Philadelphia Eagles Accomplish Rare Feat, Turning Comeback into Blowout

The Philadelphia Eagles accomplished a rare feat in Sunday's game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, becoming just the second team in NFL history to win a game by at least 17 points after trailing by 17 or more at halftime, per ESPN Stats & Info.

Down 17-0 at halftime in a game they were expected to dominate, the Eagles stormed back in the second half to win by a final score of 34-17.

Big plays provided the spark for the comeback, with Philadelphia scoring touchdowns on a 49-yard scamper by running back Darren Sproles, followed by a 25-yard reception by tight end Zach Ertz and then a 68-yard catch by wide receiver Jeremy Maclin. After Maclin's touchdown gave the Eagles a 24-17 lead in the fourth quarter, they tacked on another three points with a field goal from kicker Cody Parkey, followed by a fumble-return touchdown from defensive lineman Fletcher Cox.

The star of the comeback was Eagles quarterback Nick Foles, who committed three turnovers through the first two quarters but then completed 15 of his 21 second-half pass attempts for 183 yards and a pair of touchdowns.

Since the AFL-NFL merger in 1970, the Eagles are 2-39 in games that saw them trail by 17 or more points at halftime, per ESPN Stats & Info. The lone win besides Sunday's came back in 2010, when current Washington Redskins wide receiver DeSean Jackson memorably capped off one of the great comebacks in league history with a walk-off punt-return touchdown.

The only other team to win by 17 or more after trailing by 17-plus points at halftime was the 2010 Buffalo Bills, a squad that went 4-12 on the season. In the midst of an otherwise hopeless campaign, a Bills team led by quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick turned a 31-14 halftime deficit against the Bengals into a 49-31 shootout victory in Week 11. Those Bengals, a team featuring Chad Ochocinco (now Johnson) and Terrell Owens at wide receiver, would also finish the season with a 4-12 record.