PHILADELPHIA – Nakobe Dean stores so-called “takeaway balls” in the linebacker room at the Philadelphia training complex.

The latest ball might be the most valuable addition yet – Dean's two-handed, game-saving grab on Trevor Lawrence for the linebacker's first career interception.

“I didn’t do much else in that game,” Dean said.

Saquon Barkley made a stunning reverse hurdle attack during a standout performance and Dean didn't do much more than make a crucial play, leading Philadelphia to its fourth straight victory, 28-23 over the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday night.

“A damn good piece. “Big moment,” Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts said of Dean’s interception.

Barkley had 27 carries for 159 yards and a touchdown. He also had three receptions for 40 yards and a touchdown.

The Eagles (6-2) held on after coach Nick Sirianni missed opportunities to put easy points on the field. The Eagles went 0-for-2 on fourth down and were 0-for-3 on 2-point conversions, forcing them to let Jake Elliott attempt a 57-yard field goal with 2:16 left.

Elliott missed, giving the Jaguars (2-7) the ball at their own 47-yard line.

Eagles defensive lineman Avonte Maddox was stopped for pass interference from 18 yards, which helped move the ball to the Eagles' 13 yards.

But Jacksonville's second-half rally ended when Lawrence's terrible pass was intercepted in the end zone by Dean.

The Eagles found their groove coming out of the bye, riding a winning streak behind Hurts and Barkley that has put them in the middle of the NFC East race.

“We took our losses early,” Dean said. “We learned early on how to fight through a game. How to build the toughness needed to play all four quarters. That was a big learning step to not get complacent when we feel like we’re dominating the game.”

Hurts was 18 of 24 for 230 yards. He threw for two scores and ran for another.

DeVonta Smith nearly matched Barkley with a play straight out of a video game with a one-handed 25-yard TD grab – reminiscent of New York Jets receiver Garrett Wilson's catch last week – late in the fourth that cut the Eagles' lead expanded to 28-28. 16.

“I knew where he would be. I have to see if it was a ball that maybe I could have gotten up earlier, but I threw it in a spot where only he could get it,” Hurts said. “And that’s a hell of a piece he did.”

But all those lost points took a toll on the Eagles.

“It didn’t work today. That's how it works. That’s the hat I have to wear,” Sirianni said. “If we get a fourth down and convert a fourth down, nothing is actually said. I understand there will be questions if we don’t do that.”

Lawrence – 16 of 31 for 169 yards and two interceptions – ran for two touchdowns for the Jaguars, including a 4-yard scramble with 4:04 remaining that made the score 28-23.

The Eagles can thank Barkley for this win.

Barkley, who has already proven to be a crucial free agent for the Eagles, had another dominant performance with arguably the most acrobatic play of the NFL season.

The play that left mouths agape: Hurts threw a second-quarter pass to Barkley, who outsmarted a defender and executed a dirty spin move that left another Jaguars defender on the floor before split-legged one Jacksonville cornerback Jarrian Jones jumped back over him for a 14-yard gain.

The reverse hurdle stunned the Jaguars and set up an Eagles field goal for a 10-0 lead. But Barkley also had a costly mistake.

Lawrence was the catalyst for Jacksonville's second-half rally, scoring on a 1-yard run and throwing a 2-point conversion pass late in the third period to make it 22-8. Barkley then fumbled on the next possession, Travon Walker grabbed the loose ball and returned it 35 yards for a touchdown. The Jaguars cut their score to 22-16 after another 2-point conversion.

“You feel like you’re going to break through it. They’ve had that adversity and this is the week we’re going to overcome it,” Lawrence said. “And we thought that was the week and we didn’t make it, didn’t finish it. So it's frustrating, but we know it will change. We have to keep working. That’s all you can do.”

The Eagles, wearing their fan-favorite classic Kelly green jerseys, let Barkley do most of the offense in the first half.

Barkley certainly didn't settle for routine plays for most of the game. Before rushing for the first down, Barkley threw an over-the-shoulder, 20-yard touchdown catch into the corner of the end zone to make it 7-0 – which was important for the lead, yes, but it also gave the Eagles their first Scored points in the first quarter of the entire season.

After an Eagles touchdown was negated by offensive pass interference, Barkley got the ball on the next play and sprinted 19 yards for the score and a 16-0 halftime lead.

Unhappy homecoming

Jaguars coach Doug Pederson has gone 0-2 against the Eagles since Philadelphia fired him following the 2020 season.

Injuries

Jaguars: OL Mitch Morse was treated for a concussion. … OL Anton Harrison suffered a knee injury. … OL Cooper Hodges was carted off the field in the third quarter with a leg injury.

Eagles: WR AJ Brown suffered a knee injury. … LB Ben VanSumeren also suffered a concussion.

Next

Jaguars: Return home to play Minnesota on Sunday.

Eagles: Travel to Sunday's game in Dallas.

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