As their delirious fans sang their theme song and their owner lifted the Lombardi Trophy, the Philadelphia EaglesB次元官网网址� finally could breathe freely.
Yo, Philly, you really did beat Tom Brady and the New England Patriots in a thrilling Super Bowl that rewrote the offensive record book.
Nick Foles guided the drive of a lifetime, Zach Ertz made a bobbling touchdown catch that had to survive replay review, and an exhausted defence came up with not one but two stands in the final moments Sunday for a 41-33 victory. For the first time since 1960, the Eagles are NFL champions.
"WE'RE THE BEST IN THE WORLD!" -
B次元官网网址� NFL (@NFL)
B次元官网网址淔ly Eagles Fly,B次元官网网址� indeed.
B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檝e played this game since we were little kids, we dreamed about this moment,B次元官网网址� game MVP Foles said. B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 plenty of kids watching this game right now dreaming about this moment and someday will be here.B次元官网网址�
In a record-setting shootout between backup QB Foles and five-time champ Brady of the favoured Patriots, Foles led a pressure-packed 75-yard drive to the winning touchdown, 11 yards to Ertz with 2:21 to go .
Then Brandon Graham strip-sacked Brady and Derek Barnett recovered, setting up rookie Jake ElliotB次元官网网址檚 46-yard field goal for an 8-point lead.
Brady got his team to midfield, but his desperation pass fell to the ground in the end zone.
B次元官网网址淔or us, it was all about one stop we had to make. We went out here and made that one stop,B次元官网网址� Graham said.
The underdog Eagles (16-3), even injured starting quarterback Carson Wentz, came bolting off the sideline in ecstasy while Brady sat on the ground, disconsolate.
It was the first Super Bowl title for Philadelphia (16-3), which went from 7-9 last season.
B次元官网网址淚f thereB次元官网网址檚 a word (itB次元官网网址檚) called everything,B次元官网网址� Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie said. B次元官网网址淭hatB次元官网网址檚 what it means to Eagles fans everywhere. And for Eagles fans everywhere, this is for them.B次元官网网址�
Super Bowl MVP Foles orchestrated the victory with the kind of drive NFL MVP Brady, a five-time champion, is known for. The drive covered 14 plays, including a fourth-down conversion.
B次元官网网址淚 felt calm. I mean, we have such a great group of guys, such a great coaching staff,B次元官网网址� Foles said. B次元官网网址淲e felt confident coming in, and we just went out there and played football.B次元官网网址�
The Eagles had to survive a video replay because ball pop into the air as Ertz crossed the goal line.
B次元官网网址淚f they would have overturned that, I donB次元官网网址檛 know what would have happened to the city of Philadelphia,B次元官网网址� Ertz said. B次元官网网址淏ut IB次元官网网址檓 so glad they didnB次元官网网址檛 overturn it.B次元官网网址�
The touchdown stood B次元官网网址� and so did thousands of green-clad Eagles fans who werenB次元官网网址檛 going to mind the frigid conditions outside US Bank Stadium once they headed out to celebrate. But not before a rousing rendition of B次元官网网址淔ly Eagles FlyB次元官网网址� reverberated throughout the stands once the trophy was presented to Lurie. Later, fans danced along with the B次元官网网址淕onna Fly Now,B次元官网网址� the theme from B次元官网网址淩ocky,B次元官网网址� the cityB次元官网网址檚 best-known fictional underdog.
The Patriots (15-4) seemed ready to take their sixth championship with Brady and coach Bill Belichick in eight Super Bowls. Brady threw for a game-record 505 yards and three TDs, hitting Rob Gronkowski for 4 yards before Stephen GostkowskiB次元官网网址檚 extra point gave New England its first lead, 33-32.
Then Foles made them forget Wentz B次元官网网址� and least for now B次元官网网址� with the gutsiest drive of his life.
