It was quite a year for the Philadelphia Eagles. After starting the season with a lackluster 2-2 record, the team bounced back to reach, and win, Super Bowl LIX thanks to memorable moments like these.
Sept. 16 | Saquon Barkley drops the ball
Facing 3rd-and-3 at Atlanta’s 10-yard line with 1:46 left to play and a six-point lead, Philadelphia dialed up a short pass to the normally sure-handed running back only to watch the ball bounce off his hands.
After settling for a field goal, the Eagles could only watch as Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins hit Drake London with a seven-yard pass six plays later to win the game, 22-21.
Oct. 13 | Nick Sirianni yells at fans
Obviously frustrated by the team’s slow start, the team’s head coach took a moment to yell at home fans after an uninspired win over the Cleveland Browns in Week 6. It wasn’t the first time the Eagles head coach got into a shouting match with spectators, but he’d never taken on home fans before.
For better or worse, the team responded by winning its next nine contests, setting a new franchise-record with 10 straight victories.
Nov. 3 | The Hurdle
Facing 3rd-and-6 from the Jaguars’ 44-yard-line, Barkley gave home fans (and his teammates) something they’ll never forget during a 28-23 win.
THE 180 HURDLE??? DID SAQUON JUST INVENT THIS?!
— NFL (@NFL) November 3, 2024
: #JAXvsPHI on CBS/Paramount+
: https://t.co/waVpO8ZBqG pic.twitter.com/tYThjnbdgG
Dec. 1 | Cooper DeJean’s tackle
Up by nine points with just over seven minutes to play in Baltimore, Philadelphia’s 198-pound rookie cornerback made like Hulk Hogan with a pile-drive tackle on 247-pound Pro Bowl running back Derrick Henry.
Dec. 29 | So close, but 100 yards away
With 167 yards in a 41-7 rout of the Cowboys in Week 17, Barkley became the ninth NFL running back to rush for 2,000 yards. He hoped to break Eric Dickerson’s single-season rushing record of 2,105 yards but sat for precautionary reasons the next week in a meaningless regular-season finale against the Giants.
Jan. 12 | Jalen Hurts returns
But he didn’t play well. After missing two games with a concussion, Philadelphia's quarterback looked rusty in the team’s wild-card matchup. He finished with 131 yards and a pair of touchdowns, but if not for six turnovers by Green Bay (one on the opening kickoff), the Eagles may not have earned the 22-10 home victory that became known for wide receiver A.J. Brown reading a self-help book on the sideline.
Jan. 19 | Rams on repeat
After rushing for 255 yards and two touchdowns against L.A. in the regular season, Barkley ran for 205 yards and two more scores against the Rams in the divisional round of the playoffs, none more satisfying than this 78-yard, fourth-quarter dash from Barkley to put the game away.
Jan. 26 | Commanders get clobbered
The NFC Championship Game was never in doubt, especially once Barkley scored this 60-yard touchdown on the team’s first offensive play. He’d have two more scores before giving way to rookie running back Will Shipley (who also scored a touchdown) in a 55-23 rout of rival Washington.
Feb. 9 | Super Bowl LIX
Looking to avenge a loss to the Chiefs in Super Bowl LVII and prevent the team from winning a record third straight Super Bowl, Philadelphia entered the game as 1.5 underdogs to Kansas City.
Thanks to three sacks and a pair of interceptions (including a pick-six from DeJean), the Eagles ran out to a 24-0 halftime lead. The second half was highlighted by a 46-yard touchdown by wide receiver DeVonta Smith and continued pressure on Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes.
Philadelphia won the game, 40-22, giving the Eagles their second Super Bowl title in franchise history.
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