Great teams like the Eagles can win ugly, overcoming penalties and stifling greats like the Titans’ Derrick Henry

It began early. It happened often. It didn’t matter.

With good teams, miscues matter less, and less often. The Eagles made a ton of mistakes against the Titans, and, combined with their recent past issues, a loss seemed likely.

Penalties, at least one by all five starting offensive linemen. Dropped passes. The specter of more turnovers, more bad special-teams play, and more bad run defense — issues that haunted them the past four weeks.

But these Eagles are a good team. A very good team. Maybe great. They had lots of problems coming in, and gave themselves lots of problems during the game, and they still dominated a physical, seven-win team. It was 35-10 early in the fourth quarter.

With almost 10 minutes to play, both backup quarterbacks were playing. The Eagles had allowed an average of nearly 136 rushing yards in their last six games, but Derrick Henry, the best power back since Earl Campbell, had 30 yards on 11 carries.

» READ MORE: Against Derrick Henry, the Eagles proved they can be ‘one of the most physical teams’ in the NFL

They still had a 380-yard passing day from Jalen Hurts, his second-best total in his brief career. He added three passing TDs and a rushing score. They still had 100-yard receiving days from a vengeful A.J. Brown and his sidekick, DeVonta Smith.

They still moved to 11-1, and played the most complete game of their surprising season, and yet they still were nowhere near the best version of themselves.

“”We’re not happy,” said running back Miles Sanders, the only offensive player who didn’t draw a flag or botch a play. “It could’ve been more points. It was a good game all-around, but the penalties kept us from really doing what we wanted to do. We could’ve scored even more points.”

He’s right. And that’s scary for the rest of the NFL.

The Eagles got the ball first and Lane Johnson and Jason Kelce, the team’s two best players, promptly false-started. The Birds also needed a timeout after two snaps. Quez Watkins dropped a pass. Still, they drove 75 yards on seven plays and scored a touchdown in less than three minutes.

They did so despite the first two of 11 penalties (10 accepted) either on the offensive line or the pre-snap lineup. Four of those came on third down.

“It’s crazy. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a game where we had that many [O-line] penalties, especially on third down,” said Kelce, who also was called for holding later in the game. “Kudos to the receivers and Jalen being able to still execute and still keep the chains moving despite the position we put them in a lot of times.”

Good teams eke out wins in this situation. Great teams roll.

“It’s about finding ways to win. We’ve been in those situations before,” said left tackle Jordan Mailata, himself a false-starter. “We’re kicking ourselves in the damn foot.”

Mailata then he looked to his right and saw a 300-pound man sporting a blue mesh half-shirt, skin-tight purple print bicycle shorts, a baseball cap on backward, and wraparound, reflective, one-piece sunglasses, and said, “Oh ... my ... days. Jason Kelce.”

Kelce was 20 feet away, decked out in an homage to “50 First Dates” character Doug Whitmore, but seriously concerned with the penalties.

“I kind of like the look,” Kelce admitted.

He didn’t like the penalties.

“Not only the holding calls, but the false starts. Things that are completely controllable,” Kelce said. “One of them was probably me; they’re talking trash, I’m trying to draw them [offsides], playing a little head game in the red zone.”

Kelce was referring to a play at the end of the third quarter, when officials ruled that Hurts baited the Titans into jumping offsides. The false-start penalty on Hurts turned third-and-1 from the 15 into third-and-6 from the 20. No matter. The Eagles wound up converting fourth-and-1 and scoring a TD shortly thereafter.

The mistakes often framed the game’s most thrilling moments. That’s what happens with good teams with good players — especially when those good players are playing angry.

» READ MORE: A.J. Brown gets his revenge as the Eagles dominate the Titans

On Sunday, that was Brown.

The Titans traded Brown to the Eagles on draft day for first- and third-round picks because they didn’t think Brown was worth the five-year, $100 million extension the Eagles immediately gave him. It felt like it was 40 degrees on Lincoln Financial Field, but Brown’s revenge was served colder, and was therefore more delicious.

After Jack Stoll false-started to turn first-and-10 into first-and-15, Brown — after failing to stay inbounds on a pass attempt at the Titans’ 2 to negate a 40-yard TD catch, redeemed himself and Stoll on the next play. He fought off Kristian Fulton’s full-contact defense, left Fulton on the ground with a groin injury, and jogged into the end zone untouched.

Brown had more than just the Titans’ betrayal on his mind. Usually a secure ballhandler, he had fumbled in the Eagles’ previous two games. He had extra motivation behind his eight catches, 119 receiving yards, and two TDs.

» READ MORE: The Eagles won’t say it, but their win over the Titans shows they can win the Super Bowl

Even the special teams showed up.

The Eagles’ special teams units had spent the week getting ripped as only the weakest unit on an elite team can get ripped. The obvious improvement came from undrafted free-agent returner Britain Covey, who had 130 punt-return yards in his first 11 games, somehow became possessed of Brian Mitchell’s spirit, and finished with 105 against the Titans.

The Eagles promoted linebacker Christian Elliss from the practice squad, and he laid a terrific hit on C.J. Board during a first-half punt coverage. Nakobe Dean, a heralded rookie linebacker who can’t get time with the regular defense, rocked Board when the Eagles kicked off to start the third quarter.

“What a bounce-back game, right?” said coach Nick Sirianni.

Yes, in some phases.

“Not acceptable,” said Kelce, who also had a holding penalty. “Not acceptable. Even when you win a game like that.”