HOUSTON — Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Mark Sanchez smiled sheepishly when he was asked to consider just how long it had been since he was in this position — since he last worked during the regular season and performed like a first-round pick before his career came unraveled in New York.

Sanchez performed ably and confidently in his first significant action since late in the 2012 season, stewarding the Eagles to a 31-21 victory over the Houston Texans on Sunday at NRG Stadium.

Sanchez entered when Eagles starter Nick Foles was lost to a left shoulder injury on the final play of the first quarter and engineered four scoring drives, including the clincher late in the fourth quarter. Sanchez, who last played for the Jets on Dec. 30, 2012, passed for 202 yards and two scores as the Eagles (6-2) amassed 483 yards and 30 first downs.

“It’s been awhile,” Sanchez said. “It all comes back quickly. You don’t want to use the phrase ‘like riding a bike’ but I wish it was that easy and that defense didn’t make it that easy. It just felt good to get back out there, to make some calls, to scramble a little bit, to get hit a little bit — all that stuff was fun. We’re very fortunate to play like this.”

The Eagles struck an impressive balance offensively. Running back LeSean McCoy rushed for 117 yards on 23 carries while receiver Jeremy Maclin produced six receptions for 158 yards and two touchdowns. Maclin snared his second score with 3:50 left to play, an 8-yard catch that capped a 15-play, 80-yard drive that erased 8:01 off the clock.

Sanchez was in total command of the Eagles’ up-temp offense, even completing a 52-yard post pass to Maclin on his first attempt of the day.

“Since Day 1 here you know what type of professional he is,” Eagles coach Chip Kelly said of Sanchez. “He’s in early, he takes copious notes (and) he’s a real professional. And I said since Day 1 you better have two quarterbacks in this league and we were fortunate that when Nick did go down we could bring Mark in and I don’t think we missed a beat offensively.”

Before surrendering that final backbreaking touchdown, the Texans (4-5) clawed back into contention despite an earlier missed field goal by kicker Randy Bullock that appeared to deflate the home crowd.

Houston caught a break when Eagles linebacker DeMeco Ryans immediately fumbled an interception of Texans quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick after Ryans crumpled untouched inside the Eagles 10-yard line in the fourth quarter. Texans receiver DeAndre Hopkins recovered and, two plays later, corralled a 7-yard touchdown pass to cut the deficit to 24-21.

Ryans suffered a season-ending Achilles’ tendon tear. He ruptured his right Achilles in 2010 at then-Reliant Stadium playing with the Texans.

The Texans scuffled throughout offensively, needing a 51-yard A.J. Bouye interception return for a score in the first quarter and a second interception, this one by cornerback Jumal Rolle, to key a four-play drive that ended with a 56-yard touchdown catch by running back Arian Foster. Foster beat former Texans linebacker Connor Barwin on a wheel route before dashing down the sideline to pull Houston even at 14-14.

“We capitalized on some of those turnovers,” Hopkins said of the Eagles’ four turnovers. “The defense did a great job of scoring and creating points.”

Fitzpatrick passed for 203 yards and two touchdowns. He also threw an interception and was sacked four times. Hopkins had six receptions for 115 yards and a score. The Texans managed only 15 first downs, went three-and-out three times and produced just 300 total yards.

“It’s too inconsistent,” Texans coach Bill O’Brien said of the offense. “It’s just way too inconsistent, and it’s got to get better.

“We need to figure out what type of spark we need; maybe it’s schematic, maybe it’s something else.”

What the Eagles said:

“Actually, I didn’t even know (Nick) Foles was out. (I saw) the bomb to (Jeremy) Maclin, and I turned to congratulate him, and it was (Mark) Sanchez. I didn’t even know the guy was out. For Sanchez to come in for Foles was big-time.” — Left tackle Jason Peters, on the quarterback switch.

What the Texans said:

“That’s a tough question to answer right after the game. I think that’s more of a postseason discussion. I’ll review that after the postseason, and I don’t make those decisions here, but I’ll have some input on that.” Texans coach Bill O’Brien, on whether the NRG Stadium turf played a role in the number of non-contact injuries.

