“You have a first-ballot Hall of Fame coach, and you have a first-ballot Hall of Fame quarterback – maybe the best quarterback to ever play the game”.
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Somehow, some way, the Philadelphia Eagles, lucky enough to be in the NFL East, are still alive in their hunt for the postseason.
The Eagles responded from two embarrassing losses with a stunning 35-28 victory over the New England Patriots on Sunday at Gillette Stadium, an improbable outcome that puts the Eagles back in playoff contention.
After scoring twice but failing to convert a second onside kick, the Patriots got the ball back anyway when Jamie Collins stripped the ball from Kenjon Barner on third down. “People started to believe in themselves again”.
Losers of three in a row, the Eagles (5-7) had given up 45 points apiece in consecutive weeks heading into the game against the defending National Football League champions and their Super Bowl MVP quarterback – Tom Brady. “Sometimes they don’t see in them(selves) what I see in them”.
Yet there was left tackle Jason Peters sitting at his locker after the Eagles’ heart-pounding 35-28 win Sunday, saying that the Eagles’ approach was simple: “We just felt like we had to make a statement or the season is over with”. We competed and sort of had a chance there at the end to come back, but when you give up 21 points when your defense isn’t on the field, you lose about 98 percent of those games.
The Eagles’ special teams, with more blunders than highlights this season, turned the play into one that could alter the course of the season. At this point, Patriots fans need to reduce expectations and just hope that this team can hold on to a first-round bye. “We didn’t handle some things well and it cost us”.
But the comeback fell short when Brandon LaFell, Danny Amendola and Keshawn Martin all had passes come out of their hands in the final 34 seconds.
Now it’s the Patriots (10-2) on a losing streak – their first back-to-back, regular-season losses since 2012.
The Patriots scored two touchdowns in the fourth quarter to make it a one-possession game.
Brady could not respond from the interception with a score – only a punt.
Chip Kelly remains on the hot seat for the Eagles, who are expecting to get Sam Bradford back under center after he’s missed the last nine quarters with a concussion and shoulder injury.
Eight days ago, the New England Patriots had a chance at an unbeaten season.
Brady obviously believed he could trust Amendola and White without tight end Rob Gronkowski, wide receiver Julian Edelman and running back Dion Lewis. After stopping Philadelphia’s two-minute offense and forcing a punt, the Patriots took over at their 13 and picked up a quick first down. It was the fourth time in two years the Eagles returned a blocked punt for a score.
NOTES: Brady had never in four previous games against the Eagles thrown an interception…. Jenkins’ interception return broke the tie, then Sproles’ punt return gave the Eagles a two-touchdown lead.
That might seem like naivety after watching the Patriots allow an 83-yard punt return for a touchdown and fail to recover two onside kicks.
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NOTES: Kelly wasn’t about to call it his most important win as a coach of the Eagles, but he was very happy with the duo they defeated. It was one of five penalties they were whistled for in the first quarter and eight on the night.
