Nick Foles and Doug Pederson just outplayed the greatest QB and coach of all time

Dear lord, the party in Philadelphia tonight is going to be out of control.

And while I can’t condone whatever horrifying things are going to be done to that poor city tonight — who could blame Eagles fans?

The Eagles just completed one of the most impressive and improbable Super Bowl runs I can remember, beating the Patriots 41-33 in Minnesota.

Nick Foles played like a man possessed, Alshon Jeffery was brilliant, and Doug Pederson outcoached the greatest coach of all time in a game that was by turns wonky, wild, and thrilling.

There were failed trick plays, and successful trick plays, and missed field goals and made field goals, and missed extra points and made extra points, and catch controversies and another trick play, sure. I’m not even sure of everything that happened. I’m bewildered here.

The win prevented Tom Brady and Bill Belichick from capturing their sixth championship, halting their march toward history, and the Eagles did it with a backup quarterback. A backup quarterback!

For Philadelphia, it’s an undeniable moment for a team that captured a city’s heart this season. And what’s perhaps scariest for the rest of the NFL: The Eagles only look to get better next season.

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The game began cagily — two impressive drives from Nick Foles and Brady, respectively, to begin the first quarter both ended in field goals.

Then Foles took his shot. He launched a pass to the end zone, a perfectly thrown jump ball that saw Alshon Jeffery elevate over Patriots cornerback Eric Rowe — who was starting the game over the reportedly flu-ridden Malcolm Butler — for a 34-yard score.

Then the game got wonky as all hell. The moment of elation from Jeffery’s touchdown was tempered by Eagles kicker Jake Elliott missing the extra point wide right ... a moment matched moments later when a muffed hold led to the Patriots’ Stephen Gostkowski missing a field goal that would have cut the lead to three. Toss in a failed trick play which saw Brady drop a pass (you read that right), a missed two-point conversion after a LeGarrette Blount touchdown, and a converted Gostkowski field goal, and we had a 15-6 game.

The Eagles’ luck appeared to turn when a deep Foles pass to Jeffery was bobbled up in the air, eventually falling into the hands of Patriots safety Duron Harmon. The Patriots scored ... and then Gostkowski missed the extra point. The score was 15-12, and no one really had any idea what was going on.

Then the Eagles ran almost the same trick play the Patriots missed Brady on, and found Foles open for a touchdown, and everyone just about passed out. It was 22-12 at halftime, and America needed a cigarette.

The Patriots came out in the second half with a new game plan: Rob Gronkowski. Five targets, four receptions, including a touchdown for the big tight end, and we had a three point game. The Eagles came right back with a haymaker of their own — a few ballsy calls from Pederson and a hell of a throw from Foles to Corey Clement (one the officials didn’t overturn, despite many of us thinking they would) saw the Eagles reclaim their lead. Then the Patriots scored again.

This was a heavyweight matchup with two offensive juggernauts exchanging haymakers (and missing field goals).

With 9:22 left in the fourth quarter, Brady found Gronkowski again, the Patriots had completed their comeback, and had the lead, 33-32. Everyone collectively sighed: It was over. We’d seen this movie before.

Then Foles came out and charged right back, a statement drive that had him looking not like a backup but like an equal to Brady, you know, the greatest QB to ever play, playing one of his greatest postseason games ever. He found Zach Ertz on a slant for a touchdown, though wasn’t able to convert the two-point attempt, and the Eagles had a five-point lead.

They then stripped Brady for his only turnover of the game. Jake Elliott converted a field goal, and Brady couldn’t get it done with a minute remaining. Philadelphia had done it.

***

If we’re being real, there were about 10 times this year the Eagles could have packed it up and said “You know what? This isn’t our year.” I think most people — this was sure as hell true for me — thought it was over when quarterback Carson Wentz suffered a torn ACL and was ruled out for the season, paving the way for the return of Foles, who’d been traded out of town three years ago before being brought back as a backup this offseason.

Foles not only came in and kept the train moving, but he had some massive moments of his own, including the NFC Championship when he played the game of his life. The Eagles ran the Vikings out of the stadium, winning 38-7 in a game that wasn’t that close. Foles went 26 of 33 for 352 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions, as complete and perfect a performance as we saw from a QB this season.

Foles may not have been that dominant in the Super Bowl (how could he have been?) but again he was exactly what the Eagles needed. He’ll be rewarded by almost certainly being made a trade target for teams looking to upgrade their QB position this offseason. He’ll have earned whatever starting job he lands, and he’ll also have the thanks of a Philadelphia fan base that got to experience a wild Super Bowl run with him leading the way.

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What’s perhaps scariest about this Eagles team is how beautifully they are set up for the future. They just won the Super Bowl, and they’ve got an upgrade at quarterback coming next year. Doug Pederson is and will remain a fantastic coach. The team returns with a solid core, depth in both offensive and defensive lines, and an offseason to add (or retain) targets for Wentz.

That’s horrifying. It’s entirely possible the Patriots dynasty is heading toward its senescence, but the Eagles almost certainly will enter next year as favorites. And while it’s exceedingly difficult to get to a Super Bowl, no matter how good you are, the Eagles will have the team and the leadership to get back there. This could be the start of something special.

So enjoy it, Philadelphia. And don’t burn down your city tonight.