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.
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Philadelphia Eagles head coach Chip Kelly, center, works along the sideline during the first half of an NFL football game against the New England Patriots, Sunday, Dec. 6, 2015, in Foxborough, Mass. This game would be more of a scrimmage, allowing the Patriots to pad their stats and get back on track after a loss to the Broncos last week.
“I wouldn’t say it was a turning point, but it was another huge play by our special teams”, Kelly said.
After falling behind 14-0, Philadelphia scored five touchdowns in a row two on special teams, one on defense and two on offense.
Starting at their on 25, New England could only get to the 37 with drops from Brandon LaFell and Amendola hurting the team on the final plays. The Patriots failed to take advantage and could move only 12 yards before a pair of dropped passes helped end the host Patriots’ chances.
“Sort of had a chance there at the end”.
If there is one thing that Bill Belichick and Tom Brady don’t like to do.
“We gave up 21 points when the defense is on the field and you lose like 98 percent of those games”, Belichick said.
If the Cowboys can pull off a victory against the Redskins, the Eagles would somehow find themselves in a three way tie with Washington and NY for the division lead.
A Patriots team everyone was talking about going undefeated two weeks ago would now be playing in the Wild Card Round.
IT WAS NO SURPRISE that wide receiver Julian Edelman (ankle) and tight end Rob Gronkowski were on the Patriots’ inactive list.
“We’d love to have everybody healthy”. I think that’s just what it comes down to. Ultimately, it didn’t really work for them.
The Eagles are 1-0 when Lurie gives them a pep talk this year. Goode scooped it up and ran it 24 yards for the touchdown to send the teams into the break tied 14-all. “Of course you’re aware of that”, Kelly said.
Sproles had 66 yards rushing, 34 receiving and 115 more on punt returns including an 83-yard touchdown that made it 28-14 with 4:18 left in the third quarter.
Oh, and quarterback Sam Bradford, back after missing two games with a shoulder injury, threw two touchdown passes.
The Eagles also are usually mentioned among the league’s top special teams, and they made a point Sunday night. Then Bradford capped the drive with a 5-yard TD pass to Zach Ertz, which was Ertz’s first touchdown of the season.
“Everything that people said we can’t do we’ve done before”, safety Jenkins said. “And we were able to do it even though they knew it was coming”. Tackle Malcolm Brown recovered the ball for New England, and Brady had 75 yards to go with 1:02 left to tie it up. EN which Chris Maragos blocked and Najee Goode returned 24 yards for a tying touchdown. Brady connected with Scott Chandler for a 14-yard touchdown while Rashaan Melvin recovered the enduring onside kick.
It was 14-0 after Brady and Danny Amendola hooked up from 11 yards out with 7:47 left in the second quarter.
The ensuing onside kick attempt by Ebner went out of bounds, and Philadelphia ran the clock down to just over 1 minute.
Brady, who threw a 99-yard pick six, finished 29 of 56 for 312 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions.
They hadn’t beaten the Patriots since December 1999.
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Still, with the Eagles comfortably ahead and time running out, Brady did what he does: he found ways to make it work, and it nearly led to the greatest comeback win of his career. For Patriots’ fans, don’t worry about this game and the last because, if there is one thing that this team does well, it is bouncing back and winning the big games when they matter.