B次元官网网址淲e couldnB次元官网网址檛 make a play to give the ball back to the offence,B次元官网网址� Patriots cornerback Stephon Gilmore said.
Foles has been something of a journeyman in his six pro seasons, but he has been spectacular in four career playoff games. He finished 28 of 43 for 373 yards and three TDs.
The combined 1,151 yards were the most in any modern NFL game, and BradyB次元官网网址檚 505 were the most in any playoff contest. The 40-year-old master finished 28 of 48 and picked apart the Eagles until the final two series.
It was such a wild game that Foles caught a touchdown pass , and Brady was on the opposite end of a Danny Amendola throw that went off his fingertips.
Eagles coach Doug Pederson brought home the championship in his second year in charge. Belichick is 5-3 in Super Bowls and his teams have only a plus-4 overall margin in those games.
So this one was in keeping with that trend: breathtaking and even a bit bizarre.
Brady and the Patriots looked ready for another comeback by opening the second half with a 75-yard touchdown drive. Gronkowski was unstoppable, grabbing four passes for 69 yards, including the 5-yard score.
Philly didnB次元官网网址檛 flinch, answering with a precise 75-yard march and three more third-down conversions; the Eagles were 10 for 16. The last was on FolesB次元官网网址� perfect pass to Clement over double coverage. The rookieB次元官网网址檚 reception was upheld by review, and the Eagles were back on top by 10.
Brady shrugged and, getting steadfast protection, connected with Chris Hogan from the 26 for another touchdown.
When all the Eagles could manage was ElliottB次元官网网址檚 42-yarder for a 32-26 lead, it seemed inevitable the Patriots would go in front, then become the first repeat Super Bowl winner since they did it in the 2004 and B次元官网网址�05 games.
Foles, Ertz, and B次元官网网址� at last B次元官网网址� a revitalized defence said otherwise.
The weird image of Brady ambling downfield on a pass pattern came three plays after New England lost receiver Brandin Cooks to a concussion on a vicious but clean hit by Malcolm Jenkins in the second quarter. AmendolaB次元官网网址檚 pass required an over-the-shoulder grab and the ball fell off BradyB次元官网网址檚 outstretched hands.
Brady got back to passing after a wild interception. Alshon Jeffery nearly made a spectacular catch near the PatriotsB次元官网网址� goal line, only to juggle the ball into the air. Duron Harmon picked it off at the 10. Moments later, Brady was connecting with Chris Hogan for 42 yards.
James White broke several tackles with a brilliant 26-yard run and it was 15-12. That gave White seven touchdowns in his past three post-season games, including the overtime winner in last yearB次元官网网址檚 Super Bowl.
But the Eagles still had 2:04 left in the half B次元官网网址� and some more magic in their bag.
A short third-down throw to rookie Corey Clement on a circle route turned into a 55-yard explosion down to the Patriots 8. Philly got to the 1 and on fourth down, it was FolesB次元官网网址� turn to morph into a receiver.
He did better than Brady. On fourth down, Clement took a direct snap, pitched to tight end Trey Burton, and the former Florida QB hit an uncovered Foles. The Eagles were up 22-12 at halftime, the most points New England has allowed in the opening half of a Super Bowl under Belichick.
Each team started with 67-yard drives to field goals B次元官网网址� New England had never scored a first-quarter point with Brady in a Super Bowl.
Each kicker later faltered, with Elliott missing the extra point, his fifth failed PAT this season, after JefferyB次元官网网址檚 34-yard touchdown. Then Gostkowski hit the left upright with a 26-yard field goal after holder Ryan Allen mishandled the snap. Gostkowski also missed an extra point.
When LeGarrette Blount, who won the title last season with the Patriots, scored on a 21-yard burst, Pederson went for 2, but the pass failed, making it 15-3.
The Eagles and Pederson brushed it off and stayed with their usual aggressive approach. Breathtakingly, it eventually paid off.
The Canadian Press
