NFL GAME RECAP

Eagles-Colts: What we learned

The Sports Xchange

September 15, 2014 at 11:33 pm.

Nick Foles had another stellar perforamance for the Eagles. (Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports)

INDIANAPOLIS — Kicker Cody Parkey completed the Philadelphia Eagles’ second consecutive come-from-behind victory Monday night.

Twice.

Parkey kicked a 36-yard field goal on the last play of the game, lifting the Eagles to a 30-27 win over the Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium.

Actually, Parkey had to play the game-winning hero part twice. He made the kick and the Eagles ran onto the field to celebrate, but a timeout called by the Colts just prior to the snap forced Parkey to attempt the field goal a second time. He connected again, sending the Eagles home as the only 2-0 team in the NFC East.

“We had crossed the field because I thought the game was over, so we just went back to the sideline and just said, ‘Let’s do it again,'” said Eagles coach Chip Kelly, whose team trailed 20-6 late in the third quarter.

Eagles quarterback Nick Foles completed 21 of 37 passes for 331 yards and a touchdown, going over 300 yards for the second consecutive week. He was intercepted once.

The victory marked the second week in a row that the Eagles rallied from a deficit to defeat an AFC South team. In their season opener, the Eagles fell behind the Jacksonville Jaguars 17-0, then scored 34 consecutive points for the victory.

“The one thing about this team is I think they are really grounded,” Kelly said. “It just means we are 2-0. I think it also means we have to execute better on both sides of the ball in the first half. You’re not going to make a living continuing to be 17 down in this league.”

Foles said, “I mean, it’s good to have that in your arsenal that you know that your team can stick together through adversity.”

The Eagles trailed Indianapolis 17-6 at halftime and 27-20 early in the fourth quarter.

With the Colts ahead by seven in the fourth quarter and threatening again at the Eagles’ 22-yard line, Philadelphia safety Malcolm Jenkins intercepted an Andrew Luck pass when Indianapolis wide receiver T.Y. Hilton went to the turf. Colts coach Chuck Pagano argued to the officials that Hilton was pulled down.

“We knew we had the field goal in the bag,” Pagano said. “I think everybody saw what happened on the play. The last thing we said to the quarterback, ‘Take care of the football.'”

Luck said, “It was an interception. That’s what matters.”

Once the Eagles had the ball, it took them just five plays to drive 76 yards and tie the game. Wide receiver Jeremy Maclin caught a 6-yard scoring pass from Foles.

The Colts went three-and-out on their next possession, setting up Philadelphia’s game-winning drive for a field goal.

The Eagles began their final drive at their own 40-yard line with 1:56 remaining. Foles hit tight end Zach Ertz with a 24-yard pass play to begin the drive, and then he connected with running back Darren Sproles on a 17-yard pass to the Colts’ 19. From there, running back LeSean McCoy ran for a yard, and the Eagles ran the clock down to set up Parkey’s third field goal of the game.

“Credit Philly. They made more plays than we did down the stretch,” Pagano said.

The Colts (0-2) fell into a tie for last place in the AFC South with the Jaguars.

“It stinks,” Luck said. “It’s not good.”

A 7-yard scoring pass from Luck to running back Ahmad Bradshaw with 11:49 left in the game gave the Colts a 27-20 lead. Bradshaw was left wide open on the right side of the end zone, and he easily caught the pass from Luck.

Bradshaw also caught a 1-yard TD pass from Luck on a fourth-down play in the opening quarter.

Luck completed 20 of 34 passes for 172 yards and three touchdowns with one interception.

“I wasn’t sharp enough for (the passing game) to get into a rhythm,” Luck said.

What the Eagles said:

“I think a lot of it is them having confidence in what they are doing, and I think that it is not fake confidence. It is based on their preparation, and it’s as hard a working team that I have ever been around. They really, truly understand what we are trying to get accomplished.” — Coach Chip Kelly.

“I think it was just a great team win. Facing adversity, we’ve definitely faced our fair share these past two weeks, and the guys stuck together.” — Quarterback Nick Foles.

What the Colts said:

“The friendly fire, it will kill you. Just like I told them in there, it’s so hard to win at this level. It doesn’t matter how good you play, all the games come down to one-score games. You’ve got to eliminate friendly fire, and you’ve got to finish games. You’ve got to put people away.” — Coach Chuck Pagano.

What we learned about the Eagles:

1. Philadelphia is stacking up as one of the best second-half teams in the NFL. Quarterback Nick Foles overcame three turnovers in the first half against Jacksonville last week and overcame a first-half interception Monday at Indianapolis. The Eagles’ game-winning drive in the final two minutes included two pass plays for 41 yards by Foles. “I thought Nick was just like the whole team. I thought he showed a lot of resiliency,” coach Chip Kelly said.

2. The Eagles have a strong receiving corps, and they also will destroy their opponents with running backs coming out for screen passes. Darren Sproles burned the Colts for a 57-yard gain on a screen pass, and he caught seven passes for 152 yards. LeSean McCoy caught four passes for 23 yards.

–QB Nick Foles threw for more than 300 yards for the second game in a row, needing just 21 completions to pass for 331 yards and a touchdown. He was intercepted just once and wasn’t sacked.

–K Cody Parkey hit three of four field goals, including the game-winner from 36 yards out. He did miss a 38-yarder in the first quarter, sending it wide left. Since Lucas Oil Stadium is a dome, there was no wind to contend with. “He really doesn’t get phased,” Eagles coach Chip Kelly said. “I didn’t say anything to him when he missed the first one. There wasn’t a conversation or anything.”

–S Malcolm Jenkins made Philadelphia’s first interception of the season, and it came at a key time. It set up a 76-yard scoring drive for the Eagles that tied the score at 27.

–RB Chris Polk, who missed the entire preseason plus the season opener due to a hamstring injury, was active for Monday’s game. He did not see any action.

What we learned about the Colts

1. The Colts won’t back down, and they will take chances. Their first touchdown came on a fourth-down play at the Philadelphia 1-yard line. Running back Ahmad Bradshaw drifted into a corner of the end zone uncovered and caught an easy scoring pass from quarterback Andrew Luck. In the fourth quarter, ahead by seven points, the Colts attacked through the air instead of sticking to a ground game to kill clock. Ultimately, it was an attempted pass that led to their demise in the form of an interception.

2. A large group of receivers gives Luck plenty of targets. Throwing for just 172 yards, Luck still completed passes to nine receivers. Wide receiver T.Y. Hilton led the group with six catches for 65 yards. Three Colts receivers had at least three catches.

–WR Reggie Wayne caught three passes for 28 yards, each one of them producing a roar from the Lucas Oil Stadium crowd of more than 64,000. He has caught at least one pass 192 times in his career, which is the most in franchise history.

–K Adam Vinatieri rose to No. 5 on the NFL’s all-time list for extra-point kicks with the three he made Monday. He passed Jason Hanson, and he now has 666 career PATs.

–DT Arthur Jones sprained his ankle in the second quarter and did not return. Colts coach Chuck Pagano said Jones would be examined Tuesday to determine how long he would be out of action.