Patriots Vs. Eagles Live: New England Defense Spurs Comeback In 17-10 Victory

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Nov 17, 2019

Final, Patriots 17-10: The New England Patriots rallied for 17 unanswered points to take down the Philadelphia Eagles 17-10 on Sunday in a Super Bowl LII rematch at Lincoln Financial Field.

While offense ruled the day in that Super Bowl, this was a defensive struggle, with the teams combining for 16 punts and just two touchdowns.

The deciding score came courtesy of wide receiver Julian Edelman, who hit Phillip Dorsett for a 15-yard touchdown on a double pass early in the third quarter.

The Eagles did not score after the 12:36 mark of the second quarter, failing to produce points on their final nine possessions. They threatened in the final minutes, but a Carson Wentz pass into the end zone on fourth-and-10 with less than a minute remaining fell incomplete.

Nick Folk went 3-for-3 on field-goal attempts for the Patriots. Rookie receiver N’Keal Harry played 32 snaps in his NFL debut, catching three passes on four targets for 18 yards.

The Patriots, who improved to 9-1 with the win, will host the Dallas Cowboys next Sunday at Gillette Stadium.

Fourth quarter, 4:07, Patriots 17-10: Tom Brady somehow avoided a sack here to hit N’Keal Harry for a short gain …

… but the Patriots punted shortly thereafter after James White was stopped short on third-and-5. The last 10 total possessions all have resulted in punts.

Fourth quarter, 8:18, Patriots 17-10: A third-down pass breakup by Jason McCourty forced yet another Eagles punt.

Carson Wentz completed a 25-yard strike to Zach Ertz earlier in the drive — Philadelphia’s longest play since McCourty’s 49-yard pass interference penalty that opened the game — but nearly threw an interception two plays later. Linebacker Jamie Collins couldn’t hold on.

Fourth quarter, 10:04, Patriots 17-10: Ben Watson started off the Patriots’ latest drive with an 11-yard gain on a screen pass, but a holding call on the veteran tight end later in the series put the Pats in a hole. A deep pass to Julian Edelman on third-and-11 fell incomplete, and the Patriots punted.

Before that, Jakobi Meyers made a clutch grab on third-and-6 to move the chains. Tom Brady also tried to hit N’Keal Harry on a slant, but that pass was broken up.

Fourth quarter, 12:45, Patriots 17-10: A diving pass breakup by Terrence Brooks on third down forced the Eagles to punt for the seventh time tonight. Philadelphia, which is operating without several of its primary offensive weapons, hasn’t scored since notching its lone touchdown three minutes into the second quarter.

Third quarter, 0:05, Patriots 17-10: Quick possession for the Patriots followed by another Jake Bailey punt.

New England couldn’t get anything going after a 12-yard pass to James White on the opening play. Nathan Gerry nailed Brady for a sack one play later, followed by two incompletions.

Third quarter, 3:15, Patriots 17-10: The Eagles are missing Lane Johnson right now.

Andre Dillard, their backup tackle, committed a false start on one play and then was overpowered by Lawrence Guy on the next, resulting in a tackle for loss. This was another lost drive for Philadelphia, which gained just two yards before punting.

Third quarter, 3:15, Patriots 17-10: An untimely fumble nearly burned the Patriots for the second time in as many games, as tight end Matt LaCosse had the ball stripped from his hands after catching a short pass.

Officials ruled LaCosse’s progress was stopped, however — a ruling that, under NFL rules, was not reviewable. The Patriots wound up punting two plays later after a draw to James White was stopped short on third-and-7.

Jake Bailey, who’s been excellent today, pinned the Eagles at their own 3-yard line.

Third quarter, 5:03, Patriots 17-10: Since the end of their 95-yard touchdown drive, the Eagles have run 18 plays and gained 19 total yards. They’ve gone three-and-out on each of their first two second-half possessions, the second of which ended with a Dont’a Hightower sack on third down.

Third quarter, 8:07, Patriots 17-10: A change in strategy invigorated the Patriots’ offense during the opening drive of the second half.

After scoring just nine points in the first, the Patriots returned to the game plan they used in Baltimore two weeks ago, running a hurry-up offense primarily out of three-receiver sets.

The switched worked. The Patriots’ first four plays went for 8, 6, 10 and 30 yards, with Rex Burkhead breaking a tackle and sprinting downfield on the latter.

New England’s momentum slowed after it entered the red zone, but on third-and-11, offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels dialed up a double pass.

This call also paid off. Julian Edelman hit Phillip Dorsett for a 15-yard touchdown pass — his first since the famed Edelman-to-Danny Amendola play in the 2014 playoffs.

Dorsett suffered a head injury on the touchdown catch. He is questionable to return.

James White added the two-point conversion to put the Patriots ahead by seven.

The teams proceeded to trade three-and-outs on the next two possessions.

Halftime, Eagles 10-9: That’ll do it for the first half.

The Patriots have provided each of the last three scoring plays, but all three were field goals. They’re still seeking their first touchdown of the afternoon. They’ll receive the second-half kickoff.

