close
close

first Drop

Com TW NOw News 2024

Joe Buck Has Never Been As ‘Shocked’ By NFL Finish As He Is By Eagles Collapse
news

Joe Buck Has Never Been As ‘Shocked’ By NFL Finish As He Is By Eagles Collapse

Joe Buck has seen it all as an NFL game reporter for more than three decades.

Well, almost everything.

The 55-year-old, now in his third season as host of ESPN and ABC’s “Monday Night Football” with Troy Aikman after the pair left their tenured positions at Fox, has never been more “shocked” by how quickly a team collapsed than the Eagles did at home Monday night, when the Falcons marched down the field for a six-play, 70-yard drive in 1:05 to take the lead with 34 seconds left and steal a 22-21 victory.

“I think you have to take your hat off to the Atlanta Falcons,” Buck told ESPN’s Scott Van Pelt during the postgame show. “I’ve been covering NFL games for 31 years and I don’t think I’ve ever been as shocked as I was tonight with the way this game ended. It was just a landslide with Philly.”

Joe Buck (r.) and Troy Aikman (l.) during the postgame show “Monday Night Football” on September 16, 2024. ESPN

That seismic shift began when Saquon Barkley, who left the Giants as a free agent this year to sign a three-year, $37.75 million contract with the Eagles, threw a pass on third-and-3 at Atlanta’s 10-yard line with a clear pass to grab a first down.

The decision to let the game pass was debatable, as the Falcons had no timeouts left and the Eagles could have stalled, but Barkley had a chance to decide the game.

Instead, Jake Elliott fired a 28-yard field goal to put Philly ahead 21-15.

Eagles running back Saquon Barkley (26) is tackled by Falcons safety Jessie Bates (3) and cornerback AJ Terrell (24) on Sept. 16, 2024. USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Con

Kirk Cousins ​​then spearheaded the winning drive, completing 5 of 6 passes for 70 yards, capping the drive with a 7-yard touchdown pass to Drake London.

London was then given a penalty point for unsportsmanlike conduct for celebrating a shot, which forced kicker Younghoe Koo to attempt an extra point from 48 yards out. He converted the attempt to put Atlanta ahead.

Jalen Hurts intercepted the ball on the Eagles’ second drive, ending the game.

Buck also noted a questionable call by Eagles coach Nick Sirianni in the first quarter that cost them their fortunes. They were attempting fourth-and-4 at the Atlanta 9-yard line with the score tied at 0-0. Hurts threw an incomplete pass, intended for Dallas Goedert, on a botched play.

Eagles coach Nick Sirianni reacts during the team’s loss to the Falcons on September 16, 2024. Getty Images

“(Aikman) and I look at each other like it was a chip-shot field goal that decided it, but they go for it,” Buck said. “It’s a different time in the league.”

The Eagles (1-1) visit the Saints (2-0) on Sunday, while the Falcons (1-1) host the Chiefs (2-0) on “Sunday Night Football.”