Jalen Hurts' lone touchdown leads Eagles to 16-9 victory over Lions in lackluster offensive game

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The Eagles are positioned again to make a strong run at another Super Bowl — not solely on the arm of Jalen Hurts, the legs of Saquon Barkley and other marquee offensive players all NFL fans know — but on a defense that has churned out a string of masterpieces that fired them to the top of the NFC.

Get to know these names. It might come in handy around early February.

Jalen Carter. Jordan Davis. Jaelan Phillips. Nakobe Dean.

The Lions were just the latest playoff hopeful to have their best efforts derailed by Vic Fangio's crew.

Hurts scored the only touchdown in an otherwise feeble effort from the Philadelphia Eagles' offense, and it was enough to lead them to a 16-9 win over the Detroit Lions, who failed on every fourth-down try Sunday night.

“As I watch football today, I saw a lot of teams waiting to lose,” Eagles coach Nick Sirianni said. “Our team's waiting to win. Because they know how to win. There's something to be said for that, of knowing how to win.”

The Eagles (8-2) are the only team in the NFC East with more than three wins and the second one in the conference to eight victories, putting them in pole position to take the top seed and earn home-field advantage as the Super Bowl champions go for a repeat.

Hurts threw for only 135 yards, Barkley ran for 83 in another average outing a season after he topped 2,000-yards rushing, and former 1,000-yard receivers A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith combined for nine catches for 57 yards. They have scored only a combined 26 points the last two games —- both wins.

Yet those struggles didn't matter much against a Detroit team that seemed happy to try and give the game away. The Lions, who entered averaging 31.4 points per game, failed to convert on five fourth-down attempts and were 3 of 13 on third down.

“Five-for-five the way we look at it,” Sirianni said. “Outstanding.”

Carter and Davis did their part with a combined five batted passes. Phillips, a trade-deadline pickup, had five tackles, a sack and four QB pressures.

“One of the best performances I've ever seen,” Hurts said.

Lions coach Dan Campbell replaced offensive coordinator John Morton as the play-caller last week. Campbell wasn’t ready to say it was a permanent move, although he called plays again against the Eagles.

Campbell wasn’t much of an improvement.

The Lions’ notable failure came late in the third quarter while trailing 13-6 after Jared Goff connected with Jahmyr Gibbs for a 42-yard gain that took the ball to the Eagles 22. The Lions went on to get a first-and-goal at the 8, but they turned the ball over on downs.

“They’re a good ... defense,” Goff said.

The Eagles at least took advantage of their best scoring chance inside the 10.

Barkley had a 5-yard TD run in the second quarter overturned by a replay review, a momentary setback once Hurts scored from 1 yard out — yes, on a tush push — with 16 seconds left to send the Eagles into halftime with a 13-6 lead.

Jake Elliott kicked field goals of 27 and 34 yards in the half. He made a 49-yarder in the fourth for a 16-6 lead.

Goff — who went 14 of 37 for 255 yards —- hit Jameson Williams for a 40-yard score that tied the game at 6-all late in the second quarter. Williams celebrated by jumping onto the goal post padding and bear-hugging the upright, which earned him a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty.

On a blustery night in Philly, those lost yards cost the Lions when Jake Bates was wide right on the 48-yard extra point. Bates did kick a 54-yard field goal with 1:58 left.

Hurts tried to force the ball to an unhappy Brown early after yet another week of complaints from the wide receiver about his role in the offense.

Brown’s production has severely declined this season -- he was targeted just three times last week at Green Bay -- and he took to social media afterward to express his displeasure, saying on Twitch that fantasy owners should drop him from their teams.

Brown — who stood by his pervious complaints as he otherwise praised the team — finished with seven catches for 49 yards against the Lions.

“It was me trying to help contribute, that’s all,” Brown said.

Eagles cornerback Cooper DeJean had his first career regular-season interception when he picked off Goff's pass in the first quarter that led to a field goal.

The second-year standout, of course, is mostly remembered from an interception in last season's Super Bowl. DeJean became the first player in Super Bowl history to intercept a pass or score a touchdown on his birthday when he returned a poor throw by Patrick Mahomes 38 yards for a TD.

Lions: All-Pro safety Kerby Joseph missed his fourth straight game with a knee injury.

Eagles: OL Lane Johnson was ruled out at halftime with a foot injury. Johnson left last week's win against Green Bay with an ankle injury in the second quarter but returned in the fourth.

Lions: Host the New York Giants next Sunday.

Eagles: At Dallas next Sunday.

