Sunday’s National Football League roundup: Eagles knock off Patriots

New England took a two-touchdown lead before a unusual series of plays, starting with a failed drop kick, led to the Patriots allowing 35 unanswered points for the first time since 1993. “I think everybody’s going to do what it takes to make sure we don’t taste that taste again”.

The Chip Kelly team that had gone off the grid in a three-game losing streak, the last two setbacks historically bad, somehow sandwiched Sam Bradford scoring passes around back-to-back-to-back return touchdowns to jump back into the NFC East race. Awful. Awful. Awful. The Patriots were expected to score a touchdown on the play, but instead they gave the ball to the opposition.

James White played his best game as a professional against Philadelphia.

You could call Nate Ebner’s second-quarter drop kick in the Patriots’ 35-28 loss to the Eagles a number of things.

But that was not a full strength Patriots team that the Eagles beat.

The reality is that the defense and special teams combined to outscore Kelly’s miserable, pathetic offense today. Kelly said it won’t help his team this week partly because the Patriots won’t have the same players they did in those sessions.

“We’re still in the hunt to make the playoffs”, said Bradford, who missed the previous two games with a concussion and left shoulder injury. The linebacker, acquired in a trade with the Bills in exchange for running back LeSean McCoy in the offseason, had just 17 tackles and an interception on the season entering Sunday’s game against New England. He is coming off of back to back 3 touchdown games and is now on fire.

Mix in some horrendous coaching decisions from Bill Belichick and some uncharacteristic mistakes from Tom Brady, and you have the flawless formula for a fraudulent upset, which is exactly what this game was. Yes (they were five-point favorites).

While a win over the Patriots was impressive, I don’t know how much is says about how good the Eagles are. New England had won 94 straight games when leading by eight points or more at home, dating back to 2001.

The Patriots had a chance to run out the clock, but Brady was sacked and New England was forced to punt with 15 seconds remaining. But the Eagles have one of the best special-teams units in the National Football League, so no shame there. It was their first win over the Patriots in five games, including a Super Bowl, since December 19, 1999.

Sproles’ return TD was aided by a big block from Barner to start it and a devilish cut that ran the pursuing Darius Fleming into punter Ryan Allen. The turnover led to a 12 play drive maximized by a 10-yard touchdown reception by Jordan Matthews giving the Eagles a 35-14 lead.

The onside kick attempts later in the game aren’t as important.

Despite the back-to-back setbacks, New England’s schedule is very favorable down the stretch. With his 30th touchdown pass of the season, Brady has six seasons with 30 or more, joining Brett Favre, Peyton Manning and Drew Brees….