| Advertisement |
PHILADELPHIA -- Carson Wentz threw four touchdown passes, Jay Ajayi rushed for a 46-yard score in his debut and the Philadelphia Eagles won their seventh consecutive game by routing the Denver Broncos 51-23 Sunday at Lincoln Financial Field. The Eagles improved to 8-1, the best mark in the National Football League.
Advertisement
Wentz tossed at least three touchdown passes for the fourth time in the last five games. He also became the youngest player to throw at least 23 touchdown passes through nine games since Dan Marino had 27 in 1984.
Wentz was 15 of 27 for 199 yards and a 118.7 rating.
The reeling Broncos fell to 3-5 and 0-4 on the road.
In preparation for this matchup, the Broncos switched quarterbacks and gave the start to Brock Osweiler rather than Trevor Siemian. But the change provided little momentum as Osweiler struggled mightily and finished 18 of 37 for 207 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. Some of the statistics were compiled when the game had long been decided.
The Eagles didn't become conservative with a big lead after halftime and extended their advantage to 38-9 when Corey Clement plunged in from 2 yards out with 7:32 left in the third quarter.
Following a 50-yard interception return by safety Rodney McLeod, Alshon Jeffery hauled in his second touchdown catch of the game, from 11 yards out, for a 44-9 Eagles' lead with 3:00 left in the third quarter. Jake Elliott's extra point misfired, a rare issue on this day for the home team.
The Broncos scored two touchdowns to make things interesting. Backup quarterback Nick Foles was sacked by linebacker Von Miller and linebacker Brandon Marshall ran 19 yards for a score to close the Broncos within 44-23.
Clement's second rushing touchdown -- he had three overall -- came late in the fourth quarter and pushed the Eagles ahead 51-23.
Wentz tossed three touchdowns in the first half as the Eagles rolled to a 31-9 lead against the top-rated defense in the league in total yards. Denver came in allowing 261 yards per game and it gave up 261 in the first half.
Wentz threw touchdown strikes to Jeffery, Clement and tight end Trey Burton, pushing his total to a league-best 23 this season.
The Broncos' entire offense in the first half consisted of three field goals from Brandon McManus.
Ajayi, picked up by the Eagles from Miami for a fourth-round draft pick in 2018 just before the trade deadline, scampered in from 46 yards out for a commanding 22-point advantage at halftime. He rushed for 77 yards on eight carries.
The Broncos were hampered by nine costly penalties for 70 yards in the first half.
NOTES: Eagles TE Zach Ertz, who leads all tight ends in the league with six touchdown catches, was inactive with a strained hamstring. ... Broncos WR Emmanuel Sanders (ankle) missed the last two games, but was active for this game. ... Eagles CB Ronald Darby, who dislocated his ankle in the first week, made a late push this week to play but was listed as inactive. ... Zaire Anderson started at inside linebacker for the Broncos in place of Todd Davis (ankle). ... The Eagles activated newly-acquired RB Jay Ajayi, one of five running backs eligible to play. ... Eagles RB Corey Clement became the first rookie in franchise history with a rushing touchdown and receiving touchdown in the same game since 1953.
