Eagles vs. Falcons results: Julio Jones' TD withstands Carson Wentz's magic

James Crabtree-Hannigan

•
Eagles vs. Falcons results: Julio Jones' TD withstands Carson Wentz's magic image

Carson Wentz completed numerous improbable passes to keep his Eagles in their game vs. the Falcons on Sunday night, but he could not overcome Julio Jones' 54-yard touchdown reception on fourth-and-3 late in the fourth quarter that became the difference in a 24-20 Atlanta win. 

The Falcons were trailing 20-17 with 2:20 to play when Jones took a screen pass from Matt Ryan and raced untouched to the end zone to put the Falcons up. Not long after, Wentz's magic came up half a yard short when his fourth-down pass to tight end Zach Ertz didn't quite reach the first-down marker. Atlanta ended the game with a kneel.

Philadelphia took its first lead of the night on a drive Wentz extended by barely getting a third-down pass off before his knee hit the turf on a potential sack. Four plays later, he scored on a 1-yard sneak and then hit Ertz for a two-point conversion to put the Birds up by three points with 3:13 to play. On the final drive, Wentz heaved a fourth-and-14 pass downfield and somehow found wide receiver Nelson Agholor. 

MORE: Watch NFL games live on fuboTV (7-day free trial)

Jones' second touchdown of the night, though, rendered those heroics moot. 

The game started slowly and was marked by a litany of Eagles injuries. 

Tight end Dallas Goedert left the field during warmups with a calf injury and never played. Wide receivers DeSean Jackson (groin) and Alshon Jeffrey (calf) each picked up injuries early in the first quarter. Neither one returned. 

Wentz took a hard hit to the ribs in the first quarter and then entered the concussion protocol after another big hit in second. He missed part of a series but returned after passing tests. Agholor also returned after going through the protocol. 

Atlanta took a 10-3 lead late in the second quarter on a 34-yard touchdown pass from Ryan to wide receiver Calvin Ridley. Their previous drive had ended with Ryan barely overshooting his target on consecutive deep balls, but he was right on the mark to Ridley.

Ryan had an uneven night, pairing three touchdowns with three interceptions. He threw for 320 yards on 27-for-43 passing. 

Atlanta opened a 17-6 lead on its first drive of the second half, which began with the Eagles fumbling a kickoff. 

Wentz cut the Falcons' lead to 17-12 with a 4-yard pass to Agholor on fourth-and-goal. Philadelphia went for two to make it a three-point game, but Wentz's dive for the goal line came up just short. 

The Falcons had a chance to put some distance between themselves and the Eagles late in the third quarter, but Ryan threw a bad interception when he didn't see linebacker Nate Gerry in coverage in the end zone. 

Ryan redeemed himself late, though, reading the Eagles' blitz on fourth-and-3 and audibling to a wide receiver screen that worked to perfection, sending Jones down the sideline for the game-winning score. 

Sporting News tracked live scoring updates and highlights from Eagles vs. Falcons. See below how they happened in real time.

Eagles vs. Falcons score

FINAL: Falcons 24, Eagles 20

11:35 p.m.: Wentz completes to Ertz, who lands a half-yard short of the marker. Atlanta will kneel and win. 

11:31 p.m.: On fourth-and-14 after a sack, Wentz heaves a prayer as he's hit and it hits Agholor, who was somehow behind the defense. Eagles are into the red zone with a little over a minute to play and no timeouts. 

11:22 p.m.: Agholor drops what may have been a touchdown. He was running free down the sideline and Wentz's pass hit him in the hands, but the ball went through them.  

11:18 p.m.: TOUCHDOWN, Falcons. On fourth-and-3 from their 46, the Falcons throw a wide receiver screen to Jones, who goes 54 yards to the house untouched, with the help of great blocking. The Eagles have 2:10 and two timeouts to respond, trailing by four. Falcons 24, Eagles 20. 

11:08 p.m.: TOUCHDOWN, Eagles. Wentz sneaks it in from 1 yard out. The Eagles call timeout before trying the two-point conversion, which Wentz converts with a pass to tight end Zach Ertz. With 3:13 to play, Philadelphia has its first lead. Eagles 20, Falcons 17. 

11:07 p.m.: The Eagles are driving thanks to a couple of improbable third-down conversions, highlighted by this Wentz effort.

10:52 p.m.: Falcons offensive tackle Kaleb McGary, who was carted to the locker room with a leg injury in the first quarter, is back in the game. 

End third quarter: Falcons 17, Eagles 12

10:41 p.m.: INTERCEPTION, Eagles. On second-and-6 from the 8, Ryan doesn't see linebacker Nate Gerry in coverage and throws right to him. Gerry is taken down in the end zone for a touchback, but a personal foul penalty after the play will back the Eagles up to their own 10.

