Jalen Hurts throws 3 TD passes and Eagles stuff Commanders' late 2-point try for 24-22 win

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Jalen Hurts can count on a few guarantees in each season opener.

For sure, a new offensive coordinator. Though as long as Hurts is connecting on passes and extending drives with game-saving scrambles, the play-caller in his ear rarely seems to matter.

Hurts threw for 203 yards and three touchdowns, and the Eagles' Moro Ojomo stuffed the Commanders' attempt at a tying 2-point conversion with 1:01 remaining as Philadelphia squeaked past Washington 24-22 on Sunday.

“It’s just about meeting the moment when your opportunity comes,” Hurts said.

Plenty of his teammates met the moment when it was their time to deliver.

Jayden Daniels threw a 1-yard TD pass to on third-and-goal to Antonio Williams with 1:01 left for the Commanders' second touchdown of the fourth quarter. On the 2-point try, Washington called a shovel pass to tight end John Bates, who was wrapped up instantly by Ojomo.

“I got off on the ball,” Ojomo said. “Took a shot. You kind of got to play it free.”

Here's another guarantee: The Eagles improved to 6-0 in season openers under coach Nick Sirianni and Hurts since 2021.

Hurts had his moments for the two-time reigning NFC East champions in Sean Mannion's debut as offensive coordinator. Mannion is Hurts’ fifth coordinator in the last five seasons and their partnership showed early promise for the former Super Bowl MVP.

Mannion's system also worked out well for tight end Dallas Goedert, who had four catches for 77 yards and two touchdowns.

The early big play came late in the first quarter when Hurts had multiple targets open on a play-action and connected with Dontayvion Wicks for a 64-yard reception. Wicks, acquired in an April trade from Green Bay, had the longest reception of his career and gave the first signal that perhaps the Eagles will be just fine at wideout after trading disgruntled star A.J. Brown to New England.

Hurts finished the drive with a dart down the middle to Goedert for a 17-yard score and a 7-3 lead. If the Eagles had questions at wide receiver — and new No. 1 receiver DeVonta Smith had only two targets in the first half, and just three catches overall — they are fine at tight end. Goedert, who had a career-high 11 TD catches last season, again proved himself a trusted target.

Hurts added a 9-yard TD pass to Wicks in the second quarter for a 14-3 lead as the Eagles ran a clean, crisp offense under Mannion. Saquon Barkley, who tailed off last season after rushing for more than 2,000 yards in 2024 when the Eagles won the Super Bowl, ripped off a 42-yard run to set up Wicks' TD.

Yet the offense largely cooled off behind a shaky line that gave Hurts little time to throw. Meanwhile, the defense — anchored by all-everywhere linebacker Zack Baun and his 12 tackles — rarely let Daniels break free long enough to sting the Eagles until the fourth.

Daniels — who went 18 of 34 for 164 yards — avoided a sack, spun and scrambled for a 13-yard gain on the final play of the third quarter. He had time in the pocket to hit a wide-open Williams for a 33-yard gain and then hit Stefon Diggs after the veteran receiver beat Cooper DeJean in the slot for a 10-yard touchdown.

Diggs, whose string of personal issues made him available even after he had 99 catches for 1,123 yards for the AFC champion New England Patriots, was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct when he jumped and bear-hugged the goalpost before he landed on his back.

Coach Dan Quinn said the Commanders would have gone for 2, but the 15-yard penalty forced them to settle for the extra point that made it 17-16.

Hurts extended the next drive with a 22-yard scramble on third-and-18 and hit Goedert on the next drive for a 43-yard score and a 24-16 lead.

“I think one of the things that makes Jalen such a special quarterback is that he can do it through the air. He can do it running the show,” Sirianni said. “He can do it with his legs when he needs to make plays, and obviously, that was a big play, and you need those.”

Drew Stevens kicked a 55-yard field goal for the Commanders and Jacory Croskey-Merritt added a 1-yard run that cut the Eagles' lead to 14-9 at halftime. Jalen Carter blocked the extra point.

“The miscues I thought hurt us in this game and those were the margins right there, division games or otherwise,” Quinn said.

Jake Elliott’s 35-yard field with 44 seconds left in the third quarter stretched the lead to 17-9.

Commanders: LB Frankie Luvu suffered a groin injury. TE Chip Okonkow had a hamstring injury. S Tyler Owens injured an ankle.

Commanders: Keep it in the NFC East with a game next Sunday at Dallas.

Eagles: At Tennessee next Sunday.

