Panthers Beat Eagles 25-14 in Philadelphia as Hurts-Less Offense Stalls Again

The Carolina Panthers beat the Philadelphia Eagles 25-14 on Sunday at Lincoln Financial Field, a road win built on the run game and a defense that held a short-handed Philadelphia offense to two scoring drives all afternoon.

Carolina improved to 3-2. It is the Panthers' first winning record since they started the 2021 season 3-0, Panthers Wire reported. Philadelphia fell to 2-4 with a fourth straight loss.

An Eagles offense without its stars

Philadelphia played without quarterback Jalen Hurts, who is on injured reserve with a blood clot in his calf, and without running back Saquon Barkley, who missed a second straight game with a hamstring injury. Tanner McKee made his third career start at quarterback.

It showed. The Eagles had 11 drives, and eight of them ended in punts, NBC Sports reported. Another drive ended on downs late. Philadelphia put together only two scoring drives, of 78 and 69 yards, and finished with 222 total yards to 399 for Carolina.

McKee finished 26 of 45 for 215 yards and one touchdown. DeVonta Smith caught seven passes for 75 yards, including a 19-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter. Dameon Pierce ran 12 times for 35 yards and scored on a 2-yard run late in the first half.

Hubbard and Young carry Carolina

Chuba Hubbard ran 28 times for 120 yards and a touchdown. His 1-yard touchdown run early in the fourth quarter finished a 14-play, 92-yard drive and put Carolina ahead 19-7.

Bryce Young was 20 of 39 for 281 yards and two touchdowns, both to tight end Tommy Tremble, on catches of 12 and 19 yards. Jalen Coker caught six passes for 97 yards, and Tetairoa McMillan added six catches for 86 yards.

Carolina led 3-0 after the first quarter and 10-7 at halftime. A 52-yard field goal by Ryan Fitzgerald early in the third quarter made it 13-7, before Hubbard's touchdown stretched the lead to 12 points.

A blocked punt and a second Tremble score finish it

Philadelphia gave itself one last chance in the fourth quarter. Smith's 19-yard touchdown catch cut the lead to 19-14 with 10:42 left, and the Eagles defense then forced a punt and gave the offense the ball near midfield.

The chance went quickly. A bad snap cost McKee 12 yards, a third-down pass fell incomplete, and the Eagles punt was blocked, Delaware Online reported. Carolina took over near midfield, and Young found Tremble for a 19-yard touchdown with 6:38 left to make it 25-14.

Carolina closed the game out after a fourth-down stop, with Hubbard running for a first down to run down the clock.

More injuries for Philadelphia

The Eagles lost more players during the game. Running back Carson Steele (shoulder), defensive tackle Nolan Smith (concussion) and defensive tackle Jordan Davis (ankle) all left and did not finish, NBC Sports reported. Davis was ruled out with the ankle injury during the game, Eagles Wire reported.

Carolina did not play a clean game either. The Panthers set a franchise record with 149 penalty yards, Cat Scratch Reader reported, and still won by 11 points on the road.

Next, Carolina returns home to host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 7. Philadelphia heads into a run of NFC East games against Dallas, Washington and the New York Giants at 2-4 and still without Hurts.