Philadelphia Eagles receiver Travis Fulgham was signed off the practice squad Saturday. A day later, he elevated to the role of hero on Sunday Night Football.
Carson Wentz found Fulgham down the left side for a 42-yard touchdown with 4:08 remaining to lift the Eagles (1-2-1) over the San Francisco 49ers 25-20 and into sole possession of first place in the downtrodden NFC East.
Fulgham, a 2019 sixth-round pick by the Detroit Lions out of Old Dominion, was claimed off waivers from the Green Bay Packers in August before being cut by the Eagles and then placed on their practice squad. He was brought up this week out of sheer necessity, as injuries have ripped through the offense.
Wentz, in a reprise of late last season, was working largely with bottom-of-the-roster players and practice squad call-ups, and found a way to muscle his team to a win. He was without four of his top four receivers (DeSean Jackson, Alshon Jeffery, Jalen Reagor, JJ Arcega-Whiteside), tight end Dallas Goedert and left tackle Jason Peters.
Right tackle Lane Johnson was in and out of the game with a lingering ankle injury that required surgery this summer.
It was tough sledding for Wentz, who finished 18-of-28 for 193 yards with two touchdowns (one rushing) and a an interception, but he took advantage of the opportunity his defense presented him when Cre’Von Le’Blanc stripped Niners quarterback Nick Mullens, setting up the Eagles in San Francisco territory. Seven plays later, Wentz and Fulgham connected, giving Philadelphia its first fourth-quarter lead of the season.
An Alex Singleton pick-six on the subsequent possession helped ice it for the Eagles, who had to fend off a late Niners surge.
The Dallas Cowboys (1-3), Washington Football Team (1-3) and New York Giants (0-4) all lost Sunday, dropping the division’s overall record to 3-12-1. Despite struggles from Wentz & Co. out of the gate, the Eagles are now a half-game up in the division, with a trip to play the Pittsburgh Steelers next.
Wentz set a career high with his third rushing touchdown of the season, and he became the first Eagles quarterback with a rushing TD in three straight games since Michael Vick in 2010.