Adam Butler and Kyle Van Noy both tallied sacks on the final drive of the second quarter.

Second quarter, 1:47, Eagles 10-9: Three plays, 1 yard, another field goal. Tom Brady and Mohamed Sanu couldn’t connect on a third-and-9 fade.

Nick Folk was good from 39 yards out — he’s 3-for-3 tonight — the longest made field goal by a Patriots kicker since Week 1.

Second quarter, 3:21, Eagles 10-6: A 12-yard Julian Edelman reception on third-and-7 gave the Patriots a first down, but a drop by the veteran wideout in the end zone cost them four points.

The Patriots had to settle for Nick Folk’s second field goal of the night after Edelman had the ball bounce off his hands on second-and-goal and Tom Brady misfired to James White on third down.

Red-zone execution remains a glaring area of concern for the Patriots. They’ve kicked three field goals from inside the 5-yard line in the last two games. 

They didn’t need to wait long for their next chance, though. Danny Shelton strip-sacked Carson Wentz on the second play of the ensuing Eagles possession, giving the ball back to New England at the Philly 22.

Second quarter, 6:41, Eagles 10-3: Jake Bailey failed to recover a Boston Scott fumble that would have given the Patriots prime field position, but they’ll take over in Eagles territory regardless thanks to an impressive 14-yard punt return by Mohamed Sanu.

Elandon Roberts made the key play of the Patriots’ brief defensive series, blasting through Miles Sanders to sack Carson Wentz.

Second quarter, 8:37, Eagles 10-3: Eventful 13-play Patriots drive produced their first points of the game:

— N’Keal Harry recorded his first NFL reception, picking up 11 yards on an in-cut on second-and-10. He also lined up in the slot on one snap later in the drive.

— The Patriots tried some trickeration with a throwback double pass from Rex Burkhead to Tom Brady, but Brady’s ensuing deep ball to Phillip Dorsett fell incomplete.

— Julian Edelman had a deep pass bounce off his hands after a breakup by Jalen Mills.

— Edelman drew a pass interference penalty on Avonte Maddox on third-and-10 to move the chains.

— Mohamed Sanu made a nice catch on a low pass, but it picked up just 3 yards. He’s been targeted just once in this game.

— Ben Watson had a big 22-yard catch-and-run on third-and-10 to extend the drive.

Second quarter, 12:36, Eagles 10-0: Jonathan Jones nearly made a potentially game-changing play.

On third-and-goal from the Patriots’ 5-yard line, Jones ripped the ball away from tight end Dallas Goedert on a slant route, resulting in what initially appeared to be an end-zone interception. Upon further review, however, officials determined Goedert had possessed the ball in the end zone before Jones snatched it away.

Touchdown, Eagles.

The score capped a 15-play, 95-yard drive that lasted nine minutes and 22 seconds. It’s the third eight-plus minute touchdown drive the Patriots have surrendered in the last two games.

The Eagles have done this all despite not completing a pass that traveled more than five yards downfield. It’s been a steady diet of runs and screens thus far, and the Patriots’ defense has struggled to stop it.

First quarter, 7:09, Eagles 3-0: We’ve yet to see Tom Brady throw a pass in N’Keal Harry’s direction, but the rookie wideout has been involved in the running game. The Patriots have run the ball on each of Harry’s four offensive snaps thus far.

Harry has looked solid as a blocker, but the Patriots’ run game issues have persisted. They have two total yards on four carries.

The Patriots quickly gained 10 yards on a sprint-out pass to Julian Edelman but again were forced to punt after totaling three yards on their next three plays. A 55-yard boomer by Jake Bailey pinned the Eagles at their own 5-yard line.

First quarter, 10:17, Eagles 3-0: J.J. Arcega-Whiteside beat Terrence Brooks for a first down on third-and-4, but the Eagles were whistled for an illegal man downfield — the result of a slow-developing RPO.

Carson Wentz had Mack Hollins open on the ensuing play but couldn’t hit him, and the Eagles punted.

Mohamed Sanu is the Patriots’ punt returner today. He caught Cameron Johnston’s punt but immediately was dropped.

First quarter, 12:08, Eagles 3-0: Two near-completions to Julian Edelman hit the turf, and the Patriots punted on their opening possession.

N’Keal Harry played his first career snap on New England’s second play, blocking on a Sony Michel carry to the opposite side.

Brandon Bolden and Elandon Roberts both lined up at fullback during the drive, which Michel began with a 12-yard catch-and-run off a screen pass. The Patriots also used reserve O-lineman Jermaine Eluemunor as a tackle-eligible on one play.

Lot of different looks from New England early.

First quarter, 13:38, Eagles 3-0: Jason McCourty was flagged for a 49-yard pass interference penalty on the game’s opening play, but the Patriots held the Eagles to a 48-yard Jake Elliott field goal.

