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Washington football quarterback Taylor Heinicke (4) is chased and sacked by Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Genard Avery (58) during the second half of an NFL football game , on Sunday January 2, 2022, in Landover, Md. (AP Photo / Mark Tenally)
PA
LANDOVER, MD.
Jalen Hurts got out of trouble while showing no ill effects from a recent ankle injury, Boston Scott rushed for two touchdowns and the Philadelphia Eagles held off to beat Washington 20-16 on Sunday to come close playoffs.
Hurts ran six times for 45 yards and completed 17 of 26 passes for 214 yards, leading the Eagles to a fourth straight victory. While waiting for other results around the NFL, they could have a locked NFC wildcard spot by the end of the night.
Philadelphia (9-7) started slowly again, and their league-leading rushing offense was limited to 3.4 yards at the season low with Miles Sanders due to a broken left hand. Twelve days after accumulating 238 yards on the ground against Washington (6-10), the Eagles had 119 yards on the ground.
But the defense eventually reached Taylor Heinicke, and the Eagles exhausted a crushed opponent, wiping out a 16-7 deficit. Jake Elliott scored 42 and 41 yards in the fourth quarter, and Rodney McLeod knocked out Heinicke in the end zone with 24 seconds left to seal it.
Philadelphia will make the playoffs for the first time since 2019 if Minnesota loses to Green Bay and New Orleans loses to Carolina or San Francisco beats Houston.
Rookie Jaret Patterson rushed for his second career TD for Washington, which lacked leading running back Antonio Gibson, left guard Ereck Flowers and punter Tress Way due to COVID-19 protocols. Heinicke brought out some of his elusiveness, escaping the pressure in a big fourth quarter, but threw an interception for the fifth straight game after leading Washington to the Philadelphia 20-yard line.
Ravaged by virus-related injuries and absences, Washington’s weak playoff hopes ended with a home loss that looked more like Lincoln Financial Field due to all the Eagles fans in attendance. This is the team’s fourth consecutive loss after winning the previous four games.
SLOW START
The Eagles trailed 10-0 after the first quarter, continuing a recent trend. They’ve been outscored 35-7 in the first quarter in the last five games, but have won four. This is their third game in a row without any points in the first.
GOLD RUSH
Scott’s second touchdown gave the Eagles 24 rushing points this season. It’s the most in the league and the most in the organization in a season since 1949.
INJURIES
Eagles: Right guard Nate Herbig injured his left ankle late in the second quarter but came back in the third. … LB Shaun Bradley was inactive due to a shoulder injury.
Washington: Tight end Ricky Seals-Jones injured his neck in a nasty collision with a cameraman on the sidelines in the second quarter. Seals-Jones had his neck stabilized before he was hoisted onto a stretcher and transported. The cameraman cut his nose but continued to work.
FOLLOWING
Eagles: Host the Dallas Cowboys, NFC East champions next Sunday.
Washington: At the New York Giants next Sunday.
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