EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- All the Philadelphia Eagles needed to get over their Super Bowl hangover was a little more urgency, some big plays -- and a timely game against the New York Giants.
Carson Wentz threw a season-high three touchdown passes and the Eagles got an early lift from their defense and special teams in beating the struggling Giants 34-13 on Thursday night, avoiding their first three-game losing streak since the 2016 season.
Wentz sandwiched touchdowns passes of 13 and 1 yard to Alshon Jeffery around a 10-yarder to tight end Zach Ertz to help the Eagles (3-3) build a 31-6 lead. They beat the Giants (1-5) for the fourth consecutive time and seventh in eight games.
Corey Clement scored on a 1-yard run and Jake Elliott added field goals of 33 and 30 yards for the defending Super Bowl champions.
Rookie halfback Saquon Barkley scored on a 50-yard run and rushed for 130 yards in one of the few bright spots for the Giants' offense, which was booed repeatedly in losing at home for the third time. Aldrick Rosas had field goals of 33 and 21 yards.
This was seen as a must-win game for both teams in the weak and wide-open NFC East, and the Eagles went out and grabbed it.
They came into the game having scored seven points in the first quarter and they doubled that against New York.
Eli Manning was under pressure throughout the game and finished 24 of 43 for 281 yards.
Elliott made it 24-6 just before halftime and Philadelphia put the game out of reach with a 75-yard drive that ended with a short Jeffery TD catch.
The only thing meaningful after that was Barkley's touchdown run.
Barkley has gained at least 100 yards from scrimmage in each of his first six career games. He is one off the NFL rookie record set by Kansas City's Kareem Hunt.
Philadelphia 14 10 7 3 -- 34
New York 3 3 7 0 -- 13
First Quarter
Phi--Jeffery 13 pass from Wentz (Elliott kick), 13:15.
NYG--FG Rosas 33, 10:06.
Phi--Clement 1 run (Elliott kick), 1:28.
Second Quarter
NYG--FG Rosas 21, 5:44.
Phi--Ertz 10 pass from Wentz (Elliott kick), 4:22.
Phi--FG Elliott 33, 1:29.
Third Quarter
Phi--Jeffery 1 pass from Wentz (Elliott kick), 8:42.
NYG--Barkley 50 run (Rosas kick), 6:10.
Fourth Quarter
Phi--FG Elliott 30, 14:52.
Attendance--77,167.
Phi NYG
First downs 23 17
Total Net Yards 379 401
Rushes-yards 31-108 17-147
Passing 271 254
Punt Returns 5-47 3-0
Kickoff Returns 2-34 2-58
Interceptions Ret. 1-24 0-0
Comp-Att-Int 26-36-0 24-43-1
Sacked-Yards Lost 1-7 4-27
Punts 5-48.0 5-50.6
Fumbles-Lost 3-0 2-0
Penalties-Yards 4-25 5-61
Time of Possession 32:30 27:30
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING--Philadelphia, Smallwood 18-51, Clement 11-43, Wentz 2-14. New York, Barkley 13-130, Gallman 4-17.
PASSING--Philadelphia, Wentz 26-36-0-278. New York, Manning 24-43-1-281.
RECEIVING--Philadelphia, Jeffery 8-74, Ertz 7-43, Agholor 3-91, Clement 3-26, Matthews 2-26, D.Carter 1-11, Goedert 1-7, Smallwood 1-0. New York, Barkley 9-99, Beckham 6-44, Latimer 3-52, S.Shepard 3-37, Gallman 2-25, Simonson 1-24.
MISSED FIELD GOALS--Philadelphia, Elliott 54. New York, Rosas 52.
Sports on 10/12/2018