Stephon Gilmore, who covered Nelson Agholor, Zach Ertz and Jordan Matthews on the drive, helped force an incompletion to Matthews on third down to force the field-goal try. Looks like the Patriots’ top cornerback won’t have one specific assignment today.

Jonathan Jones started at free safety, with Devin McCourty moving to strong safety in Patrick Chung’s absence.

First quarter, 15:00, 0-0: The Patriots won the opening coin toss and deferred. Jake Bailey will kick off to get things started here in Philly.

3:25 p.m.: It’s cold, dry and very windy here today. That wind will be a factor in the kicking game.

Patriots kicker Nick Folk missed well short on a 53-yard field-goal attempt in warmups, with the ball hardly reaching the end zone.

Mohamed Sanu, Jakobi Meyers, N’Keal Harry and Julian Edelman are returning punts in warmups. Sony Michel, James White, Brandon Bolden, Rex Burkhead and Elandon Roberts are practicing kickoff returns. Roberts likely will be used as an upback, and those heavy winds could result in some shorter kickoffs.

2:55 p.m.: No surprises on the Patriots’ inactive list:

— N’Keal Harry officially is active. He’ll make his NFL debut today.

— Safety Nate Ebner, tight end Matt LaCosse, defensive tackle Danny Shelton and linebacker John Simon all are active after being listed as questionable. This will be LaCosse’s first game action since Week 6.

— Wide receiver Jakobi Meyers remains in the lineup despite Harry’s return.

— Cornerback Joejuan Williams is active after two consecutive healthy scratches. The second-round draft pick has played just 22 defensive snaps all season but could have a role in this game with Patrick Chung out. At 6-foot-4, he has the frame to cover tight ends, and limiting Zach Ertz and Dallas Goedert will be a priority for New England’s defense today.

— Gunner Olszewski being inactive means the Patriots won’t have their top punt returner for the second straight game. Mohamed Sanu filled that role against the Ravens, but Meyers and Harry also have punt-return experience. (Julian Edelman is the Patriots’ most accomplished option, but they’ve been hesitant to use the 33-year-old in the return game this season.)

Running back Jordan Howard officially is out for the Eagles.

2:30 p.m.: Some pregame observations from Lincoln Financial Field:

11:30 a.m.: N’Keal Harry’s time finally has arrived.

According to multiple reports this morning, the rookie wide receiver is expected to make his NFL debut today against the Eagles, suiting up for the first time since New England’s preseason opener.

Tom Brady and Julian Edelman complimented Harry this week, though Brady has noted on multiple occasions the difficulty young players typically experience in the Patriots’ complicated offense.

It remains to be seen how heavy Harry’s workload will be this afternoon, but he might be able to help the Patriots in the red zone. He’s a big dude at 6-foot-4, 225 pounds and has the ability to win 1-on-1 matchups in contested situations.

The Patriots have scored touchdowns on just 50 percent of their red-zone trips this season.

10:45 a.m. ET: Good morning from Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, where the New England Patriots are preparing to take on Carson Wentz and the Eagles.

The Patriots and Eagles met in the 2018 preseason, but this is the first meaningful meeting between these two teams since Super Bowl LII, which Philadelphia won 41-33 despite 505 passing yards from Tom Brady and 613 total yards from New England’s offense.

The stakes are considerably lower this time around, but a loss could prove costly for either team as the playoff push intensifies. The Patriots lead the AFC at 8-1 but are just one game ahead of the Baltimore Ravens, who would own the tiebreaker if they finish with identical records. The Eagles are 5-4, a tiebreaker behind the Dallas Cowboys for the NFC East lead.

Patriots safety Patrick Chung (heel/chest) and running back Damien Harris (hamstring) both did not make the trip to Philly and will not play today. Harris has hardly played this season anyway, but losing Chung hurts against an Eagles team that runs the most two-tight end sets in the NFL. Expect Terrence Brooks to take on a larger role in his absence.

The Eagles, meanwhile, are dealing with even more significant injury issues. They’ve already ruled out No. 1 receiver Alshon Jeffery and linebacker Nigel Bradham, and leading rusher Jordan Howard reportedly is not expected to play. Philadelphia also has placed receiver DeSean Jackson and running back Darren Sproles on injured reserve in the two weeks since its last game.

Wentz’s offensive weapons today likely will be receivers Nelson Agholor, Jordan Matthews, Mack Hollins and J.J. Arcega-Whiteside, tight ends Zach Ertz and Dallas Goedert and running backs Miles Sanders and Jay Ajayi. Matthews and Ajayi both re-signed with Philly this week, with Ajayi not practicing as much since tearing his ACL five weeks into last season.

One major storyline we’re monitoring on the Patriots’ side is the status of rookie wideout N’Keal Harry, who was a healthy scratch against the Ravens in his first game back from IR. It remains to be seen whether he’ll make his NFL debut today.

Kickoff is set for 4:25 p.m. ET on CBS. The Patriots are pegged as four-point road favorites.

Keep it locked here along throughout the afternoon for full pregame coverage.

Thumbnail photo via Bill Streicher/USA TODAY Sports Images
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