Eagles Complete Remarkable Season with Upset of Patriots in Super Bowl LII

The Philadelphia Eagles were underdogs in all three of their post season games, and won all three capping it off with a thrilling 41-33 victory over the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LII in Minneapolis. It was Philadelphia’s first Super Bowl win in three tries, and the first NFL Championship since winning the title in 1960, before there was a Super Bowl.

Eagles coach Doug Pederson had an aggressive game plan of playing to win and taking chances, like going for it on fourth down, and making it. Patriots quarterback Tom Brady passed for 505 yards and three touchdowns against a good Philadelphia defense, but late in the fourth quarter, Eagles defensive end Brandon Graham made a huge play, sacking Brady for the only time in the game and forcing a fumble. The Eagles kicked a field goal making it an eight point lead. After the kickoff, Brady still had 58 seconds to make a comeback, though he would have to take the team 91 yards to do it.

The Patriots got to their 49 yard line, and with nine seconds left, Brady tried his best Aaron Rodgers impression by lofting a Hail Mary to the end zone and six foot six inch Rob Gronkowski tried to haul it down. But the Eagle defensive backs swarmed all over that and the pass was incomplete. Game over.

Nick Foles, the backup quarterback who was called on to replace the injured Carson Wentz in December, was superb. He completed 28 of 43 passes for 373 yards and three touchdowns. He also caught a touchdown pass. Foles was named MVP of the game. The Eagles will now have a quarterback dilemma next season; they’ll have to decide if they will have Wentz be the starter again, in which case they would bench the Super Bowl MVP. Foles’ place in NFL history is secure anyway with this performance. And Pederson has been elevated into the top ranks of NFL coaches in just his second year at the helm.