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PHILADELPHIA -- The Philadelphia Eagles made plenty of mistakes to cost them a potential 9-0 start to the season, but one of those mistakes could have turned out differently. Officials missed a potential face mask penalty on the Commanders' Jamin Davis that resulted in a Dallas Goedert fumble midway through the fourth quarter, which significantly damaged the Eagles' chances of pulling off one of the biggest comebacks for the franchise in over a decade.  

Instead, Washington caused a turnover at Philadelphia's 31-yard line and got three points on the board as a result, ultimately beating the Eagles 32-21. Official Alex Kemp explained the no-call.

"We didn't see a face mask on the field," Kemp told PFWA pool reporter Zack Berman after the game. "As far as the review, we were reviewing whether he was down by contact or whether it was a fumble and then whether the Washington player who recovered the ball was also down by contact."

The CommandersJohn Ridgeway forced the fumble, which was a crucial turnover in a 23-21 game. 

"We have to have better ball security there," Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni said describing the controversial no-call. "We take a lot of pride in the way we protect the football. We were obviously loose with it there, that's how they got it out. The defense did a nice job of stopping them there, so we held them to three."

"Whether it was a face mask or whether it wasn't a face mask, it's hard for them to see at that time. I get it. We have to protect the ball better, and we didn't do a good job of that all game. We were loose with the football, and it came out and they got it."

Facing a 26-21 deficit with 7:38 to play, the Eagles had opportunities to score the go-ahead touchdown regardless of the penalty. A Quez Watkins fumble with 5:58 left and a controversial unnecessary roughness penalty on Brandon Graham after a third down sack with 1:45 left ultimately doomed Philadelphia and handed the Eagles their first loss of the year. 

Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts won't look at the Goedert no-call as a reason the Eagles lost, especially with Philly having four turnovers -- three in the fourth quarter. There was too much food left on the table that went to waste. 

"We can go all day about that," Hurts said. "I think in reality, in the end, it's about us doing the things that we can and controlling the things that we can. I think tonight we weren't doing that at a high level. Today it got us. 

"It doesn't get you until it gets you and today it got us. We learn from it and we move forward."