Eagles Survive Bucs' Late Onslaught: Epic 31-25 Thriller Seals First 4-0 Start Since '04 Glory!
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Bird Gang, the sweltering saga of Raymond James Stadium bowed to Philadelphia's indomitable will this afternoon, as the Eagles gutted out a heart-pounding 31-25 victory over the Buccaneers, surging to the NFL's first—and only—4-0 record after Week 4's frenzy, a milestone unmatched since the '04 juggernaut's march to glory. Trailing by 21 in the third, Tampa clawed back with Baker Mayfield's three TD bombs and Chase McLaughlin's franchise-record 65-yard FG, but Philly's steel resolve—capped by rookie LB Jihaad Campbell's end-zone interception—slammed the vault shut on the Bucs' unbeaten fairy tale. As a die-hard Eagles devotee, this wasn't mere survival—it was symphony, shattering a 1-4 skid against Tampa since 2021 (playoffs included) and extending our franchise's second-longest win streak to 10, all under a 91-degree blaze that once scorched us but now forged us fiercer.
Hurts orchestrated the masterpiece, slinging 280 yards and two TDs while scampering 28 yards to tee up Dallas Goedert's flip-pass gem—his second of the night—after DeVonta Smith's third-down dagger kept the opening drive alive. Saquon Barkley churned 88 yards at 3.3 YPC, but A.J. Brown's clutch third-down snag set Jake Elliott's 39-yarder, inflating the lead to 21-3 before Tampa's special teams sorcery (blocked punt TD) ignited the inferno. Mayfield rallied to 27-24 with strikes to Bucky Irving and Emeka Egbuka, but Vic Fangio's D-line—Moro Ojomo's swat, Kelee Ringo stepping up for Adoree' Jackson—stiffened, forcing the fatal pick; Philly's 2-3 on third downs masked nine first downs, while Tampa's 1-6 exposed their fractures.
X lit up with green fireworks: "From furnace fade to flawless 4-0—Philly owns Tampa now!" as we cover the -3 spread in a scorching 4-1 ATS last-five heater and 6-1 road ATS surge. Sirianni's savvy early arrival—saunas, hydration drills—flipped last year's heatstroke into horsepower, with Nolan Smith on IR but Lane Johnson cleared, the Lombardi echoes growing thunderous. Ugly? Sure, but unbeaten beauty lies in the battle scars. Bird Gang, 4-0 devours doubters like a midnight cheesesteak—Fly Eagles Fly, the crown's ours to claim!