FOXBORO – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Philadelphia kicker Jake Elliott made good on three second-half field goals to help the Eagles ward off a comeback en route to a 25-20 victory over the New England Patriots on Sunday.
Elliott’s final kick came from 51 yards out with 5:33 left in the game. It proved to be critical when Mac Jones found Kendrick Bourne for an 11-yard touchdown just under two minutes later to pull New England within five.
The Patriots (0-1) couldn’t convert the two-point conversion, but they ended up getting the ball back twice. On the second possession, New England drove to the Eagles 20, and Jones seemingly threw a first-down completion to Kayshon Boutte on fourth-and-11 with 25 seconds remaining.
But replay ruled Boutte didn’t get both feet in bounds, allowing Philadelphia (1-0) to hang on for the win.
Elliott also converted field-goal attempts from 56 and 48 yards following halftime to keep the Eagles in front.
Jalen Hurts completed 22 of 33 passes for 170 yards and a touchdown for Philadelphia. Kenneth Gainwell had 54 yards on 14 carries.
Jones threw for 316 yards, three touchdowns and one interception on 35-for-54 passing. Bourne had six catches for 64 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
After Elliott capped Philadelphia’s opening drive with a 32-yard field goal, Darius Slay came down with an interception on the Patriots’ seventh offensive play of the game. Jones threw wide of Bourne, who got a hand on the ball and deflected it up in the air. It fell right to Slay, who then took it 70 yards to the end zone for a 10-0 lead.
Ezekiel Elliott fumbled on New England’s ensuing possession, setting the Eagles up at the Patriots’ 26-yard line. Five plays later, Hurts found DeVonta Smith for a 5-yard touchdown, but Jake Elliott couldn’t convert the extra point.
New England flipped a switch in the second quarter, though.
Jones completed 14 of 17 passes for 128 yards in the period, connecting with Hunter Henry for a 9-yard touchdown with 4:34 left before finding Bourne for a 19-yard score just over four minutes later.
That surge allowed the Patriots to pull within 16-14 by the break.
–Field Level Media