[OutsiderFan]

Does anyone think the Eagles should have thrown it on 3rd & 5 with under 2 minutes left versus run it?  Just curious . . . Peterson was certainly aggressive all day but played by the book on that one.

The last three minutes were certainly curious.  When Eagles were down 1 and driving with about 7 mins left, Chris Collinsworth says "I don't see any way the Eagles can run the clock out and prevent the Patriots from getting the ball back." I'm sitting there thinking "um, I can, and they absolutely should."

They were in position to run the clock out and kick the game winning FG, until Agholor went out of bounds after picking up the first down at the 14 with 2:37 to go. At the time, the Patriots had 2 TOs.  Had Agholor stayed in bounds, the Pats would have had to call a TO or had the clock go down to the 2 minute warning, before the Eagles' first down play.

So let's say NE calls a TO after the Agholor first down.  The Eagles run the ball on the next play.  NE calls its final timeout before the two minute warning.  The Eagles run the ball on second down then two minute warning.  It's now 3rd down.  The Eagles can run a play for lets say it's 5 secs.  The play clock is 40 seconds and starts. So in the worst case scenario of running the clock, the Eagles don't get a first down and have to kick a less than 30 yd FG and NE gets the ball back with about 1:10 and no timeouts.  But, if the Eagles make the first down, they can run the clock out and kick a game-winning 22 yd FG as time expires.  This, to me, was the best option.

As it was, the Eagles put themselves in position where they had no choice but to score the TD. But that result still gave the ball back to NE only down 5, with NE having a timeout and the 2 minute warning.  Given they hadn't stopped the Patriots at all, the Eagles seemed in deep trouble, trouble they could have avoided had Agholor not gone out of bounds at the 14 with 2:37 to go, and the Eagles done what Collinsworth thought impossible, end the game on a 9+ minute drive.

I guess as it was, it was a more dramatic finish - and Ertz wouldn't be the hero if the Eagles played keep away - but I think the Eagles got a little lucky to get the fumble.  Would have been much better to have had the offense win the game by running out the clock.

As for the decision to run the clock instead of try for the first down, when up 5, I think it was the best call.  If it's an incomplete pass, NE has easily enough time to score a TD and tie it.  As it was, they got to midfield, but had to do a Hail Mary. With 40 more secs, hard to imagine they don't score.

[OutsiderFan]

Does anyone think the Eagles should have thrown it on 3rd & 5 with under 2 minutes left versus run it?  Just curious . . . Peterson was certainly aggressive all day but played by the book on that one.

The last three minutes were certainly curious.  When Eagles were down 1 and driving with about 7 mins left, Chris Collinsworth says "I don't see any way the Eagles can run the clock out and prevent the Patriots from getting the ball back." I'm sitting there thinking "um, I can, and they absolutely should."

They were in position to run the clock out and kick the game winning FG, until Agholor went out of bounds after picking up the first down at the 14 with 2:37 to go. At the time, the Patriots had 2 TOs.  Had Agholor stayed in bounds, the Pats would have had to call a TO or had the clock go down to the 2 minute warning, before the Eagles' first down play.

So let's say NE calls a TO after the Agholor first down.  The Eagles run the ball on the next play.  NE calls its final timeout before the two minute warning.  The Eagles run the ball on second down then two minute warning.  It's now 3rd down.  The Eagles can run a play for lets say it's 5 secs.  The play clock is 40 seconds and starts. So in the worst case scenario of running the clock, the Eagles don't get a first down and have to kick a less than 30 yd FG and NE gets the ball back with about 1:10 and no timeouts.  But, if the Eagles make the first down, they can run the clock out and kick a game-winning 22 yd FG as time expires.  This, to me, was the best option.

As it was, the Eagles put themselves in position where they had no choice but to score the TD. But that result still gave the ball back to NE only down 5, with NE having a timeout and the 2 minute warning.  Given they hadn't stopped the Patriots at all, the Eagles seemed in deep trouble, trouble they could have avoided had Agholor not gone out of bounds at the 14 with 2:37 to go, and the Eagles done what Collinsworth thought impossible, end the game on a 9+ minute drive.

I guess as it was, it was a more dramatic finish - and Ertz wouldn't be the hero if the Eagles played keep away - but I think the Eagles got a little lucky to get the fumble.  Would have been much better to have had the offense win the game by running out the clock.

As for the decision to run the clock instead of try for the first down, when up 5, I think it was the best call.  If it's an incomplete pass, NE has easily enough time to score a TD and tie it.  As it was, they got to midfield, but had to do a Hail Mary. With 40 more secs, hard to imagine they don't score.