Eagles soar in Super Bowl
Philadelphia wins first Lombardi Trophy with 41-33 win over Patriots
MINNEAPOLIS — Brady, Shmady.
The greatest, most accomplished quarterback in NFL history put forth another Super Bowl performance for the ages, but this time it didn’t matter.
In the largest explosion of offence in Super Bowl history, the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday night proved the better team than Brady’s New England Patriots, deservedly capturing the Philly franchise’s first Super Bowl championship, 41-33.
The long-elusive Philadelphia victory thrilled most of the decidedly pro-Eagles crowd at the 21st century’s Midwestern monument to girders and glass, 19-month-old U.S. Bank Stadium.
Quarterback Nick Foles headed the list of offensive heroes for the Eagles’ unstoppable offence.
Inexplicably, in just his fourth career playoff game, and only his sixth start since the Eagles’ superstar second-year QB Carson Wentz was lost for the season on Dec. 10 with a blown-out knee, Foles played superbly, matching Brady clutch throw for clutch throw thorughout, if not yard for yard.
Brady threw for three touchdowns without an interception and 505 yards. The latter broke his Super Bowl record of a year ago, 466.
Foles, a sixth-year pro in his second stint with the Eagles, threw a few unwise passes in this gigantic indoor stadium, and got away with perhaps more than his share, but on third downs and, especially, on New England’s side of the field he performed spectacularly.
Foles finished 28-of-43 for 373 yards, three touchdowns and only one interception. He also caught a touchdown pass on probably the niftiest goal-line call in Super Bowl history.
Philadelphia Eagles never trailed until Brady hit his trusted tight end, Rob Gronkowski, with a four-yard corner lob with 9:22 left. That gave New England a 33-32 lead, after earlier trailing as much as 15-3 and 22-12 in the second quarter, and 29-19 in the third.
Foles showed steel-spined courage, though, in rallying the Eagles — on what will be remembered as the greatest drive in franchise history — to what proved to be the winning touchdown with 2:21 left. Foles hit tight end Zach Ertz on an 11-yard scoring slant.
Up 38-33, the Eagles went for two and didn’t get it.
It didn’t matter. One play after the kickoff, following an eightyard completion to Gronkowski, Brady was stripped of the ball by fellow Univeristy of Michigan alum Brandon Graham, Philadelphia’s leading sacker in the regular season. Rookie defensive end Derek Barnett recovered at the New England 33, with 2:09 left.
After three running plays the Eagles went up 41-33 on Jake Elliott’s 46-yard field goal.
Brady passed the Patriots only as midfield in the dying seconds. After Brady’s Hail Mary heave on the game’s last play fell incomplete in the Philly end zone, it was over.
Canons sounded, and the greenand-white confetti machines went to work.
Philadelphia Eagles never trailed until Brady hit his trusted tight end, Rob Gronkowski, with a four-yard corner lob with 9:22 left. That gave New England a 33-32 lead, after earlier trailing as much as 15-3 and 22-12 in the second quarter, and 29-19 in the third.
Many observers (ahem, raises hand) thought this game would Ebe dominated by the defences. Uh, no.
Before the end of the third quarter the offences combined for the most total yards in the 52-year history of the Super Bowl, and finished with 1,151: Philly with 538, New England with 613.
Both defences performed awfully in the first half, mailing it in almost as much as Justin Timberlake did at halftime. Alas, defences cannot pre-record their performances, as it sounded like JT did.
Defenders got gashed again in the second half. They left receivers wide open all over the field, flailed meekly at tackle attempts (ProFootballFocus.com counted 10 by the Patriots alone) and made just about every offensive performer look like an all-pro.
But credit each team’s offensive play-callers: Pats offensive co-ordinator Josh McDaniels and Eagles head coach and chief offensive strategist Doug Pederson. Both called masterful games.
Although Brady threw for a startling 267 yards in the first half, Foles nearly matched him — completing 13-of-22 for 215 yards and a touchdown.
Foles also caught a first-half touchdown pass on what has to be the niftiest goal-line play call in Super Bowl history.
Earlier in the second quarter the Patriots dialled up a pass play to Brady, but receiver Danny Amendola threw a bit too high and outside of the slow-footed, awkward Brady who made a poor, stonehanded attempt at the catch.
The offensive fireworks immediately continued following the elongated halftime break.
Each team scored a touchdown on its opening possession, as Brady and Foles kept throwing darts into open receivers’ hands. The difference for Philadelphia is that running backs LeGarrette Blount and Jay Ajayi kept bludgeoning the interior New England defence for huge gains.