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Super Bowl 2018 Score: Final Box Score and Analysis from Eagles vs. Patriots
February 5, 2018
Offense ruled the day in Super Bowl LII, but a timely defensive stop launched the Philadelphia Eagles to a 41-33 triumph over the New England Patriots.
With less than 2:30 remaining in the fourth quarter and Philly holding a 38-33 edge, defensive end Brandon Graham forced a fumble. The Eagles recovered, kicked a field goal and survived a last-second Hail Mary to finish off an improbable Super Bowl run without starting quarterback Carson Wentz.
Nick Foles earned MVP honors with his 373 yards and three touchdowns. He also tossed the game-winning 11-yard score to Zach Ertz late in the fourth quarter.
Box Score
- Nick Foles (PHI): 28-of-43, 373 YDS, 3 TD, 1 INT; 1 REC TD
- Trey Burton (PHI): 1-of-1, 1 YD, 1 TD
- Tom Brady (NE): 28-of-48, 505 YDS, 3 TD
- LeGarrette Blount (PHI): 14 CAR, 90 YDS, 1 TD
- Jay Ajayi (PHI): 9 CAR, 57 YDS
- Corey Clement (PHI): 3 CAR, 8 YDS; 4 REC, 100 YDS, 1 TD
- James White (NE): 7 CAR, 45 YDS, 1 TD; 2 REC, 21 YDS
- Dion Lewis (NE): 9 CAR, 39 YDS
- Nelson Agholor (PHI): 9 REC, 84 YDS
- Alshon Jeffery (PHI): 3 REC, 73 YDS, 1 TD
- Zach Ertz (PHI): 7 REC, 67 YDS, 1 TD
- Torrey Smith (PHI): 5 REC, 49 YDS
- Danny Amendola (NE): 8 REC, 152 YDS
- Chris Hogan (NE): 6 REC, 128 YDS, 1 TD
- Rob Gronkowski (NE): 9 REC, 116 YDS, 2 TD
- Rex Burkhead (NE): 1 REC, 46 YDS
Game Recap
The Eagles lost the coin toss, but they wasted no time putting points on the board. After a balanced offense moved the chains four times, Jake Elliott popped home a 25-yard field goal. New England matched that score with a 26-yard field goal from Stephen Gostkowski.
But the showdown soon became a special teams mess.
After Foles connected with Jeffery for a 34-yard touchdown, Elliott missed an extra point. On the ensuing possession, Patriots holder Ryan Allen mishandled a snap. That bobble threw off Gostkowski's approach, though he nearly made the 26-yard field-goal attempt anyway.
Philadelphia extended its lead to 15-3 on a well-blocked 21-yard run by LeGarrette Blount but failed on the two-point conversion attempt.
Gostkowski buried a 45-yard field goal on the next drive, and New England capitalized on an interception with a 26-yard connection between Brady and James White to make it 15-12. Gostkowski, however, pulled the extra point wide left.
The wild opening half finished with a perfectly executed trick play. On 4th-and-goal, Philadelphia called a reverse pass and tight end Trey Burton—a high school quarterback—tossed a two-yard touchdown to Foles, giving the Eagles a 22-12 advantage at the break.
The Eagles held Gronkowski to a single catch for nine yards through 30 minutes, but the All-Pro tight end announced his presence on the first possession of the second half. Brady hit Gronkowski four times for 68 yards, including a five-yard touchdown.
And that was just the start of an entertaining third quarter. Clement capped an 11-play, 85-yard drive with a 22-yard touchdown catch to push Philly's lead back to 10, and the Pats trimmed the deficit back to 29-26 thanks to a 26-yard pass from Brady to Hogan.
Elliott knocked home a 42-yard field goal for a 32-26 Eagles advantage, but Brady and Gronkowski linked up for a go-ahead score.
Philly, however, responded with a tremendous drive, which included a gusty fourth-down conversion at its own 45-yard line. The possession covered 75 yards over 14 plays and took 7:01 off the clock, ending in an 11-yard Ertz touchdown that needed a review.
But it was the right call.
And then the Eagles defense finally made an appearance.
Graham fought through a block, knocked the ball away from Brady and defensive end Derek Barnett scooped up the fumble.
After three running plays, Elliott buried a 46-yard field goal to extend Philly's advantage to eight points.
The Patriots had one final chance, but Brady's heave to the end zone as time expired fell incomplete. The Eagles secured a 41-33 victory, and the celebration of the franchise's first Super Bowl victory was on.
Quotes obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. Follow Bleacher Report writer David Kenyon on Twitter @Kenyon19_BR.