying to protect a 17-17 tie, Hurts threw an interception that gave Tennessee excellent field position. Joey Slye then drilled a 33-yard field goal with 1:56 remaining, putting the Titans ahead 20-17.
Philadelphia needed 65 yards and a touchdown.
Hurts calmly took command.
The Eagles moved down the field quickly, converting key plays and putting themselves in position for one final shot at the end zone.
With nine seconds remaining, Hurts found Cooper for the 3-yard touchdown, sending the Philadelphia sideline and the large contingent of Eagles fans in the stadium into celebration.
Tennessee still had one final opportunity.
Cam Ward moved the Titans to midfield, but Philadelphia’s pressure forced his final throw to fall incomplete as time expired.
Ward finished with 183 passing yards and scored twice on 1-yard rushing touchdowns.
Eagles Survive the Heat
The game was played under brutal conditions.
Temperatures reached 98 degrees in the fourth quarter, with the heat index climbing to 106. The artificial turf at Nissan Stadium became even hotter, reportedly reaching at least 150 degrees.
The conditions were so extreme that Tennessee players had water sprayed onto their cleats along the sideline in an effort to keep their feet cool.
Despite the heat, Philadelphia maintained possession for nearly 22 minutes in the first half and took a 14-10 advantage into halftime.
Tennessee pulled within four when Slye connected on a 37-yard field goal as the second quarter expired.
The Titans continued to hang around throughout the second half before finally taking the lead on Slye’s 33-yard field goal late in the fourth quarter.
But the Eagles had the final answer.
Barkley Injured Early
Philadelphia also had to deal with an early injury to Saquon Barkley.
The three-time Pro Bowl running back suffered a stinger in his left arm on the opening play of the game. Barkley returned to begin the third quarter but was limited to four carries for nine yards.
It marked only the fourth time in Barkley’s career that he finished a game with fewer than 10 rushing yards.
Tank Bigsby helped compensate for the limited production from the running game, scoring a touchdown for the Eagles.
Jake Elliott also provided an important contribution, connecting on a 58-yard field goal.
Philadelphia tight end Dallas Goedert left the game with a knee injury midway through the second quarter.
Titans Come Up Short Again
For Tennessee, the loss dropped the Titans to 0-2 and marked the third consecutive season in which they have opened with two straight losses.
The Titans were playing their first two games of the season at home, but the home-field advantage wasn’t enough to produce a victory for first-year head coach Robert Saleh.
Tennessee’s defense repeatedly created opportunities, intercepting Hurts twice and sacking him three times.
The Titans simply could not finish the game.
After Slye’s late field goal gave Tennessee a 20-17 lead, Hurts and the Eagles needed only 1:56 to erase it.
The final drive was the difference.
Looking Ahead:
Philadelphia improved to 15-4 in September since 2021, remaining tied with Buffalo for the most September victories in the NFL during that span.
The Eagles will now head to Chicago for a Monday night matchup with the Bears on Sept. 28.
Tennessee will try to earn its first victory of the season next Sunday when the Titans travel to face the New York Giants.
For Philadelphia, the trip to Nashville ended with a victory, but the Eagles also left with plenty to clean up after committing turnovers and allowing Tennessee to remain in the game.
Still, when the game was on the line, Hurts and the Eagles had the final word.
