In a hard-fought Monday night game against the Atlanta Falcons at Lincoln Financial Field, the Eagles were on the right track, but then they weren’t. In the furious final 5 minutes and 42 seconds, a series of great plays decided a game the Eagles ultimately lost 22-21, dropping the team to 1-1 on the season.
What happened in the final 5:42 minutes? Four plays that resulted in the Eagles losing a September game for the first time after seven consecutive wins (an NFL record).
Game 1 – 5:42 remaining, Bijan Robinson was stopped on fourth and 1.
Atlanta trailed 21-18 and faced a fourth-and-1 play at the 39-yard line. Quarterback Kirk Cousins handed off to running back Bijan Robinson and Eagles safety CJ Gardner-Johnson timed the play perfectly, meeting Robinson in the gap and delivering a devastating blow that stopped the powerful Robinson just short of the first-Eagles ball, knowing Atlanta only had two timeouts left and time was running out.
“It’s win or die, him against me,” Gardner-Johnson said. “Unfortunately, that wasn’t the decisive margin to win the game, but there are other things in this game that we as a team will look at and get right.”
Game 2 – 1:46 remaining, Eagles fail to convert third and third attempt
Philadelphia’s offense managed two first downs and forced Atlanta to use its two remaining timeouts. It looked very good that the Eagles were going to win this football game. But on third down and third down at Atlanta’s 10-yard line, the most unusual thing happened: running back Saquon Barkley made a mistake. He ran the same play that had previously led to a big play that resulted in the winning touchdown, as Barkley moved left to right and ran a straight route to the sideline to create some space. Quarterback Jalen Hurts threw a perfect throw that hit Barkley’s fingertips … and fell to the ground. Incomplete pass. A successful pass would have resulted in a first down and a chance for the Eagles to run out the clock with 1:46 left. Instead, Jake Elliott came up and kicked a 28-yard field goal. With 1:39 left, Atlanta got the ball back at its 30-yard line and was behind 21-15.
“I dropped the ball and let my team down today. I shouldn’t have put the defense in that position, made that catch, and the game is over,” Barkley said.
“I could look at this and complain and be upset about it, or I could be a professional athlete and start over, take the loss and move on and get better because of it. I’ve made this play several times. I’ve missed this play before, so the situation. It happens. It’s part of the game. I just have to get better. I let my team down, I have to own up to it. I have to take responsibility, and that’s what I’m doing. I have to promise the guys in this locker room that I’m going to be better for them.”
Game 3 – 32 seconds left, Falcons score game-winning touchdown
It was actually a series of plays, but the final one was a touchdown pass from Cousins in the right corner of the end zone to wide receiver Drake London on a third-and-5 play from Philadelphia’s 7-yard line that tied the game. Then Younghoe Koo kicked an extra point from 48 yards out – Atlanta was assessed a 15-yard penalty after the touchdown – and the Falcons took the lead.
“I was definitely very disappointed in myself at the end of the game,” said cornerback Darius Slkay, who covered London for the touchdown. “That hurts me, man. That’s my man. That play was definitely my fault. I kept my eyes in the backfield and just tried to do more than I should have done.”
The Eagles defense couldn’t get anything done on that final drive after an otherwise tough night. Up to that point, the Falcons had only managed 315 yards of offense, and while Atlanta’s running game gained 154 yards and averaged more than 5 1/2 yards per carry, Cousins wasn’t very successful in the passing game.
That changed on the last trip.
Cousins completed five of six passes for 11, 21 and 26 yards to get into the red zone. A 5-yard pass then moved the ball to the 7-yard line. The Eagles didn’t put any pressure on Cousins the entire game — just one sack by tackle Milton Williams — and on that final drive, Cousins had a pocket and room to throw to receivers who could work their way into open areas.
Game 4 – 27 seconds left, the Eagles’ last attempt is not enough
Philadelphia had one last chance and got the ball back at the 30-yard line after having two timeouts in the pocket. Hurts completed a 13-yard pass to tight end Dallas Goedert on the first attempt and the Eagles took one of their timeouts. On the next play, Hurts was pressured as he threw and looked for a double-covered DeVonta Smith on the left sideline. Safety Jessie Bates covered Smith superbly and intercepted the pass, which went wide, and the game was over.
“I just tried to make a play down the field,” Hurts said. “I tried to make a play down the field. He made a good play. I threw the ball a little too far. We just have to continue to prepare for those situations and put ourselves in those positions so we can take advantage at the end. I felt very prepared in those moments. In that moment, it just wasn’t our time for it to go our way.”
When players and coaches talk about a team’s victory or defeat coming down to “a few plays,” this game is a prime example. With a 1-1 tie, the Eagles now head to the red-hot, 2-0 New Orleans Saints, followed by a trip to Tampa Bay to face the Buccaneers, another team that started the season 2-0.
“We shouldn’t have been in that position,” defensive end Brandon Graham said. “But as a team, that’s the lesson we learned from this game that will help us down the road, knowing that we can get beat, especially if we don’t capitalize on our opportunities.”
