A short week, a game on the road, and a fight until the end were all challenges the Philadelphia Eagles were able to overcome Thursday night to pull out a 28-23 win over the Carolina Panthers. The hard-fought victory puts the Eagles at 5-1 on the season.
"It feels good and honestly it says a lot about the guys in this locker room," quarterback Carson Wentz said. "We stayed together the whole game. They did some good things defensively, some different pressure looks that we hadn't seen. That's tough on a short week but we found a way to win a close ballgame and that's ultimately what we struggled with last year - was winning on the road and winning close ballgames and we've done that successfully in these first six games."
Wentz helped lead the team to victory with 222 yards and three touchdowns on 16-of-30 passing. The first touchdown came on a rub route by tight end Zach Ertz to the back of the end zone late in the second quarter as the Eagles were down 10-3. Wentz was able to hold onto the ball and barrel into Carolina's defense showing his toughness just before the 1-yard pass to Ertz tied up the game as they went into the half.
"That's always huge. Obviously, after a turnover from the defense, there's some momentum going on. That first one (touchdown) we were kind of just trying to find a way. We had the fourth-down conversion and then the touchdown to Ertz there that was a big play," Wentz said. "And then the other one, again, take advantage of the short field. That's something we've really focused on is red zone and finding ways to convert touchdowns, not field goals, and I thought we did a pretty good job of that."
An interception from cornerback Patrick Robinson gave the Eagles the ball back early in the third quarter. Two plays later, the dynamic duo of Wentz and Ertz were able to find the end zone yet again for their second touchdown of the night and fourth on the season.
The 17-yard touchdown pass and a successful two-point conversion attempt from running back LeGarrette Blount gave the Eagles an 18-10 lead over the Panthers.
Wentz touched on his chemistry with Ertz and how it has made a difference offensively, specifically when it comes to finding the end zone.
"We just have a relationship that we've just built that chemistry. I've known what he's going to do. I can read his body language pretty well and that's just honestly been the difference," Wentz said. "We have him and other guys to spread the ball around. The first one Alshon (Jeffery) kind of took double coverage over there, they had two guys over there. A guy like Alshon taking that creates some other openings and that's what we did."
Wentz and the offense were tested by a strong showing from the Panthers' defense.
"They did some different things that we hadn't seen yet. On a short week, that's tough so hats off to them. They did some good things," Wentz said. "They kept our back in having to put our back on linebackers and did some different things. I think we did a better job in the second half, kind of got those things cleaned up. But hats off to them, that's a good defense."
Another win on the road is huge for Wentz and the Eagles, especially when comparing where they are now to where they were at this time last year. Wentz believes they are a different team all around and that is what is bringing them such success.
"Having a year together with this team, under (Coach Doug Pederson), myself, and everything, we're just built differently. We have different character makeup in that locker room," Wentz said. "We just have a bunch of guys that believe that no matter the situation we can find a way to win a ballgame."
The Philadelphia Eagles topped the Carolina Panthers, 28-23, at Bank of America Stadium on Thursday Night Football.

Tonight's attire

White on white

Bank of America Stadium

Bank of America Stadium

QB Carson Wentz

S Malcolm Jenkins

Eagles nation always shows up

QB Carson Wentz

TE Brent Celek

WR Mack Hollins

Best fans out there

DT Elijah Qualls

S Corey Graham

Make away games feel like home

DT Fletcher Cox

All in

Fly Eagles Fly

We all we got

S Chris Maragos

Game time

DBs

DT Fletcher Cox

DE Chris Long

DE Steven Means

CB Jalen Mills

T Jason Peters and DE Brandon Graham

Huddle up

WR Nelson Agholor

WR Nelson Agholor

WR Torrey Smith

RB LeGarrette Blount

RB LeGarrette Blount

QB Carson Wentz

K Jake Elliott

P Donnie Jones and K Jake Elliott

QB Carson Wentz

K Jake Elliott

QB Carson Wentz

LB Mychal Kendricks

S Malcolm Jenkins

Defense

Under the lights

WR Torrey Smith

QB Carson Wentz

WR Mack Hollins

CB Patrick Robinson and LB Nigel Bradham

CB Rasul Douglas

CB Rasul Douglas and DE Derek Barnett

QB Carson Wentz

QB Carson Wentz

DT Fletcher Cox

LB Jordan Hicks, S Malcolm Jenkins, and CB Jalen Mills

S Chris Maragos

S Rodney McLeod

DE Brandon Graham, DT Fletcher Cox, and DT Justin Hamilton

CB Rasul Douglas

CB Rasul Douglas

Defense

DE Brandon Graham

DT Fletcher Cox

LB Nigel Bradham

TE Zach Ertz

DE Brandon Graham

LB Kamu Grugier-Hill

C Jason Kelce and QB Carson Wentz

Defense

TE Brent Celek

S Rodney McLeod

DE Chris Long and DT Beau Allen

TE Zach Ertz

WR Torrey Smith and C Jason Kelce

S Rodney McLeod

QB Carson Wentz and RB LeGarrette Blount

RB LeGarrette Blount

RB LeGarrette Blount

RB LeGarrette Blount and WR Nelson Agholor

CB Patrick Robinson and LB Kamu Grugier-Hill

DE Derek Barnett, DT Fletcher Cox, and CB Patrick Robinson

TE Zach Ertz

QB Carson Wentz

QB Carson Wentz

RB LeGarrette Blount

RB LeGarrette Blount

WR Mack Hollins

QB Carson Wentz

LB Nigel Bradham

CB Jalen Mills

QB Carson Wentz

LB Mychal Kendricks

WR Alshon Jeffery

WR Alshon Jeffery

WR Nelson Agholor

WR Nelson Agholor

WR Nelson Agholor and WR Alshon Jeffery

DE Chris Long

WR Nelson Agholor

WR Nelson Agholor

RB Coach Duce Staley

WR Alshon Jeffery

WR Alshon Jeffery

DE Derek Barnett

DE Derek Barnett

DE Derek Barnett

DE Derek Barnett and DE Chris Long

LB Nigel Bradham

DT Fletcher Cox

WR Nelson Agholor