The Eagles did not want to do this.

The Eagle’s offense was without Lane Johnson and Jalen Hurts, but the Saints made enough big plays on Sunday to defeat them 20-10 at Lincoln Financial Field.

What does this all mean? To clinch the NFC East division championship and the No. 1 seed in the playoffs, the Eagles (13-3) must defeat the New York Giants in Week 18. The date and time are still TBA. To clinch the NFC East division title and the No. 1 seed in NFC playoffs, the Eagles (13-3), must beat New York Giants in Week 18.

In an effort to keep their slim playoff hopes alive, the Saints extended their win streak by three games. They did this by keeping the league’s highest-scoring offense under control. Only before halftime, the Eagles didn’t get a first down. Gardner Minshew, the Quarterback, was 18-of-32 for 274 yards. Six times he was sacked in the game. After a touchdown pass of Minshew to A.J. for 78 yards, the Eagles were back in control. New Orleans led 13-10 after Brown scored at the end of the third quarter. To win the game, Marshon Lattimore, cornerback, returned a Minshew intercept 12 yards for a pick-6 in the fourth quarter.

Miles Sanders ran back for 61 yards, gaining 61 yards on 12 runs. Brown had four catches, totaling 97 yards. DeVonta Smith was the leader with nine catches totaling 115 yards.

Saints quarterback Andy Dalton was 18 of 22 for 204 yards and an interception. The Saints kept the Eagles off balance on the first drive by using direct snaps to Alvin Kamara and Taysom Hill. On a 15-play 75-yard touchdown drive, the Saints shaved almost nine minutes off the clock and never lost. Hill threw two passes to Hill for 24 yards. He also ran for 46 yards and a touchdown and caught a pass for nine yards. Alvin Kamara, running back, gained 74 yards and 7 receiving. Rashid Shaheed, wide receiver, led the Saints with 79 receiving yardage on six receptions.

Brandon Graham, defensive end, surpassed the double-digit mark in tackles for the first time in his career. He had two on the day to reach a record-breaking 11 for the year. Haason Reddick added two more sacks to his total of 16 for the season. The defense recorded seven sacks, and cornerback Josiah Scott recorded an interception.

This is how the game played out in real time.

* The Eagles won the toss and opted to play in the second half. The Saints will open the game with the offense. It wasn’t long before Taysom Hill took a snap at the quarterback. T.J. Edwards, a linebacker, stopped Hill from making the play. On 3rd-and-4 however, quarterback Andy Dalton hit Juwan Johnson underneath for 10 yards. Another 3rd-and-4 was converted by the Saints with Dalton connecting to wide receiver Chris Olave from the slot on an angle for 8 yards to Eagles’ 28. Fullback Adam Prentice gained 2 yards on a run at the Eagles’ 19. But, more important, Josh Sweat, the Eagles defensive end, was down after making the tackle. With 9:19 left in the first quarter, Sweat was taken off the field. The entire Eagles sideline rushed over to Sweat’s cart, and the packed-out crowd at Lincoln Financial Field cheered his name while standing in a standing ovation.

Kamara ran for 4 yards after taking a direct snap when play was resumed. Linebacker Patrick Johnson did an excellent job removing Dalton’s option to run in the flat. Tight end Adam Trautman was also stopped. Center Erik McCoy was flagged as being an illegal man downfield. Hill took the snap on 3rd-and-3 at 11 and was stopped for 1 yard. However, Hill gained 8 yards on the ground and set up a goal-to-go. Hill punched in the ball on the next play to give the Saints an early lead.

It was a 15-play 75-yard drive that took almost nine minutes. Hill was not present when the two teams met last year at Lincoln Financial Field. The Eagles won easily, winning by 40 to 29.

SAINTS 7, EARLES 0 – 6.00 remaining

* The Saints and Eagles linebacker Kaden Eliss make their first offensive play. He blitzes and returns home for a sack and a 6-yard loss. Minshew was again sacked on the second offensive play. The defensive end Carl Granderson tackled Minshew and the quarterback ran to his left to escape the pressure. The Eagle’s offense made it a quick three-and-out.

