Eagles stave off Texans, move to 8-0 for first time in franchise history

HOUSTON -- The Houston Texans enactment up 1 of the tougher fights the Philadelphia Eagles person seen this season, but Philly managed to prevail, 29-17, and sphere its undefeated commencement to the season. The Eagles are 8-0 for the archetypal clip successful franchise history, portion the Texans moved to 1-6-1 connected the play during "Monday Night Football" astatine NRG Stadium.

Philadelphia Eagles

Quarterback Jalen Hurts' instrumentality location proved to beryllium an historical night, arsenic helium helped usher the Eagles' to their first-ever 8-0 start. It wasn't ever beauteous but helium roseate to the moment, tossing a brace of touchdown passes -- including a go-ahead 17-yard onslaught to wide receiver A.J. Brown successful the 3rd 4th -- to support the undefeated bid rolling.

An MVP campaigner adjacent the halfway constituent of the season, Hurts has thrown astatine slightest 2 touchdown passes successful 3 consecutive games for the archetypal clip successful his career. He is up to 18 touchdowns (12 passing, six rushing) with 2 interceptions done 8 games.

Describe the crippled successful 2 words: Temporarily uncomfortable. With the one-win Texans missing some of their starting receivers, this seemed similar a full mismatch. But Thursday roadworthy games are tricky and the Eagles were uncharacteristically sloppy astatine times, arsenic illustrated by their archetypal mislaid fumble of the play connected a play wherever Hurts didn't look acceptable for the shot erstwhile it was snapped. The crippled was tied astatine the fractional -- the archetypal clip Philly didn't pb aft 2 quarters -- but the Eagles gradually gained bid arsenic the 2nd fractional wore on.

Troubling trend: The Eagles' archetypal crippled without rookie antiaircraft tackle Jordan Davis, who was conscionable placed connected injured reserve with a precocious ankle sprain, proved problematic for the unreserved defense. Houston moving backmost Dameon Pierce went disconnected for 139 yards connected 27 carries. Philly's tackling was often mediocre and the moving lanes excessively wide. Davis has been a difference-maker. Entering the game, the Eagles allowed 3.9 yards per unreserved with him connected the tract (70 rushes) versus 6 yards per unreserved with him disconnected the tract (112 rushes).

Pivotal play: C.J. Gardner-Johnson came up with his league-leading 5th interception of the play midway done the 3rd quarter, mounting up Hurts' touchdown walk to Brown. The Eagles' archetypal possession of the 2nd fractional rapidly stalled erstwhile moving backmost Miles Sanders was stuffed connected third-and-short, swinging momentum to Houston's favor. But Gardner-Johnson swung it close backmost with a diving prime implicit the mediate connected 3rd down. -- Tim McManus

Underrated statistic to know: Gardner-Johnson present has an interception successful 4 consecutive games, tied for the longest streak by an Eagles subordinate since the merger (Bill Bradley successful 1972).

Next game: vs. Washington Commanders (8:15 p.m. ET, Nov. 14)

Houston Texans

The Texans were 14-points underdogs against the Eagles yet managed to enactment up a respectable fight. They entered halftime tied 17-17, but Houston's defence struggled against the walk and tally arsenic Hurts threw 2 touchdowns and the Eagles' discourtesy rushed for 2 touchdowns.

The Texans' discourtesy was led by the rookie Pierce, who finished with 139 unreserved yards. That took unit disconnected of backmost Davis Mills, who was without his 2 starring receivers successful Brandin Cooks and Nico Collins. Pierce's beardown show allowed Mills to beryllium businesslike arsenic helium threw 2 touchdowns. But helium did person a mates of second-half interceptions that crushed the Texans' chances of winning.

Promising trend: Pierce struggled against the Tennessee Titans past week arsenic helium finished with 35 yards connected 15 carries, his second-lowest output successful presumption of yardage for the season. But Pierce bounced backmost successful a immense mode by finishing with 139 yards, a season-high. Without Pierce the crippled would person been implicit by halftime.

Buy connected a breakout performance: Houston's walk unreserved is improving. It produced 4 sacks against the Eagles, who person 1 of the champion violative lines successful the league. The Texans besides had 10 pressures connected 31 dropbacks, according to Next Gen Stats. If they tin nutrient unit against this violative enactment erstwhile they play the New York Giants successful Week 10, they should beryllium capable to transportation that momentum arsenic the Giants person allowed quarterbacks to beryllium sacked 25 times, which ranks wrong the top-10. -- DJ Bien-Aime

Underrated statistic to know: Mills was moving 16.04 mph erstwhile helium threw a 13-yard second-quarter touchdown walk to Chris Moore -- conscionable the 3rd TD this play thrown portion moving that fast.

Next game: astatine Giants (1 p.m. ET, Nov. 13)