Philadelphia Eagles Commit Costly Turnovers, Trail Buffalo Bills at Halftime
The Philadelphia Eagles are looking to put a major stamp on their lead in the NFC against the Buffalo Bills at Lincoln Financial Field on Sunday, but will have to make some adjustments in the locker room as they trail 17-7 at halftime.
The Eagles were aided by three Buffalo penalties on their only touchdown drive, which ended in a Brotherly Shove touchdown for Jalen Hurts. Aside from that, Philadelphia had 99 total yards, punted three times and turned it over twice. This was despite the Bills playing a bit sloppy with 10 penalties in the first half.
Hurts went 4 of 11 passing for 33 yards and one interception in the first half while rushing six times for 23 yards and a touchdown. His tipped interception and eventual lost fumble on a missed hand-off with 1:08 left in the half helped hand the Bills momentum, who scored 14 points off the turnovers.
Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (1) eludes Buffalo Bills defensive end Leonard Floyd (56) during the first quarter at Lincoln Financial Field.
© Bill Streicher, USA TODAY
Hurts was out-played by Bills quarterback Josh Allen, who finished the half 19 of 32 passing for 209 yards and one touchdown. He added four carries for 40 yards and a nine-yard rushing score that gave Buffalo a 10-7 lead in the second quarter before finding Stefon Diggs for a 13-yard touchdown right before halftime.
To start the game, both teams quickly went three-and-out amid all the rain. The Bills got possession back and nearly had a touchdown on a grind-it-out drive, but running back James Cook let the ball slip from his hands on a wheel route down the left sideline. Two pre-snap penalties later and Buffalo was suddenly out of field-goal range.
Another Bills penalty on the ensuing punt gave Hurts and the Eagles solid field position, and they eventually capitalized.
Buffalo had six penalties in the first quarter, the most by any team in the first quarter this season. The Bills kept getting flagged, but the defense kept presenting problems for Hurts and the offense. After Buffalo got on the board with a field goal, Hurts' pass was tipped and floated in the air before Bills linebacker Terrel Bernard picked it off.
This led to Allen's rushing score, as he answered Hurts' touchdown with one of his own to give the Bills a 10-7 lead.
The Eagles will receive the second-half kickoff.
