MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The City of Brotherly Love is celebrating its first Super Bowl victory, and its first NFL championship since 1960.
Zach Ertz lunged for the go-ahead touchdown and Brandon Graham stripped Tom Brady of the ball near the two minute warning to send the Eagles to a 41-33 win over the New England Patriots.
The Patriots led 33-32 until Nick Foles engineered a 14-play, 75-yard drive that ended with Ertz’s 11-yard reception. Ertz caught the ball and took two steps before losing the ball during his plunge into the end zone with 2:21 remaining. The play was confirmed upon video review as Ertz was ruled to have become a runner with the ball before crossing the goal line.
The Pats had a chance to regain the lead after the Eagles failed to make the two-point conversion, but Brady fumbled on the second play of the drive. Derek Barnett recovered the ball to give the Eagles possession on the New England 28 with 2:09 left. Jake Elliott added a 46-yard field goal with 1:10 to play, giving the Eagles an eight-point cushion.
Philadelphia’s defense stopped the Patriots on a potential tying drive in the final minute, preventing New England from tying the Steelers’ record of six Super Bowl victories.
Foles was outstanding, completing 28 of 43 passes for 373 yards, three touchdowns and one interception. He also became the first quarterback to catch a touchdown pass in a Super Bowl, a nine-yard grab that put the Eagles ahead 22-12 just before halftime.
Former Patriot LeGarrette Blount rushed for 90 yard and a TD, while Corey Clement grabbed four passes for 100 yards.
Brady put up sensational numbers, throwing for a playoff-record 505 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions. But his late fumble was damaging as he fell to 5-3 in Super Bowls. All three losses have come against NFC East teams, two against the Giants.
The two teams set an NFL playoff record by combining for 1,151 yards, 613 by the Patriots.
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