“It’s a 16-round fight, we lost Round 3, now we gotta go back and get Round 4”, linebacker Demario Davis said.
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Darren Sproles accounted for two touchdowns, including a spectacular 89-yard punt return in the second quarter, and the Philadelphia Eagles claimed their first win of the season with a 24-17 victory over the New York Jets on Sunday at MetLife Stadium. He had 716 yards rushing and receiving a year ago and scored six TDs rushing.
“I thought it was gritty”, Eagles head coach Chip Kelly said.
Bowles wasn’t pleased with the 11-year veteran’s decision- making during the game, and his assessment of Fitzpatrick’s play didn’t change the following day. The Jets were able to outscore the Eagles 10-0 in the second half, but Fitzpatrick made too many mistakes for the Jets to come all the way back.
Darren Sproles isn’t slowing down with age.
“I saw Cumberland sitting there”.
Bradford completed just 14 of 28 passes for 118 yards. With the Redskins and Saints on the horizon in the coming weeks, the Birds have a couple of struggling opponents that they could use to help figure a few things out and get themselves right.
Jets kicker Nick Folk nailed a 53-yard field goal with 2:34 left, but the Eagles recovered the subsequent onside kick and ran out the clock. “They just put a brace on it”, Bowles said. “You can utilize him in so many different ways”. But three plays later, Philadelphia took it right back when Brandon Bair deflected Fitzpatrick’s pass intended for Marshall and Hicks grabbed the easy interception.
“It’s inconsistency and it’s not one specific thing”, Kelly said. “We’re doing well, we have good chemistry going and everything else and Geno understands that”. The offensive line did give up the penetration they did in the first two games, which allowed Ryan Mathews to rush for 108 yards.
“It’s a lot more fun to play from ahead than it is from behind”, Bradford said with a grin. “We definitely have to get back and understand what we did wrong, but at the same time we’ve got to move forward as quickly as possible”. And Mathews immediately responded, generating 67 yards on 10 first-half carries. He was clearly throwing the ball before his knees hit the ground.
The Eagles (1-2) avoided their first 0-3 start since 1999. Without the injured Chris Ivory, the Jets were without their top option in the running game.
“Just setting his feet”, Kelly said about the times Bradford missed receivers.
Fitzpatrick was 35-of-58 for 283 yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions.
Since he was acquired from the Chicago Bears via an offseason trade, Marshall has been the Jets’ best weapon through the air, posting 23 catches for 272 yards and three touchdowns.
The Jets fell to 2-1 on the season, but 0-10 all time against the Eagles. His early kickoff primarily went out of bounds because it couldn’t reach the Jets’ end zone on the bounce.
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DeMarco Murray did not play in the Eagles’ 24-17 win over the New York Jets on Sunday because of a hamstring injury.