See AP’s full NFL coverage here

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (1) takes the field for an NFL football game against the Washington Commanders, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Moro Ojomo (97) celebrates with teammates after stopping the Washington Commanders on a two-pint conversion attempt during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

Washington Commanders wide receiver Stefon Diggs (3) fails to catch a pass during the second half of an NFL football game against the Philadelphia Eagles, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

Washington Commanders wide receiver Stefon Diggs (3) celebrates his touchdown against the Philadelphia Eagles during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

Philadelphia Eagles tight end Dallas Goedert (88) celebrates his touchdown catch against the Washington Commanders during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (1) throws against the Washington Commanders during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (1) looks to pass against the Washington Commanders during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Carson Wentz has had little time to practice with Minnesota's voluminous playbook, a late arrival to the team last season who returned this year in more of a mentor role as Kyler Murray and J.J. McCarthy competed for the starting quarterback job in training camp.

The Vikings brought the 11th-year veteran back for emergencies like these.

Wentz came in after Murray's first-quarter concussion in his Minnesota debut and led a spirited comeback against the rival Green Bay Packers, as the Vikings scored 29 straight points to close a 39-22 victory to open the season on Sunday.

“That's why he's here,” coach Kevin O'Connell said. “For him to come in and do what he did and just be part of that calming presence that allowed our team to continue playing, I can't say enough about him.”

Wentz had two touchdown passes to Justin Jefferson, matching the two-time All-Pro's 2025 season total, and the pair connected on a 2-point conversion when the Vikings took their first lead at 25-22 with 6:37 remaining. Green Bay extended the drive three times with crushing defensive penalties.

“Football is a funny game,” Wentz said, “but it's fun to be on this side of it.”

Jordan Love, who had been brilliant against a relentlessly blitzing defense, wilted along with the rest of the team by losing a fumble on a sack and throwing an interception deep in Packers territory.

Aaron Jones and Jordan Mason each had rushing touchdowns and T.J. Hockenson caught one of the three scores thrown on a turnover-free afternoon by Wentz, who was appointed the backup to Murray ahead of the 2024 first-round draft pick McCarthy for his considerable edge in experience.

Wentz went helped the Vikings convert eight of 15 third downs and posted a 123.5 passer rating in another memorable comeback among many in five seasons under O'Connell, who has yet to win a playoff game.

“This one will stick with me for a long time,” O'Connell said.

Love finished 21 for 42 for 387 yards and two first-half touchdowns to Christian Watson, but the two late turnovers and a 3-for-12 conversion rate on third downs loomed large as the Packers picked right up where they left off with a five-game losing streak that ended last season.

The Packers lost four times after leading in the second half by at least two possessions, including their wild card playoff collapse against another NFC North rival, the Chicago Bears, who outscored the Packers 25-6 in the fourth quarter of that game.

Green Bay coach Matt LaFleur might have mistakenly triggered this meltdown with his decision to take rookie Trey Smack's field goal off the board to set up a fourth-and-1 on an offside penalty. Love was stuffed at the line with a five-point lead, and the Vikings went the other way for the go-ahead score by Jones, the former Packers favorite who had yet to reach the end zone against his former team.

The Packers actually four defensive penalties on that drive, starting with a seemingly innocent encroachment call on Jonathan Ford.

Javon Bullard, whose injurious hit on Murray was flagged, was called for illegal contact to negate a third-down sack. Rookie Chris McClellan was penalized for a late hit on Wentz to wipe out a third-down incompletion. Then Xavier McKinney's defensive holding call erased an end-zone interception by Evan Williams, and Jones scored on the next play.

Though the penalties on McClellan and McKinney in particular were contested by the Packers, they had only themselves to blame for this collapse.

“Momentum is a strong thing,” Watson said, “and we didn’t respond.”

Murray seemed to be doing well after the game, O'Connell said, but the timetable for his return was unknown. ... Packers LG Aaron Banks (knee) was inactive, giving Donovan Jennings his first career start.

Packers: at New York Jets on Sept. 20.

Vikings: at Chicago Bears on Sept. 20.

See AP’s full NFL coverage here

Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson. Celebrates his touchdown catch during the first half of an NFL football game against the Green Bay Packers, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026, in Minneapolis, Minn. (AP Photo/Bailey Hillesheim)

Minnesota Vikings quarterback Carson Wentz (11) rolls out of the pocket before throwing a pass during the second half of an NFL football game against the Green Bay Packers, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026, in Minneapolis, Minn. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

Minnesota Vikings tight end T.J. Hockenson (87) catches a touchdown pass as Green Bay Packers' Zaire Franklin (44) and Xavier McKinney (29) look on during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026, in Minneapolis, Minn. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love (10) is sacked by Minnesota Vikings defensive tackle Levi Drake Rodriguez, bottom, as Dallas Turner (15) looks on during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026, in Minneapolis, Minn. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson celebrates a defensive stop against the Green Bay Packers as he watches from the sideline during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026, in Minneapolis, Minn. (AP Photo/Bailey Hillesheim)