Just when it looked like the Jacksonville Jaguars were about to make a comeback Sunday night at Lincoln Financial Field, Nakobe Dean called the play.

The 23-year-old inside linebacker stifled a second-half surge by beating Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence in the end zone and cementing the Eagles’ 28-23 lead. The Eagles dominated the first 35 minutes of the match and took a 22-0 lead at the beginning of the third quarter. Jacksonville exploded in the second half, scoring 23 points to the Eagles’ six, but Dean’s play enabled the Eagles to earn their fourth straight win.

Here’s our instant analysis from the exciting Eagles’ victory over the Jaguars:

Barkley walked out

Saquon Barkley He tipped his metaphorical wizard’s hat to the Linc early on, turning an inch into a mile in multiple games. On third-and-6 early in the second quarter, the Eagles running back intercepted a pass downfield. jalen hurtsHe made a pair of defenders miss as he spun upfield, then dove back over another Jaguar for a 14-yard gain.

The Eagles then jumped into the red zone, forcing them to settle for another. Jake Elliott field goal. But Barkley himself entered the end zone twice, once while rushing and once as a receiver. The first touchdown came on the Eagles’ second possession of the afternoon after Sydney Brown recovered the loose ball from Jaguars punt returner Austin Trammell and Kelee Ringo at the opponent’s 20-yard line. On second-and-10 from the spot, Barkley burned Jaguars safety Darnell Savage on a wheel route, hauling in a touchdown pass for the Eagles’ first quarter points of the year and putting them up 7-0.

With just over 30 seconds left in the first half, Johnny Wilson negated his own field goal by interfering with an offensive pass. On the ensuing third-and-16, Barkley ran up the middle and leapt to the right to the outside, surprising three Jaguars defenders who bit inside as the running back advanced into the end zone for a 19-yard touchdown. The Eagles fumbled on the two-point conversion and took a 16-0 lead.

Barkley’s early performance was nearly overshadowed by a fumble late in the third quarter. He lost the ball on a three-yard run that was tackled by Jaguars linebacker Ventrell Miller. Defensive end Travon Walker recovered the lost ball and returned the ball as the Jaguars closed in, making it a 22-16 score. The play was reviewed, but although Barkley appeared to have fallen to the ground before the ground caused a commotion, officials upheld the call and ruled that Barkley had not fallen to the ground.

The running back finished the day with a season-high 27 carries for 159 yards and a touchdown, as well as three receptions for 40 yards and a touchdown. Barkley surpassed 1,000 all-purpose yards, becoming the third Eagle since the merger in 1970 to reach the milestone in the first eight games of a season (LeSean McCoy in 2011 and 2013; Brian Westbrook in 2007).

Early bounce defensive plays prove critical

A week after forcing a pair of takeaways against the Cincinnati Bengals, the Eagles defense continued to help the Eagles win the turnover battle on Sunday. On the first play of the Jaguars’ fifth possession, with just under two minutes left in the first half, Lawrence targeted running back Travis Etienne down the middle of the field. The pass bounced off the back and fell into the hands of a diving Zack Baun, his first interception in an Eagles jersey.

” READ MORE: Jalen Hurts saves Nick Sirianni’s bacon in Eagles’ tough win over Jaguars and Doug Pederson

The 6-foot-1, 225-pound inside linebacker, who signed with the Eagles in free agency, made plays all over the field and finished the day with a team-high 10 tackles and two pass breakups in addition to the pick. He wasn’t the only new player making an impact on defense; He played cornerback at his rookie position for the second week in a row. Cooper DeJean made another fourth stop and this Vic Fangio His weekly press conference following the Bengals game was deemed valuable as a takeaway. On fourth-and-1 at the Jaguars’ 39-yard line, DeJean forced a completion to Evan Engram.

Too close for comfort

Taking a 22-0 lead at the start of the third quarter, the Eagles allowed the Jaguars to fall behind. Lawrence went on a 10-play, 61-yard scoring drive in the third quarter, followed by a one-yard keeper for a touchdown and a successful two-point conversion to make it 22-8. Barkley fumbled on the Eagles’ first play of the ensuing drive, leading to Walker’s recovery for a touchdown.

On the next possession, the Eagles’ offense stalled in Jaguars’ territory. On fourth-and-1 from the Jacksonville 25, instead of running the Tush Push or kicking a field goal, Hurts attempted a field goal. DeVonta Smith this was missing. It was a relatively quiet night for Elliott, as the Eagles attempted two-point conversions — unsuccessfully — on three of their four field goals.

But Smith took a big lead on the next possession and hit a one-handed 25-yard touchdown pass to put the Eagles up 28-16. The Birds failed on their two-point conversion attempt, but the Jaguars failed to make the comeback despite scoring on their next drive.

injury report

Ben VanSumeren left the game in the second quarter with a concussion and was later eliminated. He had his first reception as a fullback in the first quarter for no gain.

A.J. Brown He returned to the locker room early in the third quarter with a knee injury before the Eagles offense shut down. The Eagles’ top receiver took a hard hit on reception just before the two-minute warning, but did not leave the game. he was lowered out at the beginning of the fourth quarter.

Fred Johnson went down while blocking for Hurts on an 18-yard touchdown run after Jaguars safety Andre Cisco took a low hit at left tackle. But after visiting the medical tent, Johnson returned to game action upon the Eagles’ possession.