They’d already failed to connect in the end zone on a first-down throw from the Eagles’ 9-yard line. Patriots lineman Malcom Brown appeared to roll on his leg. Conklin walked off to the locker room. After a pass interference on the first offensive play netted the Eagles 42 yards, Ajayi fumbled at the end of a six-yard carry to give Atlanta possession.
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The Eagles were the first No. 1 seed to begin their playoff run as a home underdog on Saturday, and made to secret throughout the week that they were using that distinction as motivation. The Falcons, led by quarterback Matt Ryan and Julio Jones, are as risky as ever on offense and feature a fast and aggressive defense. The Falcons have not run the ball with almost the efficiency they did previous year on their way to the Super Bowl, but Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman remain a formidable tandem.
The defending NFC champions came into the game as three-point favourites but failed to convert on fourth and goal with just over a minute remaining to hand the Eagles the win.
– Rob Maaddi reporting in Philadelphia. Foles was spectacular, completing five of seven passes into a 16 miles per hour wind for 70 yards.
The Eagles took a 12-10 lead into the final 15 minutes, thanks to 37-yard field goal by Elliot. Foles found Alshon Jeffery along the sideline with one second remaining to set up Elliott’s 53-yard field goal, which was the longest in Eagles postseason history.
The Eagles then committed a pair of penalties to move the ball to the 8. “I ended up on the ground when I came out of the route”, Jones said, not faulting the official for not making any sort of call after making contact with Jalen Mills. He ran for more than 200 yards in three of those games. Two plays later, Foles scooped up a botched handoff and was downed at the 1.
Elliott missed the extra point when his kick cannoned back off the upright to groans from the home crowd.
The Falcons put together an 11-play drive that eventually stalled at the Eagles’ 15-yard line.
Ajayi displayed his pass-catching talent providing quarterback Nick Foles with a reliable outlet in the backfield. It was Ajayi’s second fumble in two games. If Carson Wentz were healthy, the Eagles would be four point favorites and the conversation would be completely different. I don’t trust Matt Ryan to win the game, but I trust him to make less mistakes than Nick Foles. The Titans have not won in New England since 1993 and that’s when the franchise called themselves the Houston Oilers.
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It was all Eagles chants and fans calling for the Super Bowl as roughly 68,000 people poured out of Lincoln Financial Field Saturday night. “It’s about giving yourself the opportunity this time of the year to compete and play in games like this, and to win games like this”. “We’ll watch, hope we see a good game, and prepare for whoever we play next”.
