Philadelphia Eagles soar to first Super Bowl victory

On Sunday, the Philadelphia Eagles went head-to-head with the New England Patriots in Minneapolis. They defeated the Patriots 41-33, securing their first ever Super Bowl win. The Eagles started the season widely regarded as a strong team, and were favored by many to be a possible contender for the Super Bowl. That changed when their star quarterback Carson Wentz injured his anterior cruciate ligament, requiring Nick Foles to take his place.

This game truly revolved around the two teams’ quarterbacks. The Patriots held a strong defence around their renowned quarterback Tom Brady—a man who has carried his team to victory at the Super Bowl five times already. The 40-year-old veteran played a fantastic game, securing an unbelievable 505 passing yards. Foles—later voted as the most valuable player of the season—threw three touchdowns and made 373 passing yards, as well as receiving a touchdown himself in a trick play at the goal line, making him the only player to both throw and catch a touchdown in the Super Bowl.

The game was largely a back and forth struggle between the teams equally strong defensive and explosive offensive lines, for the first three quarters. The Eagles held a slight advantage throughout the game, just barely holding onto the lead against the Patriots’ constant pressure. But with nine minutes left in the game, the Eagles were down 32-33. It wasn’t until Foles threw a short pass to the left to tight end Zach Ertz for a touchdown that the Eagles took a precarious lead. The real game-changing moment came a few seconds later when Brady was sacked by defensive end Brandon Graham, resulting in a fumble which was recovered by defensive end Derek Barnett at the 25-yard line. This allowed the Eagles to make a 46-yard field goal, securing their lead and eventual victory.

The Eagles—who had never won a Super Bowl and lost a difficult game to New England in Super Bowl XXXIX with a score of 24-21—came back with a historic victory, joining the ranks of the New York Giants and Chicago Bears as one of three teams to have defeated the Patriots in the Super Bowl. The story of the Philadelphia Eagles was that of the underdog, persevering against all odds and eventually securing their well-deserved victory.