Monday 30 December 2019 06:23, UK
Boston Scott scored three touchdowns as the Philadelphia Eagles clinched the NFC East with a 34-17 win over the New York Giants.
Filling in for the injured Miles Sanders, Scott had 138 scrimmage yards (54 rushing, 84 receiving) as the Eagles (9-7) locked up the division and a home playoff game next week over the 4-12 Giants.
Carson Wentz completed 23 of 40 passes for 289 yards and one touchdown while the Eagles defense sacked Daniel Jones four times and forced a fumble, interception and turnover on downs in the fourth quarter.
Jones was 28 of 47 for 301 yards with one touchdown and that pick, while Saquon Barkley managed 92 yards on 17 carries and added 25 yards through the air.
After a slow, tense first half, the Eagles were up 10-3 after Wentz hit tight end Joshua Perkins from 24 yards out on a play-action pass with two minutes remaining in the second quarter.
However, their first-half lead came with a price as both Sanders and guard Brandon Brooks were lost for the game with injuries.
In the third quarter, both offenses started to heat up.
First, Jones hit Golden Tate for 20 yards for an impressive grab at the back of the end zone to tie up the game.
Then, after the Eagles had drove down the field and capped it with Scott's first TD of the day - a seven-yarder - New York immediately fired back with an explosive 68-yard effort by Barkley to make it 17-17.
But the fourth quarter belonged to the Eagles.
They kicked off with a Jake Elliott 50-yard field goal to take a narrow lead, but they extended it within less than a minute. As the Giants took over, Jones lost control of a low snap, Malcolm Jenkins forced the ball out and Fletcher Cox recovered at New York's two-yard line. On the very next play, Scott followed his blocking in from two yards out to give them a 27-17 lead.
After the teams exchanged punts, the Giants were forced to go for it on fourth down in their own territory, but Cre'Von LeBlanc chased down Barkley behind the line of scrimmage and Philadelphia took over at the 30.
They took advantage of a short field again as Scott raced 39 yards on a screen pass, then punched the ball in from two yards out again for his third score of the day.
With the win, the Eagles secured the NFC East title and a home playoff game next week, where they will host the loser of the San Francisco 49ers-Seattle Seahawks game on Sunday night.
