Heading into Sunday’s regular-season opener, many analysts and fans believed that the Philadelphia Eagles would blow out their NFC East rivals, the Washington Redskins.
But that was not the case early on as the Redskins, led by veteran quarterback Case Keenum, jumped out to an impressive 17-7 first-half lead.
However, when the game moved to the second half, the Eagles dominated the Redskins on both sides of the ball en route to a 32-27 comeback victory.
Eagles veteran wide receivers DeSean Jackson and Alshon Jeffery played an instrumental role in the team’s comeback win.
Jackson, who was signed to a three-year deal in free agency, had two 50-plus yard touchdown receptions in the first and third quarters. It would be his 30th and 31st career touchdown receptions of over 50-plus yards.
The 32-year-old led both teams in receiving with eight catches (nine targets) for 154 yards and a touchdown.
Eagles fourth-year quarterback Carson Wentz also had a fantastic game, completing 72-percent of his passes for 313 yards and three touchdowns.
But to begin the game, Philadelphia’s defense did not have any answers for Keenum, who last played the Eagles in the 2017 NFC Championship Game with the Minnesota Vikings. Keenum completed 66-percent of his passes for 380 yards and three touchdowns.
On their first offensive drive, the veteran signal-caller found veteran tight end Vernon Davis for an acrobatic 48-yard touchdown to put Washington on the scoreboard first.
Philadelphia’s deficit only grew when Washington proceeded to march down the field for another score, thanks to a 41-yard field goal by Dustin Hopkins.
Down by 10, the Eagles looked poised to respond, but an ensuing 12-play drive ended on a failed fourth-down conversion.
Washington fed off that momentum as the Eagles’ deficit was suddenly at 17-0 when Keenum hit rookie wideout Terry McLaurin for a 69-yard touchdown.
With Eagles fans at Lincoln Financial Field getting annoyed by the ineptitude of the team’s offense, Wentz and company responded with a 51-yard touchdown pass to Jackson, setting the tone for a big second half.
The Eagles’ offense not only converted a fourth down and short but got the running game going with 36-year-old Darren Sproles leading the way.
Philadelphia ultimately capped off their first offensive drive of the second half with Wentz finding Jeffery for a five-yard score.
From there, momentum was on the Eagles’ side as they clamped down on Washington, holding them to minus-three rushing yards. In the first half alone, the Redskins had 31 yards on the ground.
Where Washington struggled, the Eagles excelled, finishing the game with 123 rushing yards after they only had 22 in the first two quarters.
Nevertheless, Philadelphia added two more touchdowns from Jackson and Jeffery in the third and fourth quarters for a five-point victory to open the regular season.
The Eagles (1-0) will now head to Atlanta to face the Falcons (0-1) next Sunday night (8:20 p.m. ET, NBC).
