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SPORTS Tuesday 6 February 2018

Super Bowl 52 was filled with calls befitting a classic

By ARNIE STAPLETON game comeback a spe-
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Not cialty in winning a record
only was the Philadelphia five Super Bowl titles, in-
Eagles' knockout of New cluding last year's rally from
England a thrill-a-minute 28-3 down to beat Atlanta
slugfest, it produced some in overtime. He also led
of the biggest calls the Su- late game-winning scoring
per Bowl has ever seen. drives to beat the Rams,
For once, the whistles didn't Carolina and Seattle.
go the Patriots' way, such The Eagles showed no sign
as Philly's two second-half of slowing Brady down on
touchdowns that survived Sunday as he threw for a
reviews at the NFL's league playoff-record 505 yards
headquarters, including and three touchdowns,
Zach Ertz's game-winner carving up the defense at
just before the two-minute will on a night when the Pa-
warning of the 41-33 thriller. triots did not punt once or
There was Belichick's head- turn it over until Brady's late
scratching decision not fumble.
to play Super Bowl 49 star "It's tough to lose these
Malcolm Butler on defense games," Brady said. But
against a team that would "you can't win the game if
rack up 41 points and Dan- you're not in the game."
ny Amendola's incomple- And Brady and Belich-
tion to Tom "Butterfingers ick have been to eight of
" Brady on a gadget play them.
that backfired. Eight's enough, maybe.
"Yeah, I caught it" in prac- Coordinators Matt Patricia
tice, Brady said. "Didn't and Josh McDaniels are
catch it tonight." ready for their own head
That was but one of the Reich made their best de- "We just couldn't get off the his 33, the Eagles finally got coaching gigs.
Patriots' early stumbles cisions of the game. Foles field on third down or make to Brady, denying him a The previous time the Patri-
that put them in catch-up executed the drive of a a play to get the ball back sixth ring and a fifth Super ots played Philadelphia in
mode. lifetime that ended with Ertz to our offense," cornerback Bowl MVP honor. the Super Bowl, they hoist-
They flubbed a field goal diving across the goal line Stephon Gilmore said. Brandon Graham deliv- ed their third trophy in four
when Stephen Gostkowski's after hauling in an 11-yard "We didn't do a good job ered one of the few defen- years. Then, they lost both
holder, punter Ryan Allen, catch. of slowing them down," sive highlights in the most coordinators and wouldn't
mishandled the snap, and Reminiscent of Jesse defensive back Duron prolific offensive game in hoist another one for a de-
Gostkowski was wide left James' score for Pittsburgh Harmon said. "I mean, we NFL history, beating Shaq cade.
on an extra point, leaving against New England that didn't stop them at all. So, Then, there's the meet-
the Patriots trailing by dou- was wiped out on review. that's exactly why they are
ble digits at halftime. Ertz, whose Super Bowl tri- the Super Bowl champs
One reason for Philly's 22- umph matched his wife, Ju- and we're sitting here in
12 halftime lead was game lie, who won a world cham- second place."
MVP Nick Foles becom- pionship in soccer in 2015, Maybe if they had Butler
ing the first quarterback to lost control as he landed in?
throw and catch a touch- but grabbed the ball. The "It doesn't matter," de-
down pass in the Super Eagles and their fans cau- clared Patriots defensive
Bowl. tiously celebrated while back Devin McCourty.
Tight end Trey Burton, a col- awaiting Al Riveron's crew Coach Bill Belichick said he
lege quarterback, had nev- in New York, which upheld played Eric Rowe in place
er thrown an NFL pass, and the score, much to the Pa- of Butler for strategic, not
Foles had never caught triots' chagrin. disciplinary reasons, but he
one until they teamed up Amendola, for one, thought declined to elaborate on
on fourth-and-goal from it was the right call. his move that surprised his
the 1. "They called it a catch, team just before kickoff. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and Philadelphia Eagles quar-
It's not as if the Eagles were three feet down and a Rowe, himself, said But- terback Nick Foles poses with his MVP trophy during a news
perfect. They, too, missed football move," he said. "I ler could have certainly conference after the NFL Super Bowl 52 football game Monday,
an extra point and also call it a catch." helped the Patriots, who Feb. 5, 2018, Bloomington, Minn.
the 2-point conversion on Soon afterward, Eagles became the first team to Associated Press
their next touchdown, and defensive coordinator Jim lose an NFL game with a
coach Doug Pederson's Schwartz made his best call quarterback throwing for Mason off the line, reach- ing with Brady, coach Bill
decision to chase points of the game. 500 yards with three touch- ing his left hand out and Belichick and owner Robert
early on loomed large Unable to get to Brady all downs and no intercep- punching the ball out of Kraft to smooth things over
when Tom Brady put the game, the Eagles' exhaust- tions. Brady's hands for a strip- after a reported falling-
Patriots ahead 33-32 with ed defenders were finally "Yeah, we could have used sack. Rookie Derek Barnett out following the trade of
his second touchdown able to catch their breath anybody," he said. pounced on the loose ball backup quarterback Jim-
strike to Rob Gronkowski during Foles' 14-play, 75- Still, Brady was poised for and Eagles fans began my Garoppolo to the San
with less than 10 minutes re- yard drive that included another of his patented Su- celebrating their first title Francisco 49ers.
maining. a fourth down conversion per Bowl comebacks, hit- since winning the 1960 NFL Oh, and Gronk hinted that
That's when the Eagles and and ate up more than sev- ting Gronk for 8 yards. championship. he'd give retirement some
offensive coordinator Frank en minutes of game clock. But on second-and-2 from Brady had made the late- thought, too.q