* Josh Sweat Update Sweat was taken to the local hospital with a neck injury as a precaution. He is able to move in all limbs.

* The Saints convert 3rd-down chances. Rashid Shaheed, wide receiver, caught a 9-yard pass on a quick route in front of safety Marcus Epps. Hill then took a snap for a 3-yard gain at 3rd-and-1, Eagles’ 47. Javon Hargrave sacked Dalton for a 5-yard loss. The Saints will begin with the ball at the Eagles’ 49-yard line.

January 1, 2023

SECOND QUARTER

* The Eagles complete the drive in perfect fashion. Brandon Graham sacks Dalton to get his 10th sack for the season. This is the first time he has reached double-digits in his entire career. He is the fourth Eagle to surpass double-digit sacks in this season’s NFL. Javon Hargrave and Josh Sweat are the others. This is the first time that four players from the same NFL team have had double-digit sacks during a single season. This sack set the team’s single-season franchise record of 63, surpassing the mark set by the 1989 Buddy Ryan team with 62.

* The offense received another three-and-out. Miles Sanders ran for 9 yards and had two carries. On 3rd-and-1 Minshew ran for 9 yards and two carries, but Cameron Jordan, a defensive end, sacked Minshew without any gain.

* Saints injury update – tackle Ryan Ramczyk is doubtful to return after sustaining a hip injury.

Hill will have to deal with Hill as a quarterback. Hill took the snap from shotgun and fired a bullet at Johnson for 17 yards, putting the Eagles on the 41-yard line. To bring the Saints back to their 49, a holding penalty was imposed on Landon Young, an offensive lineman. Wil Lutz made the 54-yard field goal for the Saints.

SAINTS 10 EAGLES 0-8:00 remaining

* The Saints’ pass rush is suffocating. Granderson scored his second sack to set up third-and-16. Minshew then checked Kenneth Gainwell’s ball, but it was too late. Three drives. Three drives.

* Shaheed beat James Bradberry by 58 yards on 3rd-and-4. He ran a slant and go route down the right sideline, with a throw from Dalton over the shoulder to the Eagle’s 6-yard line. Hill attempted to run the ball to the right side on 3rd-and-4 from 1. However, he was stopped by Hargrave and Edwards who took the snap out of his shotgun. The Saints settle on a Lutz field goal of 20 yards.

SAINTS 13 EAGLES 0-3:05 remaining

* The offense will have a fourth three-and-out. A.J. Brown’s slant gained 7 yards, but Minshew failed to complete his deep pass down the right side for DeVontaSmith on 3rd and 3.

* Following a Haason Reddick tackle for a 5-yard loss cornerback Josiah Scott sparks the fire with an interception of a Dalton pass meant for Olave down the right sideline. With 34 seconds remaining in the first half, Scott returned the ball 13 yards to the Eagles’ 25-yard line.

Minshew was fired by Jordan for the second and fifth time, respectively. With 26 seconds remaining, the Eagles call a timeout. With 11 seconds remaining in the half, the Eagles take their first down. Minshew connected to Brown on an 8-yard pass, then hit Dallas Goedert on 3rd and 7, for a 12-yard gain. DeVonta Smith ran 25 yards to the Saints ‘ yard line, and Minshew completed the half with a quick pass to DeVonta Smith. To start the second period, the Eagles will have the ball first.

Highlight: Josiah Scott scores his second INT for the season

THIRD QUARTER

* The Eagles begin at their own 9, following a holding penalty by Kyron Johnson, linebacker, on the kickoff to open the second half. Miles Sanders, the Eagles’ running back, gets 9 yards and 14 yards for consecutive plays. Minshew hits Goedert to gain an 18-yard gain at midfield. Minshew then hit DeVontaSmith on a wide receiver screening for a 15-yard gain to the Saints 34-yard line. Boston Scott runs off the left tackle for 8 yards to make it 2nd-and-2. After a Scott loss, Kenneth Gainwell ran for 8 yards to set up 2nd-and-2. With a 56-yard Jake Elliott field goal, the Eagles were on the board.