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (1) is stopped with the ball during the second half of an NFL football game by Detroit Lions linebacker Jack Campbell (46) and Lions cornerback Amik Robertson (21) on Sunday, Nov. 16, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (1) is stopped with the ball during the second half of an NFL football game by Detroit Lions linebacker Jack Campbell (46) and Lions cornerback Amik Robertson (21) Sunday, Nov. 16, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams celebrates scoring a touchdown during the first half of an NFL football game against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, Nov. 16, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams (1) reacts after scoring a touchdown during the first half of an NFL football game against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, Nov. 16, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (1) looks to pass during the second half of an NFL football game against the Detroit Lions on Sunday, Nov. 16, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (1) is stopped with the ball during the second half of an NFL football game by Detroit Lions linebacker Jack Campbell (46) and Lions cornerback Amik Robertson (21) Sunday, Nov. 16, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

A pilot from Alabama had just been promoted to major in January and had been deployed less than a week when the refueling aircraft he was aboard crashed in Iraq this week, killing him and five others, his brother-in-law said Saturday.

Alex Klinner, 33, leaves behind three small children: 7-month-old twins and a 2-year-old son, his brother-in-law, James Harrill, said Saturday while confirming his death.

“It’s kind of heartbreaking to say: He was just a really good dad and really loved his family a lot — like a lot,” Harrill said.

Also aboard the aircraft was an Ohio man whose loved ones remembered him for his smile, his parents said.

The Pentagon hasn’t yet revealed the identities of the six, but families began revealing who had died Saturday.

The aircraft was in “friendly” airspace, supporting operations against Iran, when an unspecified incident involving another aircraft occurred, according to U.S. Central Command. The other plane landed safety, U.S. military officials said.

The Ohio Air National Guard’s 121st Air Refueling Wing said in a Facebook post late Friday that three of the dead were airmen who served in the Columbus-based unit.

“We share in the sorrow of their loved ones, and we must not forget the valuable contributions these Airmen made to their country and the impact they have left on our organization,” according to the 121st Air Refueling Wing’s post.

Klinner, an eight-year U.S. Air Force veteran from Birmingham, Alabama, had just moved with his family into a new home, his wife, Libby Klinner, said in an Instagram post mourning his death.

An outdoorsman who enjoyed hiking, Klinner was also ready to help others. When Harrill last saw him in January, Klinner had shoveled Harrill’s vehicle out of the snow during a family wedding.

“Alex was one of those guys that had this steady command about him,” said Harrill, who helped set up a GoFundMe site for Klinner’s family. “He was literally one of the most kindest, giving people.”

Libby Klinner said in a post that her heart is broken for their children, who will grow up not knowing their father.

“They won’t get to see firsthand the way he would jump up to help in any way he could,” she wrote. “They won’t see how goofy and funny he was. They won’t witness his selflessness, the way he thought about everyone else before himself. They won’t get to feel the deep love he had for them.”

Sgt. Tyler Simmons of Columbus, Ohio, also was among six service members who died Thursday in the crash of a KC-135 Stratotanker, his mother, Cheryl Simmons, confirmed on Saturday. Cheryl Simmons said she was making funeral plans for her son.

In a statement obtained by WCMH-TV in Columbus, Tyler Simmons' family said it was saddened beyond measure to hear of the fatal crash.

“Tyler’s smile could light up any room, his strong presence would fill it. His parents, grandparents, family and friends are grief stricken for the loss of life,” they said.

U.S. Central Command, which oversees the Middle East, has said the crash occurred on a combat mission but was over “friendly” territory in western Iraq. Military officials said it is being investigated and was "not due to hostile or friendly fire.”

The KC-135 aircraft refuels other planes in midair, allowing them to fly longer distances and sustain operations without landing. The plane can also be used to transport wounded personnel and conduct surveillance missions, according to military experts.

The Congressional Research Service says the Air Force last year had 376 KC-135s, including 151 on active duty, 163 in the Air National Guard and 62 in the Air Force Reserve. It has been in service for more than 60 years.

Lieb reported from Jefferson City, Missouri; Scolforo reported from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; and Walker from New York.

FILE - A U.S. Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker aerial refueling aircraft performs a flyover during the national anthem before an NCAA college football game between Central Florida and Georgia Tech, Sept. 24, 2022, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack, File)

FILE - A U.S. Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker refueling tanker aircraft takes off from the Kadena Air Base airfield in Kadena town, west of Okinawa, southern Japan, Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2023. (AP Photo/Hiro Komae, File)

In this Jan. 28, 2026 photo, U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Aaron Slupski, a crew chief with the 121st Maintenance Group, prepares to marshal a KC-135 Stratotanker at Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base, Columbus, Ohio. Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine said Friday that three of six crew members of an American KC-135 refueling plane were killed when it crashed in Iraq were from his state and had deployed with the Ohio Air National Guard's 121st Air Refueling Wing. (Ralph Branson, U.S. Air National Guard photo via AP)