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SPORTS Saturday 3 February 2018

Eagles have the right formula to upset Patriots

By ROB MAADDI guy," Patriots safety Devin The Eagles shouldn't be tight loose, relaxed group that playoffs and overcame in-
AP Pro Football Writer McCourty said. "You can't and they're not intimidated has embraced their under- juries to several key players.
BLOOMINGTON, Minn. (AP) go out there and say, 'if we by the Patriots. They're a dog role throughout the q
— The best formula for suc- just limit Jeffery or if we just
cess against the New Eng- limit Ertz that won't matter.'
land Patriots is to keep Tom They have a lot of differ-
Brady on the sideline and ent guys out there that can
harass him when he's on beat you."
the field. Foles has been adept at
That's not a news flash. But making the right calls on
the good news for Eagles run-pass option plays, mak-
fans and everyone rooting ing it even more difficult for
against Brady, Bill Belichick defenses facing Philadel-
and the Patriots in Sunday's phia.
Super Bowl is that Philadel- "It's hard because you have
phia has the ingredients to to defend every inch of the
do it. field," McCourty said. "Each
guy has to do their job on
Why Eagles Will Win the play. We can't have
guys doing things that don't
The Eagles (15-3) have fit the defense."
a multidimensional, ball- On the opposite side of the
control offense capable ball, defensive coordinator
of chewing the clock and Jim Schwartz has an ag- Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Nick Foles (9) throws during a practice for the NFL Super Bowl 52
football game Friday, Feb. 2, 2018, in Minneapolis.
forcing No. 12 to be a spec- gressive unit. Nobody runs Associated Press
tator. on Philadelphia's defense.
Jay Ajayi, former Patriots It was No. 1 against the run
running back LeGarrette and didn't allow a 100-yard
Blount and Corey Clement rusher until Ezekiel Elliott
led the NFL's third-best rush- had 103 in Week 17 against
ing offense and the Eagles backups and third-stringers.
were first in time of posses- The Patriots (15-3) rely main-
sion. ly on Brady's arm, even
"You have to stay patient though Dion Lewis had 896
and diligent there," Eagles yards rushing and James
coach Doug Pederson White was a Super Bowl
said. "That's something hero last year. But Brady
we've been able to do all can't throw if he doesn't
season long. It's something have time and the Eagles
we stay committed to." have a dominant front four
This isn't an old-school, led by Fletcher Cox and
ground-and-pound of- Brandon Graham.
fense, either. The line often generates
The Eagles have a versatile enough pressure that
passing attack with sev- Schwartz doesn't have
eral receivers who create to blitz much and there's
matchup problems. Carson enough depth with Chris
Wentz threw for 3,296 yards Long, Vinny Curry, Tim Jerni-
and 33 touchdown passes gan and Beau Allen that
before he tore his ACL in guys stay fresh in the fourth
Week 14 and Nick Foles has quarter.
eight TD passes, including Safety Malcolm Jenkins is
playoffs. a physical presence in the
Foles proved in the NFC secondary and corner-
championship game he backs Ronald Darby and
can make quick-strike plays Jalen Mills are solid cover
with three passes of 40-plus guys.
yards against the league's "They have a great de-
top-ranked defense. Two of fense," Brady said. "It's as
those were TD tosses of 53 good any we've faced all
yards to Alshon Jeffery and year. They have a great
41 yards to Torrey Smith. scheme that mixes in well
Pro Bowl tight end Zach Ertz with their coverages."
and slot receiver Nelson If the game comes down
Agholor are other options. to a field goal, rookie kick-
Tight end Trey Burton, who er Jake Elliott has a strong
also lines up at fullback in leg. He kicked a 61-yarder
certain short-yardage situ- at the end of regulation to
ations, had five TD catches beat the Giants in Week 3
this season. and is 6 of 7 from beyond
"You can't just stop one 50 yards.