7:04 PM ET

    DENVER -- Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Darius Slay was joking all week that he could produce as a wide receiver.

    He showed off his yards-after-the catch ability with an 82-yard fumble return for a touchdown late in the third quarter. Slay scooped up a Denver Broncos running back Melvin Gordon fumble, bobbled it, broke right, then bounced it back and found a crease down the left side

    It was the longest defensive touchdown for the Eagles since 2015 Week 17 against the Giants.

    Earlier in the game, Eagles receiver DeVonta Smith landed the first blow in a battle of Alabama first-round picks.

    Quarterback Jalen Hurts found Smith, who turns 23 on Sunday, for a 36-yard touchdown in the right corner of the end zone late in the first quarter to give Philadelphia a lead over the Denver Broncos. Cornerback Patrick Surtain II was tight in coverage, but Smith showed good body control as he leapt to secure the catch. He now has touchdowns in back-to-back games.

    Smith had 0.7 yards of separation on the TD pass. That's the second-lowest distance of separation on a passing touchdown in Hurts' career and only his third career tight-window touchdown, according to ESPN Stats & Information.

    Surtain and Smith went ninth and 10th overall in April's NFL draft. They played three seasons together at Alabama. This week, Smith credited Surtain for making him a better receiver through their competition in practice.