What we learned about the Eagles:

1. The rushing attack remains central to Philadelphia’s overall offensive success. The Eagles entered Sunday ranked 14th in rushing yards per game, and they amassed just 66 rushing yards prior to halftime. However, Philadelphia rushed for 124 yards in the second half, 70 on one four-play, smash-mouth touchdown drive in the third quarter. “It shows that we had been stopping ourselves earlier in the game,” Eagles running back Chris Polk said. “If we play the way we know we can play, we are going to be able to move the ball and the other team isn’t going to be able to stop us.”

2. Linebacker DeMeco Ryans will be sorely missed, not just for his production, but also for his leadership. Ryans was lost to a season-ending right Achilles tendon tear, a dramatic moment punctuated by players from both teams coming onto the field to wish Ryans well after he was placed on a cart. Ryans played six seasons for the Texans, with whom he sustained an Achilles tear in 2010. He led the Eagles with 39 tackles coming into Sunday. “It just shows the respect that everybody has for him,” Eagles linebacker Connor Barwin, a former Texan, said of the gesture. “Obviously, the guy is a leader. He was the team captain when he played (in Houston) for six years.”

–LB DeMeco Ryans was lost for the season to a right Achilles tendon tear sustained following an interception during the fourth quarter. Ryans crumpled untouched to the turf after picking off Texans QB Ryan Fitzpatrick and was carted off the field. While playing for the Texans in 2010, Ryans tore his right Achilles and missed the final 10 games of the season. That injury also occurred in Houston at then-Reliant Stadium.

–QB Nick Foles sustained a left (non-throwing) shoulder injury on the final play of the first quarter following a sack by Texans LB Whitney Mercilus. He did not return to action. Foles underwent X-rays and was in a sling following the game. Published reports revealed a clavicle injury, although Eagles coach Chip Kelly did not confirm that information or offer a timetable for Foles’ return.

–WR Jeremy Maclin recorded his third 100-yard receiving game of the season and his second consecutive multi-touchdown performance, finishing with six receptions for 158 yards and two scores against the Texans. After missing the entire 2013 season to injury, Maclin has 45 receptions for 790 yards and eight touchdowns at the midpoint of 2014.

What we learned about the Texans:

1. Cornerback Jumal Rolle appears capable of provided sorely needed depth. The Texans lost both starting cornerbacks, Johnathan Joseph (concussion) and Kareem Jackson (knee), to injury, and rookie reserve Andre Hal struggled filling one void. Rolle responded with two interceptions, a breakthrough performance for someone signed off the Green Bay Packers’ practice squad last month. “Yeah, it felt pretty good,” Rolle said of getting consistent snaps. “Mainly it’s what you do off the field, off work (as preparation).”

2. Running back Arian Foster needs to get healthy during the bye week because he remains the focal point of the offense. Foster was lost to a groin injury during the second half, and while the Texans scuffled even with him available, the prospects of moving forward without him are daunting. “Hopefully we’ll be able to get him some rest,” Texans coach Bill O’Brien said. “He’s had a heck of a year, and we certainly need him down the stretch.”

–RB Arian Foster had his streak of 100-yard rushing games snapped at four when he departed in the second half with a groin injury. Foster finished with 56 yards on 15 carries after entering the weekend pacing the AFC with 766 rushing yards. Despite sitting out the Week 3 loss against the New York Giants, Foster has 1,051 yards and 10 touchdowns on 187 touches this season.

–LB Whitney Mercilus recorded two sacks during the Eagles’ final offensive series of the first quarter, producing his second two-sack game of the season and the fifth of his career. Mercilus moved into fifth place on the Texans’ all-time sacks list, passing Kailee Wong (15 from 2002-06) and bumping his total to 17. He has four this season.

–DE J.J. Watt tied his season high with seven tackles and had five quarterback hits and a tackle for loss. Watt leads the NFL with 29 quarterback hits this season and, with 1.5 sacks, bumped his season total to 8.5 and his career mark to 45.