Jalen Hurts and the Eagles win their second NFC East title in a row by beating the Commanders

LANDOVER, Md. (AP) — This was not a terrific performance by the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles, from a fumble on the opening kickoff to a pair of penalties on the tush push to three wide-left field-goal tries to a halftime deficit.

Still, Jalen Hurts, Saquon Barkley and company eventually got going in the right direction and clinched a second consecutive NFC East title by beating the Washington Commanders 29-18 on Saturday night. The game included a late brawl after Barkley tacked on a 2-point conversion to increase the Eagles’ lead to 19 points.

Starting plays under center far more frequently than he did earlier in the season, Hurts completed 22 of 30 throws — with 15 of those caught by A.J. Brown or DeVonta Smith — for 185 yards, two touchdowns and no turnovers. He connected with Smith from 5 yards out in the first half and with tight end Dallas Goedert from 15 to put Philadelphia ahead 14-10 in the third quarter, capping a 17-play, 83-yard, 10 1/2-minute drive.

Hurts also did plenty of damage on the ground, gaining 40 yards on seven carries for the Eagles (10-5), who have followed a three-game losing streak by winning two in a row. They are the first team to top the NFC East in back-to-back seasons since Philadelphia did it every year from 2001 to 2004; the gap since then was the longest drought without a repeat champ for any division in NFL history.

Barkley added a 12-yard TD run for the Eagles, part of his 21-carry, 132-yard performance.

BEARS 22, PACKERS 16, OT

CHICAGO (AP) — Caleb Williams threw a 46-yard touchdown pass to DJ Moore in overtime, and Chicago overcame a 10-point deficit late in the fourth quarter for a win over Green Bay, who lost quarterback Jordan Love to a concussion.

The Bears (11-4) extended their lead in the NFC North to 1 1/2 games over the Packers (9-5-1) with two left to play and got some payback for a loss at Lambeau Field two weeks earlier. It was Chicago’s sixth win this season after trailing in the final two minutes and its most incredible — Green Bay had a win probability of 99%.

Chicago moved closer to its first trip to the postseason since 2020 with a rare victory in the NFL’s oldest rivalry. Counting the playoffs, the Bears are 7-30 against Green Bay since 2008. They would clinch a playoff berth if old nemesis Aaron Rodgers and the Pittsburgh Steelers beat the Detroit Lions on Sunday.

Cairo Santos kicked a 43-yard field goal that got Chicago within 16-9 with 1:59 remaining. The Bears had no choice but to try an onside kick, and Josh Blackwell recovered it.

The Bears tied it with 24 seconds left when Williams beat an all-out blitz on fourth down and lofted a pass to a wide-open Jahdae Walker in the right corner of the end zone for a 6-yard touchdown. Coach Ben Johnson opted to have Santos kick the tying extra point rather than go for the 2-point conversion.

In overtime, the Packers had fourth-and-1 at the Chicago 36 when backup quarterback Malik Willis fumbled the snap. Chicago took over at the 36 and, four plays later, Moore hauled in the winning TD from Williams with Keisean Nixon draped all over him, setting off a wild celebration. Two weeks earlier, Nixon sealed the Packers’ win when he intercepted Williams in the end zone.