Eagles welcome back receivers, hand Browns fourth straight loss

Field Level Media|published: Sun 13th October, 16:07 2024

Oct 13, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown (11) makes a catch against Cleveland Browns cornerback Denzel Ward (21) during the second quarter at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith each caught a touchdown pass in their return to action as the Philadelphia Eagles topped the visiting Cleveland Browns 20-16 on Sunday.

Smith missed the previous game with a concussion, while Brown sat out the last three contests with a hamstring injury. In this one, they combined for nine catches for 180 yards from Jalen Hurts (16-of-25 passing, 264 yards, two TDs, no turnovers) as the Eagles (3-2) survived down the stretch.

Cleveland's Deshaun Watson went 16 of 23 for 168 yards, finding Amari Cooper four times for 42 yards. The Browns (1-5) scored their only touchdown on special teams and lost for the fourth straight game.

Smith broke a 13-13 tie with 7:54 remaining when he caught a shallow cross and ran unobstructed down the right sideline for a 45-yard touchdown. Cleveland then drove inside the Philadelphia 10 before settling for Dustin Hopkins' 31-yard field goal with 3:54 left.

From there, the Eagles ran out the clock, highlighted by Hurts' game-clinching bomb to Brown (six catches, 116 yards).

The teams were tied 10-10 at halftime with the biggest play of the first half coming in the final minute.

Philadelphia's Jake Elliott attempted a 57-yard field goal with 25 seconds left, but Myles Garrett got his hand on the kick. Former Eagle Rodney McLeod Jr. scooped up the loose ball and sprinted 50 yards to the end zone for the tying score.

The Eagles' only TD of the first half came midway through the second quarter when Hurts hit Brown down the left side for a 22-yard touchdown. That put the hosts ahead 10-0 before Hopkins kicked a 43-yard field goal with 1:58 left in the half.

Elliott's 44-yard field goal late in the third quarter gave Philadelphia a 13-10 advantage before Hopkins' 49-yarder drew Cleveland even with 9:49 to play.

The Browns lost center Nick Harris to an ankle injury early in the game and then running back Jerome Ford (hamstring) shortly thereafter. Meanwhile, Eagles tight end Dallas Goedert exited with a hamstring injury in the first quarter before cornerback Darius Slay Jr. walked off with a knee injury in the third and offensive tackle Jordan Mailata suffered a leg injury in the fourth.

--Field Level Media