* Elliott is now 3-of-4 in field goals from 50+.

SAINTS 13 – EAGLES 3: 10:58

* To get the ball back to the offense, the defense receives a three-and-out. Safety K’Von Wallace stops Johnson’s pass on third down and assists the defense.

* Sanders starts the offense. Four carries by Sanders gains 9 yards, 4 yards, 6 yards, and 2 yards. Dickerson is penalized for a false start on 3rd-and-2. The false start penalty is then applied to Jason Kelce. Minshew gets drilled by Granderson on 3rd-and-12. Smith’s incredible grab is made despite Marshon Lattimore covering him at the sticks for first down. Isaac Seumalo, facing a third-and-8 penalty for the offensive line, committed the third false start of the drive. Minshew’s third-down pass to Smith was incomplete and high. At their 40, the Saints take control.

* Kamara runs a first down and gains 15 yards on the left sideline. Two plays later, a Fletcher Cox pass sack resulted in Kamara losing 12 yards. The Saints lose the ball when Dalton throws an instant pass to Eno Ben for a 9-yard gain. With 2:14 remaining in the quarter, the Eagles take control at their own 4.

Minshew throws from outside the end zone and hits Smith for 12 yards with an out route, then Smith for 6 yards using a slant route. This opens the drive. THE BIG PLAY BY A.J. BROWN TOUCHDOWN. Brown defeated Paulson Adebo with an out-and-up, caught the ball near the right sideline and Daniel Sorenson missed his chance to corner Brown. The wide receiver was then off for the 78-yard touchdown!

Highlight: Can’t-Miss Play: A.J. After Minshew’s launch, Brown snatches Minshew’s launch and breaks free for a 78-yard TD.

SAINTS 13 – EAGLES 10 – 0:45

* The third quarter ends on a 16-yard pass to Trautman, and Kamara’s 7-yard run to the Saint’s 48-yard line.

FOURTH QUARTER

* The defense rallied around to stop Hill on an immediate snap, then Graham threw his second sack to force the punt.

Minshew hits Goedert 15 yards on the first play of the drive. Minshew then hit Boston Scott in his flat to the left for what appeared to have been a gain of 22 yards. Kelce was cited for being an illegal downfield man. Minshew attempted to throw a back-shoulder to Brown on 3rd-and-15 but it was not complete.

* Saints take control with 12:03 remaining at their 32. Ramczyk was moved to the out position by the Saints due to a hip injury. Reddick grabs his second sack for the day, a loss totaling 8 yards. This set up third-and-18. McCoy, center, makes false starts on third-and-23. The Saints will call a draw on the third down, and the Eagles will receive the ball back.

* Eagles win at their own 41, with 10:01 left. Minshew was able to connect with Smith after a 1-yard gain from Sanders. Sanders created a fourth-and-1 at the midfield on third down. Minshew tried to steal it from the Eagles, but he was stopped. With 8:32 left, the Saints take control.

* An unsuccessful flea-flicker The Eagles tried it with Hill as a quarterback but the receiving options were limited and Milton Williams and Ndamukong She came up with the sack. On 3rd-and-17, Dalton feels pressured by Cox. He has to throw the ball away. With 6:07 remaining, the Eagles win the ball at their 9-yard line.

* Marshon Lattimore pick-six. A.J. beats the cornerback Brown intercepts the pass on a short distance and returns it 12 yards for the touchdown.

SAINTS 20 – EAGLES 10 – 5:27

Minshew, on 3rd-and-10, needed to move the ball. Smith was hit over the middle for 28 yards. But Minshew was sacked by Jordan for the sixth time in the afternoon. Paulson Adebo almost intercepted Minshew’s pass for Goedert on 3rd-and-17. Jack Driscoll makes a false start on fourth down. Minshew’s pass to Smith on fourth down is just short of the sticks. With 3:35 remaining, the Saints take control.

* The Saints ran out of time to finish the game.