Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Nick Foles throws under pressure from Chicago Bears defensive end Akiem Hicks during Sunday’s NFC wild-card playoff game in Chicago.
Chicago Bears kicker Cody Parkey bends over in disbelief after missing a 43-yard field-goal attempt in the closing seconds of Sunday’s NFC wild-card playoff game against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday in Chicago. The Eagles won 16-15.CHICAGO – The Philadelphia Eagles needed help to get into the playoffs, and the Chicago Bears provided it.
Look how last season’s Super Bowl champions repaid the favor.
Nick Foles connected with Golden Tate for a 2-yard touchdown pass on fourth down with 56 seconds remaining against the NFL’s stingiest defense, lifting the Eagles past the Bears 16-15 in an NFC wild-card playoff game Sunday.
Former Eagles kicker Cody Parkey hit the left upright and then the crossbar with a field-goal attempt from 43 yards with 10 seconds remaining, silencing the raucous crowd.
The key, of course, was how the Eagles, even when they are messing up, never give up. Several Philadelphia players said defensive tackle Treyvon Hester touched the ball on Parkey’s miss.
“We saw some adversity tonight in the first half – I had a couple of turnovers,” Foles said. “I think the big thing is that no one loses faith, no one stops believing, everyone just keeps talking, keeps believing in one another, and we just rallied. Our defense really kept us in this game.”
The Eagles finished the regular season 9-7, squeezing into the playoffs with their win against the Washington Redskins and Chicago’s victory over the Minnesota Vikings on the final day of the regular season. Philadelphia thanked its benefactor with a 12-play, 60-yard drive on which Foles, the Super Bowl MVP last February, completed six passes.
Tate made a reaching grab in the right side of the end zone near the goal line to score. A run for two points failed, giving the Bears hope of winning in regulation.
“We found a way,” Tate said. “That’s playoff football right there for you. That’s why we play this game, for times like now once you get to January and February.”
The Eagles visit New Orleans next Sunday. Chicago’s sensational turnaround season that took it from last place in the NFC North to winning the division title is over.
“We wanted to write our story and start it off,” said Bears quarterback Mitchell Trubisky, a second-year pro. “But it does not always go the way you want it to, and that’s life, that’s football.”
No team has repeated as Super Bowl champion since the New England Patriots in the 2004 season, and the Eagles are a sixth seed. The most recent sixth seed to win the NFL title was Green Bay in the 2010 season, when the Packers won the NFC championship at Chicago’s Soldier Field.
These Eagles, led by Foles once again replacing an injured Carson Wentz, and a defense down to backups at several positions, seem to have that magical touch like last season.
It was a sizzling ending to a game marked by superior defense and several critical mistakes by the Eagles. They had to survive after Tarik Cohen, an All-Pro punt returner, took back the kickoff after Philadelphia’s go-ahead score 35 yards. Trubisky completed two passes to get the Bears close enough for Parkey, but his kick took a double deflection and fell harmlessly into the end zone.
He was 11-for-12 on fourth-quarter field goals this season before missing the biggest kick of his career.
“Obviously, we’re just hoping for a miss,” Foles said. “This was a hard-fought game. That’s an amazing team we just played against, and it came down to the wire.”
The Bears are 1-15 all-time in the postseason when trailing after three quarters. They fell behind when Foles connected with rookie Dallas Goedert for a 10-yard touchdown in the third period that was set up by a 33-yard pass interference call on cornerback Prince Amukamara.
Although the Eagles outplayed the Bears in the first half, errors left them behind 6-3. A 15-yard personal penalty on Michael Bennett aided Chicago’s drive to a 36-yard field goal by Parkey, and a dropped potential interception in the end zone by Tre Sullivan allowed Parkey to make a 29-yarder as the half concluded.
Philadelphia also had an interception by Avonte Maddox deep in Chicago territory that was overturned by video replay.
The Eagles scored on their opening series of the game, a 50-yard drive for Jake Elliott’s 43-yard field goal. They scored again on their first possession in the third quarter as Goedert got wide open on a short post pattern behind Adrian Amos, who had an end-zone interception of Foles’ ill-advised throw in the second quarter.
Parkey made a 34-yarder early in the manic final quarter.
“We had a lot of fun,” Bears coach Matt Nagy said, “and I love our guys to death.”
Each team’s coach – Nagy and pal Doug Pederson for the Eagles – are Andy Reid protégés. That usually means lots of passing, and neither did much on the ground, combining for 107 rushing yards.
However, Trubisky was 26-for-43 passing for 303 yards, and Foles was 25-for-40 for 266.
Teams rarely win when they are minus in turnover differential. The Eagles did, having two giveaways and no takeaways. Chicago led the NFL this season with 36 takeaways.