PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) -- The Eagles' season appeared to be teetering towards disaster. However, the team has found a way, yet again, to get back off the mat.
The resilient Eagles came away with a 25-20 win in San Francisco. It was the first win of the season for Doug Pederson's squad after an 0-2-1 start. Many had already given up on the season, but Pederson's players came up with a tough road win in the national spotlight.
"These guys seem to rally around each other," said Pederson. "This is a tough road game. To come out here on the road, traveling East Coast to West Coast, play on Sunday night is tough. It’s tough on the guys, but they seem to find a way."
The Eagles did find a way with the help of their quarterback. Carson Wentz rebounded from an early interception with his best performance of the season. Wentz threw a go-ahead touchdown pass in the fourth quarter to Travis Fulgham, a player who the Eagles recently brought up from the practice squad. It typified a night in which Wentz led the Eagles to victory despite a host of receivers and offensive linemen dealing with injuries.
"You can’t really make it up," Wentz said. "The injuries and the situations that we’ve been put in, but that’s the hand we’re dealt ... and guys have been ready. They’ve been working their tail off for their moment when it comes."
Another member of the backup brigade provided what proved to be the game-winning points. After Wentz's touchdown pass to Fulgham, reserve linebacker Alex Singleton returned an interception for a touchdown. Singleton's score provided the game-winning points after the Eagles held off a late San Francisco rally.
"My heart kind of skipped a beat," said Singleton. "Just caught it and went with it. I knew I had to get in the end zone. We talked about it all week, you know, to score on defense. It was the only thing going through my mind."
Incredibly, the victory put the Eagles in first place in the weak NFC East. Because of the struggles of everyone in the division, the Eagles may be able to stay in the playoff race throughout the season. They will once again have to get through a stretch shorthanded, something Jalen Mills says the players have gotten used to dealing with over the years.
"It’s kind of been the same kind of book that’s been read each and every year," Mills said. "Somebody goes down, and it’s the 'next man up' mentality. I think that’s kind of been our identity of this team, and we’ve kind of embraced that.”