Patriots shoot down Eagles

JULIAN Edelman (left) of the New England Patriots tries to save the ball from Avonte Maddox of Philadelphia Eagles. AFP

LOS ANGELES (AFP) — Nick Folk kicked three field goals and Julian Edelman executed a trick play as the New England Patriots clinched their 19th straight winning National Football League season with a 17-10 victory over Philadelphia.

Wide receiver Edelman threw a pass for a touchdown and quarterback Tom Brady was 26-of-47 for 216 yards for the Patriots, who are now just one winning season shy of the Dallas Cowboys’ all-time record of 20 in a row, a run that began in 1966.

Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz was 20-of-40 for 214 yards and a touchdown pass to Dallas Goedert but the Eagles dropped to 5-5 and had their two-game winning streak snapped.

Both teams were coming off a bye week for the showdown, which was a rematch of the thrilling 2018 Super Bowl, which the Eagles won 41-33 to claim the team’s first Super Bowl victory.

The Patriots rebounded mightily with Brady leading the team to a gritty Super Bowl win over the Los Angeles Rams earlier this year.

The Patriots took the opening kickoff of the third quarter and marched 84 yards in 10 plays, capped by a deception move as Edelman received a lateral from Brady and tossed a 15-yard touchdown to Phillip Dorsett.

James White converted the two-point conversion run for a 17-10 lead in front of a crowd of 69,700 at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia.

Folk booted field goals of 35, 22 and 39 yards for the Patriots’ first-half points.

Brady was 11-of-25 in the first half, setting a dubious career high for most incompletions in the first half with 14.

Philadelphia starting right tackle Lane Johnson left the game with a concussion.

The Eagles got the ball back one last time in the waning seconds of the fourth quarter but a final “Hail Mary” desperation throw was knocked down as time expired.