Eagles Beat Patriots 41-33; Super Bowl 52 Champions
SUPER. BOWL. CHAMPIONS.#FlyEaglesFly pic.twitter.com/SGgFJDz4Ll
— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) February 5, 2018
All year, it had been said that the key to beating the New England Patriots was to never take your foot off the gas and keep scoring touchdowns. In layman’s terms: Play to Win!! Other than the NY Giants in 2007 and 2011, no team has been able to accomplish this. Not the Atlanta Falcons who blew a 24-point lead in Super Bowl 51, not the Pittsburgh Steelers, who almost did in December when a controversial call cost them, and not the Jacksonville Jaguars, who led 14-10 before losing to New England in this seasons AFC Championship Game.
But the Philadelphia Eagles did.
In their third Super Bowl in franchise history, the Eagles followed the recipe of beating the Patriots and they got it done in a 41-33 victory in Super Bowl LII to earn their first NFL Championship of any kind since the 1960 Pre-Super Bowl years. Like a page out of the movie Rocky, the underdog Eagles took advantage of a grand opportunity and now they have the Vince Lombardi Trophy and a huge ring.
We did it!!! World Champs!!’ Philly we cant wait to bring this trophy home!!! #FlyEagelsFly #GangGreen pic.twitter.com/kRgN8sfNIp
— Malcolm Jenkins (@MalcolmJenkins) February 5, 2018
The Eagles lost Tackle Jason Peter, Running Back Darrin Sproles and most critically, Quarterback Carson Wentz this season, but the Silver and Green still got it done thanks to veteran Nick Foles, who was drafted by the Eagles in 2012, played for 3 other teams before returning to Philadelphia in 2017. The journeyman is now a Super Bowl MVP after passing for 373 yards, 3 TDs and an interception. Foles demonstrated the coolness and poise of Joe Montana, Ben Roethlisberger and other Super Bowl-winning quarterbacks.
Foles also became the third backup QB in NFL History to win a Super Bowl, joining Doug Williams (Redskins-1987) and Jeff Hostetler (1990-NY Giants), he also made another bit of history after he became the first QB to catch a TD in the Super Bowl. Ironically, Patriots QB Tom Brady almost caught a pass when it was dropped by Wide Receiver Danny Amendola in the first half. The only other QB to catch a pass in a Super Bowl was John Elway for Denver in 1987.
The Philadelphia #Eagles are Super Bowl Champions.#FlyEaglesFly pic.twitter.com/KyzzEiEgHz
— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) February 5, 2018
Despite the loss, Brady set a record passing for 505 yards and 3 TDs, eclipsing Kurt Warner’s 414 in 2000. Brady did what he could to get his team their 6th championship after rebounding from a 15-3 deficit and even took their first lead with over 9 minutes in the 4th quarter when he found TE Rob Gronkowski for the TD.
But Foles and the Eagles proved to be better as they marched down the field for the game- winning TD when Foles found TE Zach Ertz. Brady had the ball with over 2-minutes, but he lost the ball on a stripped fumble by DE Brandon Graham which gave the ball back to the Eagles who kicked a Jake Elliott to close out the scoring.
Fellow Eagles LeGarrette Blount and Jake Long became the first players since Deion Sanders to win back-to-back Super Bowls. They won with the Patriots a year ago. The Patriots loss denies them a chance to tie the Steelers with 6 Super Bowls, the most in NFL History.
The Questions on whether the Eagles will now stay with Foles or Wentz remains to be seen & the Eagles aren’t thinking about it right now as they are Super Bowl champions.
Notes: Patriots WR Brandon Cook left the game in the first half after sustaining a vicious hit. He didn’t return. Patriots CB Malcolm Butler didn’t lay in this game and he voiced his displeasure about it to ESPN stating that him playing ‘Could’ve changed the game.”
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