Foles engineers Eagles win
With the help of a final defensive stand, Philadelphia’s stand-in QB pulls off win
PHILADELPHIA — Nick Foles engineered several long drives, Jake Elliott converted three field goals, and the defense was stingy in the tightest spot as Philadelphia moved into the NFC championship with a 15-10 victory against the Atlanta Falcons Saturday at Lincoln Financial Field.
Foles directed brilliant marches of 74 and 80 yards in the second half — one into the whipping wind, the other with it — and Elliott atoned for missing an extra point by converting from 53 yards at the end of the second quarter, 37 and 21 in the second half.
Then the Eagles (14-3) held when Atlanta (11-7) got to their 9 with a first down, and to the 2 on fourth down at the end of the back-and-fourth game.
When Matt Ryan’s final pass sailed over Julio Jones’ head in the end zone, Philadelphia could celebrate its first playoff victory since the 2008 season.
Next Sunday, the Eagles will host either Minnesota or New Orleans for the conference crown. The Eagles previoulsy made the Super Bowl in the 2004 season, losing to New England.
“I mean, we just kept believing in each other,” said Foles, who became the starter when Carson Wentz, a leading MVP contender, injured his knee in December.
“That was it. Our team never wavered, defense did an amazing job, special teams — that’s just been the story this year is that we just all stuck together.”
Foles finished a very efficient outing by going 23 of 30 for 246 yards.
The Falcons, of course, memorably blew a 28-3 second-half lead to the Patriots in Super Bowl LI. They will not get the opportunity to atone for it, though Ryan got them close at the end. Jones had nine receptions for 101 yards, and Ryan was 22 of 36 for 210 yards on a difficult day to throw.
Despite being underdogs as the No. 1 seed, the Eagles showed plenty of moxie.
A masterful 74-yard, 12play drive on which Foles was 5 for 6 for 70 yards — the only incompletion was Jay Ajayi’s drop — led to Elliott’s 37-yard kick into the wind that made it 12-10.
The Eagles put together their best drive, an 80-yarder covering 14 plays, yet again faltered close to the end zone. Elliott added a 21yarder with 6:02 remaining after coach Doug Pederson briefly considered going for it on fourth-and-1 at the Atlanta 3.
Then, as the fans in the Linc held their breath, the Eagles held deep in their territory.
“Man, just stay calm,” said defensive tackle Fletcher Cox, who was a force all day.
“We always talk about that. We’ve been in those situations during the regular season, so we kind of know how to handle those situations, not try to make a play but let the play come to us,” Cox said of the final stand against Atlanta.
And the road to the Super Bowl remains through Philadelphia.