The Patriots had a historic offensive performance for a losing team in the Super Bowl, but they eventually hit a wall that every team hit against the Eagles this year: The final two minutes. The Eagles' defense was the definition of clutch, not giving up a single point all season within two minutes of the end of the game.
Of the Eagles' 19 wins, seven of them were one-possession games in the end. Of those seven, the margin of victory was three points or less twice. In Week 1 against the Redskins, the Eagles led 22-17 before they stripped Kirk Cousins and scored a touchdown after the two-minute warning.
The Eagles didn't even give up garbage-time points all year. And even though it looked like Tom Brady was going to have another opportunity to lead the Patriots to yet another miracle comeback, the Eagles' defense was having none of it.
All told, there were eight times that teams could have tied or won the game in a game's final two minutes. These were the results of their final drives.
Week 1 vs. Redskins: Cousins was stripped sacked with the Eagles up five, and Philly returned it for a touchdown, adding a two-point conversion to make it a 13-point game. The Redskins were then stopped on fourth-and-two.
Week 3 vs. Giants: The Giants held the lead within two minutes, but were stuffed with nine penalties. What resulted was a long three-and-out, and the Eagles grabbed a 27-24 victory.
Week 4 vs. Chargers: The Eagles' offense didn't allow the Chargers to get a snap.
Week 6 vs. Panthers: The Eagles gave up nine total yards on a four-and-out that included three incompletions. The Panthers started at their own 43.
Week 14 vs. Rams: It would be disingenuous to say the Rams were "stuffed" here, as they only had one play with one second remaining. A lateral gone wrong led to an Eagles defensive touchdown.
Week 15 vs. Giants: It's funny that the Giants gave the Eagles two of their toughest games of the year, but that's the beauty of the rivalry. The Eagles gave up 23 yards in two Giants drives in the final two minutes, ultimately winning by five after a failed fourth-down conversion and an expiring clock on the second go-around.
Divisional round vs. Falcons: Their first taste of the playoffs was anything but smooth. The Falcons drove down the field down in a drive that started at their own 24-yard line. They started at the Eagles' 26-yard line with two minutes left, but the Eagles held in a goal-to-go situation, sealing the win.
Super Bowl vs. Patriots: The Eagles forced the Patriots into a quick fourth down. Tom Brady then hit Rob Gronkowski on a few plays down the sideline (not to mention a huge catch from Danny Amendola on fourth down), and the Patriots drove 40 yards to put themselves in Hail Mary territory. It failed, and the Eagles preserved their sterling two minute record.
Football has always come down to a few key plays, and this season was no exception. With even one of these games ending differently, there are all sorts of possibilities. Maybe the Eagles never get the first seed, maybe their season is derailed, maybe another team gets put in a position to strike. But the defense always showed up when it was needed most, and that's the only thing that matters.
Even in the Super Bowl, a game in which Tom Brady threw for over 500 yards in one of most heroic losing efforts ever, he came up just short. Because once the clock was within two minutes and the game was in reach, the defense clamped down. Just as it did all season. And how teams play in crunch time is how champions are decided. They allowed an average of 18 yards per game within the final two minutes of those eight games. It's hard to beat that, even if all you need is a score.
