The Giants came to Philadelphia hoping to kickstart their season. Instead, Eagles kicker Jake Elliott booted them from the playoff race.
61 yards. An #Eagles franchise record. What a moment for Jake Elliott! #FlyEaglesFly pic.twitter.com/F4qp10FMs1
— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) September 24, 2017
In his NFL debut last week against the Chiefs, Elliott, a rookie out of Memphis, missed a 30-yard chip shot. Against the Giants he hit a kick twice as long, nailing a 61-yard, game-winning field goal to seal a win, 27-24, against the team’s division rival and move the Eagles to 2-1. Elliott, who was mobbed and carried off the field by his teammates, was asked postgame what it felt like to be a hero. “I don’t even know,” Elliott said. “I don’t know what’s going on right now.”
JAKE #FlyEaglesFly pic.twitter.com/uzWYqv2gtz
— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) September 24, 2017
The kick was a redemption of sorts for Elliott. In the third quarter, he missed a 52-yard field goal wide left. He shook off the miss and hit a 46-yarder to tie the game at 24 in the fourth quarter before crushing the game winner as time expired. The 5-foot-9, 167-pound kicker was drafted in the fifth round by the Bengals, who cut him a few weeks ago. Three weeks later, he become just the 15th kicker since 1960 to make a field goal of 60 yards or more, and can get free cheesesteaks anywhere in the city of Philadelphia for the foreseeable future.
Jake Elliott's 61-yard FG to win it is the longest GW FG at the gun since.... TB's Matt Bryant hit a 62-yarder AGAINST the Eagles in 2006.
— Football Perspective (@fbgchase) September 24, 2017
For the Giants, it’s another devastating loss. They were scoreless for three quarters, and then dropped 24 points in the fourth, evaporating a 14-point Eagles lead during a wild stretch in which Giants safety Landon Collins forced a fumble and Giants receiver Odell Beckham Jr. racked up two touchdowns (and a flag for an interesting celebration) to tie the game at 14-14. But the Giants defense failed them right as the offense picked up, giving up 13 points in the fourth quarter. The Giants now have a Herculean climb to the postseason, as no 0-3 team has made the playoffs this century.
The Giants are sinking, but with Jake Elliott, the Eagles are flying high.