10:30 p.m.: TOUCHDOWN, Eagles. Philadelphia goes for it on fourth-and-goal from the 4, and Wentz moves around in the pocket before finding Agholor over the middle. On the two-point conversion try, Wentz keeps it on an option play and dives toward the end zone. Officials rule he converted, but the call is overturned on review because Wentz's knee hit first. Falcons 17, Eagles 12. 

10:25 p.m.: INTERCEPTION, Eagles. Under pressure from an all-out blitz, Ryan goes deep for Jones and badly underthrows him. Cornerback Ronald Darby, who has been picked on for much of the night, snags the interception. 

10:14 p.m.: An update on what's becoming an unbelievable night in terms of Eagles injuries: Wentz and Agholor entered and cleared concussion protocol. Also, for defensive tackle Timmy Jernigan . . .

10:11 p.m.: TOUCHDOWN, Falcons. Atlanta quickly cashes in on the short field. It's another impressive touchdown catch for Jones. Falcons 17, Eagles 6. 

10:10 p.m.: The Falcons force and recover a fumble on the second-half kickoff. Disastrous start for the Eagles. 

Halftime: Falcons 10, Eagles 6

9:55 p.m.: FIELD GOAL, Eagles. Elliott kicks a 41-yarder to end the first half. Falcons 10, Eagles 6. 

9:54 p.m.: Adding to the Eagles' injury struggles, wide receiver Nelson Agholor is hit hard in the end zone and heads to the medical tent. 

9:52 p.m.: Wentz returns. Unclear what happened there. 

9:47 p.m.: Backup quarterback Josh McCown is in for the Eagles. Wentz took a painful-looking hit on the previous drive, but it seems more likely he's feeling the lingering effects from getting hit hard in the ribs early in the game. 

9:46 p.m.: INTERCEPTION, Eagles. Ryan is picked off by cornerback Sidney Jones. Eagles take over with good field position.

9:34 p.m.: Eagles injury update:

9:28 p.m.: TOUCHDOWN, Falcons. Ryan goes deep to Calvin Ridley, who leaps and hauls in a 34-yard touchdown. Atlanta's weapons on the outside are no joke. Falcons 10, Eagles 3. 

9:23 p.m.: INTERCEPTION, Falcons. Trufant gets his second pick of the game. Wentz throws to nobody in particular — perhaps a miscommunication with his receivers — on the first play of the drive, and Trufant is the beneficiary.

9:22 p.m.: Ryan looks to the end zone on consecutive plays and just overthrows his man each time. Then, Bryant badly misses a 50-yard field goal attempt. McGary is carted to the locker room, so a return for him seems unlikely.

9:18 p.m.: The play after Jones makes an absurd catch on the sideline, Falcons offensive tackle Kaleb McGary has to be helped off with an apparent leg injury.

9:15 p.m.: Philadelphia's offense isn't even close to full strength. 

9:09 p.m.: FIELD GOAL, Eagles. Atlanta sacks Wentz on third down to force a 34-yard try from Jake Elliott, who knocks it through and ties the game. Falcons 3, Eagles 3. 

End first quarter: Falcons 3, Eagles 0

8:56 p.m.: INTERCEPTION, Falcons. Quarterback Carson Wentz looks deep for Jose Arcega-Whiteside, but cornerback Desmond Trufant gets there instead. Wentz takes a shot to the ribs as he throws, and he walks off in a bit of pain after what amounts to a punt on third down. 

8:56 p.m.: Eagles wide receiver DeSean Jackson is in the medical tent. 

8:50 p.m.: Atlanta punter Matt Bosher is battling groin tightness and not handling kickoffs, and his first punt is rather short, a 39-yarder that sets the Eagles up around midfield. 

8:46 p.m.: The no-call stands, but the Falcons convert a third-and-5 anyway. 

8:44 p.m.: The Falcons, trying to get out of the shadow of their own end zone, are challenging a pass interference no-call against Julio Jones. Cornerback Rasul Douglas did get there a bit early, but the contact wasn't egregious. 

8:39 p.m.: Some good special teams action as Eagles wide receiver Mack Hollins makes an impressive play to down the punt at the 1. 

8:30 p.m.: FIELD GOAL, Falcons. Atlanta slowly works to the Eagles' 26-yard line and then goes backward and stalls. Kicker Matt Bryant caps an 11-play, 43-yard drive with a 50-yard field goal. Falcons 3, Eagles 0. 

8:24 p.m.: The Falcons begin on their 25 after a touchback. 

James Crabtree-Hannigan