The Eagles are headed to the NFC championship game after a 15-10 win over the Falcons on Saturday in the divisional round of the playoffs.
The top-seeded Eagles earned the win with a goal-line stand in the final minute of the game. Matt Ryan led the Falcons down the field to the 2-yard line, but they couldn't punch the ball in. On fourth-and-goal with just more than a minute left, Ryan threw to Julio Jones in the end zone, but his pass fell incomplete. The Eagles' defense shut out the Falcons in the second half.
Nick Foles led the Eagles' effort on offense by going 23-for-30 with 246 yards, and the Eagles only needed a LaGarrette Blount touchdown in the second quarter to win the game. Foles stepped up in the divisional-round win, having played poorly in his final two games of the regular season. Foles took over as the Eagles' starter after Carson Wentz went down with a torn ACL earlier this season
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The Eagles will face the winner between Saints-Vikings in the NFC title game.
Here is how Saturday night's game played out.
Falcons vs. Eagles: Score, results, highlights
7:45 p.m.: FINAL: Eagles 15, Falcons 10.
7:43 p.m.: That stop is going to win the game for the Eagles.
7:41 p.m.: Turnover on downs. Julio Jones fell down in the end zone, and the play was broken. Ryan's pass was incomplete.
7:39 p.m.: The Falcons are on the 2 after Ryan completed a pass. It's fourth-and-goal now with the game on the line.
7:34 p.m.: Jones comes up with a big reception.
7:31 p.m.: The Falcons are down to the 26.
FIRST DOWN!
Down to the 26 yard line as the 2-minute warning strikes. pic.twitter.com/OuxdR8awhG — Atlanta Falcons (@AtlantaFalcons) January 14, 2018
7:28 p.m.: Ryan to Jones on fourth down, and it's a first down in Eagles territory for the Falcons.
7:26 p.m.: Sanu made what looked like a catch, but it was ruled an incompletion.
On this edition of "What's a catch in the NFL?"... — NBC Sports Philadelphia (@NBCSPhilly) January 14, 2018
7:15 p.m.: The Falcons have six minutes to get a touchdown.
They need a touchdown... pic.twitter.com/kOIveQBgPW — NBC Sports Philadelphia (@NBCSPhilly) January 14, 2018
7:08 p.m.: The Eagles are inside the 10.
7:04 p.m.: Ajayi broke off a huge run to get the Eagles near midfield. Then Foles hit Ertz for a first down.
6:58 p.m.: The home team is up two going into the fourth quarter.
6:55 p.m.: Foles stepped up big on that drive.
Foles + Jeffery = 3 first downs on that drive. #FlyEaglesFly pic.twitter.com/nk2rnOca2G — Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) January 13, 2018
6:51 p.m.: The Eagles take the lead with a field goal . It's 12-10.
Elliott from 37 yards out and the #Eagles have the lead! It's 12-10 with 11 seconds left in the third quarter. #FlyEaglesFly pic.twitter.com/RRKLVrN7Rj — Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) January 13, 2018
6:41 p.m.: The Falcons punted. The Eagles will be pinned inside their own 10 to start their next drive.
6:34 p.m.: Ryan extended the drive with an 11-yard pass on third down. The Falcons are nearing midfield.
6:30 p.m.: The Eagles punt, and the Falcons will start their next drive deep in their own territory.
6:23 p.m.: The Falcons will punt after failing to convert on third down on their first drive of the second half.
6:10 p.m.: The Falcons barely lead after the Eagles make a field goal to end the half.
A slim lead as we head into halftime. #InBrotherhood pic.twitter.com/XSvMJ9OAIo — Atlanta Falcons (@AtlantaFalcons) January 13, 2018
6:03 p.m.: The Falcons punted, and the Eagles have the ball close to midfield. Only 22 seconds left in the half.
5:52 p.m.: The Falcons' defense continues to force Nick Foles into mistakes.
The defense stands strong near midfield to force a punt.
The offense takes over with 2:08 remaining in the half. pic.twitter.com/y84hSQBpnc — Atlanta Falcons (@AtlantaFalcons) January 13, 2018
5:45 p.m.: Here's the touchdown. What a play by Matt Ryan.
5:42 p.m.: Touchdown, Falcons! On third-and-goal, Matt Ryan was surrounded by Eagles' linemen, but managed to toss a touchdown pass to Freeman.
5:39 p.m.: All of a sudden, the Falcons are in the red zone after a defenseless receiver penalty against the Eagles.
So three possessions, a missed extra point and a turnover on a punt. Yeah, these guys are awake. — Nick Fierro (@NickFierro) January 13, 2018
5:33 p.m.: The Falcons punt, but the punt is muffed and the Falcons have the ball.
5:31 p.m.: Here's the touchdown from Blount.
5:26 p.m.: Touchdown, Eagles! Blount ran it on the right side for the touchdown on fourth down. The extra point is missed, and the Eagles lead 6-3.
5:24 p.m.: It was ruled not a touchdown, but the Eagles are going for it on fourth down!
5:23 p.m.: Touchdown... That's the ruling, but it's under review. It looks like Foles was down before making it into the end zone.
5:21 p.m.: Here is Agholor's run.
5:17 p.m.: Nelson Agholor received the handoff and his run takes the Eagles inside the 5.
5:16 p.m.: The Eagles are inside the 30.
5:10 p.m.: The Falcons have the lead after one quarter.
Not a good start, but the Eagles are only down three. #BallParkBuns pic.twitter.com/TqdIodaGfF — NBC Sports Philadelphia (@NBCSPhilly) January 13, 2018
5:03 p.m.: The Falcons went for it on fourth-and-4. They didn't get the snap off in time, so they will replay fourth down and punt.
4:58 p.m.: A huge sack for the Falcons.
4:54 p.m.: The Eagles' offense is off to a poor start.
The Falcons have committed 63 yards in penalties...
The Eagles have gained a total of 13 yards. — NBC Sports Philadelphia (@NBCSPhilly) January 13, 2018
4:47 p.m.: Matt Bryant has the Falcons on the board with a field goal.
#Falcons on the scoreboard with 33 yard field goal by Matt Bryant. #Falcons 3, #Eagles 0 — D. Orlando Ledbetter (@DOrlandoLED) January 13, 2018
4:41 p.m.: The Eagles fumbled on their first drive. The Falcons are near the Eagles' 30 on the ensuing drive.
4:35 p.m.: Less than 20 minutes until kickoff.
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With Nick Foles engineering several long drives, Jake Elliott converting three field goals, and the defense getting stingy in the tightest spot, Philadelphia moved into the NFC championship game with a 15-10 victory over the Atlanta Falcons on Saturday.
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 held on when Atlanta got to the nine-yard line with a first down, and to the two on fourth down. When Matt Ryan’s final pass sailed over Julio Jones’ head in the end zone , Philly 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 last 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...”
The Falcons, of course, memorably blew a 28-3 second-half lead to the Patriots in last year’s Super Bowl. They will not get the opportunity to atone for it, though Ryan got them close at the end.
Despite being underdogs as the No. 1 seed, the Eagles showed plenty of moxie. A masterful 74-yard, 12-play 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 21-yarder with 6:02 remaining after coach Doug Pederson briefly considered going for it on fourth-and-one at the Atlanta three-yard line.
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.”
And the road to the Super Bowl remains through Philly.
