Philadelphia Eagles nab first 8-0 season start with win over Houston Texans

The NFC East leaders are the league’s only undefeated side this season

The Philadelphia Eagles are 8-0 for the first time in franchise history after they overcame a slow start on the road to defeat the Houston Texans 29-17 (Eric Christian Smith/AP) (AP)

The Philadelphia Eagles are 8-0 for the first time in franchise history after they overcame a slow start on the road to defeat the Houston Texans 29-17.

Visiting quarterback Jalen Hurts had a poor first half but finished with 234 yards through the air and two touchdowns in southern Texas.

The scores were locked at 14-14 at half-time, before Philadelphia safety CJ Gardner-Johnson picked off a career-high and league-leading fifth interception which got the ball back to Hurts.

The Houston-born signal-caller then tossed a 17-yard touchdown pass to AJ Brown that gave the Eagles the lead.

The Texans hit back with a field goal before Hurts threw another scoring pass in the final quarter, this time to tight end Dallas Goedert, that he added to with a two-point conversion run.

The Eagles’ defence stepped up again to seal the victory as cornerback James Bradberry scooped up an attempted-touchdown pass by Houson second-year quarterback Davis Mills.