PHILADELPHIA — The Eagles walked into the locker room down 19-7 against the Los Angeles Rams, their offense mired in stalled drives and short possessions. They walked out for the second half with urgency, rhythm and a rediscovered identity.
Sunday’s third quarter didn’t go well initially: Quarterback Jalen Hurts fumbled the ball away deep in Eagles territory to promptly set up a Rams touchdown. But the turnaround afterward was decisive, with three touchdown drives of 79, 87 and 91 yards engineered by Hurts with precision and tempo.
It wasn’t just a comeback on the scoreboard, a 33–26 win secured by Jordan Davis’ dramatic 61-yard return of a field goal he blocked. It was a comeback in philosophy. For the first time this season, the Eagles’ playmakers dictated terms to a defense rather than waiting for the game to come to them.
Wide receiver A.J. Brown, who was the focal point of the rally, insisted the adjustment was about the collective. “The plan was to get the offense going (in the second half), not me personally,” Brown said. “It just kind of happened that way.”
Make no mistake: It was about Brown (and fellow receiver DeVonta Smith, who finished with eight catches for 60 yards and a TD). After catching just one ball in the first half, Brown had six grabs for 109 yards and a touchdown after the break. His simple explanation? “I just got the ball.”
And that’s the point: Just get Brown the ball.
That shift came with noticeable energy in the stadium. Brown’s first reception after halftime (his first of the game on only his second target) was an 8-yard gain to the sideline. Fans erupted with the “A-O!” chant that Brown had put out on social media. (It stands for “Always Open,” like the sign that often hangs above his locker.)
“I heard the A-O, and man, it just lit a fire,” Brown said. “I just want to thank the fans. Their energy kept pushing us.”
The sequence seemed to jump-start both the star receiver and the entire offense. Brown explained the second-half chemistry with Hurts as a product of steady work.
“It’s about being at the right place at the right time and being on time at the right place at the right time,” he said. “And most importantly, just being on the same page. That’s something that comes with work throughout the week … and I think it kind of just turned around.
“Me, personally, I truly believe, man, we got so many good players on this team, and at times you can feel like we’re being conservative and I don’t think it should be like that,” Brown said. “I think you should let your killers do their thing, and play fast and play aggressive.
“Obviously, we’re going to run the ball and we’re going to set up the run off the pass and the pass off the run. But we have a lot of good players, and I feel like you should just let us go.”
Dictating terms
Coach Nick Sirianni Monday reinforced the need for aggressiveness. An exhilarated coach praised Brown’s patience through slow starts.
“I saw (through experience) a lot of guys go a different way,” Sirianni said. “He handled every one of them with so much grace, with so much maturity. Obviously he wants the football. … To do the things we want to do, he’s got to get the ball.”
Sirianni, who was emotional with the team after the win, also responded directly to Brown’s remark about conservative play-calling. “I hear what A.J. said with the conservative part … but there are some circumstances that happened in the first half where our field position wasn’t great,” he said. Still, Sirianni pivoted to a broader philosophy: “You’re the offense and you’ve got to dictate to the defense … not let them dictate to you.”
Numbers tell the story
The statistical swing was as dramatic as the tone. Hurts completed 21 of 32 passes for 226 yards and three touchdowns, most of them in the second half. He also ran for a 1-yard score in the first quarter.
The second-half drives illustrated balance and resolve:
• 5 plays, 79 yards: Hurts hit Dallas Goedert for a 33-yard score after connecting with Brown for 38.
• 13 plays, 87 yards: Brown capped it with a 9-yard TD.
• 17 plays, 91 yards: DeVonta Smith’s 4-yard touchdown tied the game with 1:48 left.
The Eagles converted 5 of 8 third-down attempts in the second half after going 0-for-6 in the first two quarters, aggressive markers that tilted the outcome. The Rams managed only three third-down conversions all game.
For Brown, the production matched his words. All his passing-game production came after halftime, showcasing both the need to feed him and the ability of the offense to take off when he’s involved.
Moving forward
The Eagles’ offense remains a work in progress, but Sunday’s rally carved out a clearer direction. Tempo, rhythm and early targets for Brown and Smith can create options for Hurts and put stress on defenses. Saquon Barkley didn’t break free for long runs, but his presence still helped balance play-calling.
If last September was about making Barkley the focal point, this September is about opening up the passing game — which will also free Barkley as teams key on containing him.
The challenge now is sustainability. A first half of empty possessions against a better opponent could bury the Birds. But the second half provided a practical template.
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NOTES: First-year offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo called all the plays in Sunday’s second half after conferring with Hurts, despite reports otherwise. … The Eagles on Monday signed wide receiver Xavier Gipson, formerly of the Jets. He may contribute immediately on special teams and provide another speed option in practice reps. Recently acquired Tank Bigsby struggled as a returner against the Rams. … The Eagles were 4 for 5 on fourth down Sunday. They ended up outgaining Los Angeles 373-348, with 15 first downs after halftime compared to just four before it. … Nick Sirianni is 4-0 vs. Sean McVay, whose Rams haven’t beaten the Eagles since Sept. 20, 2020 (37-19 vs. Doug Pederson). … The Eagles are 19-1 in their last 20 games dating back to last year, including the postseason.
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Follow Christiaan DeFranco on X at @the_defranc.
Source: Berkshire mont
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