LANDOVER, Md. -- Quarterback Carson Wentz led the Philadelphia Eagles to a comeback win for the second straight week -- this time via a 4-yard touchdown pass to Greg Ward Jr. in the closing seconds to lift the Eagles over the Washington Redskins, 37-27, and bolster Philadelphia's playoff hopes.
The win sets the stage for Sunday's Week 16 home game against the Dallas Cowboys, which will go a long way in deciding the NFC East champion.
It was looking a bit bleak for the Eagles, just as it did last week when they trailed the New York Giants by 14 at the half. In this case, the Eagles fell behind 27-24 to Washington with under five minutes to play. Wentz -- working with a wide receiver trio of JJ Arcega-Whiteside, Ward and Rob Davis that entered with a career 20 catches between them -- orchestrated an 11-play, 75-yard drive in response, capped by a pretty corner throw to Ward in the end zone. Nigel Bradham's fumble return for a TD as time expired sealed the victory.
Wentz did not have a fourth-quarter comeback win this season entering Week 14, and now has two over the past two weeks. Both could not have come at a better time of the season.
Leaning on the rookie: Rookie running back Miles Sanders carried the offense on his back for much of the game. He finished with 172 all-purpose yards and two total touchdowns, and set a couple franchise records along the way. He passed Eagles receiver DeSean Jackson (who is on injured reserve) for most rookie all-purpose yards in a season and LeSean McCoy for most rookie rushing yards. Sanders is the first Eagles rookie with 120 rush yards and a rush TD since Bryce Brown in 2012.
Eye-popping play: Wentz and Sanders delivered the highlight of the game in the third quarter, as Wentz threaded the needle with a dart to Sanders in the back of the end zone while on the run. The ball whizzed by a pair of defenders and somehow made its way to Sanders.
Troubling trend: The Eagles' secondary has given up 100-plus yards to a single receiver 10 times this season. Rookie Terry McLaurin has turned the trick twice -- in the season opener and then again Sunday with a 5-catch, 130-yard performance that included a 75-yard touchdown run.