Man mountain Jordan Mailata is set to become the first Australian to play in two Super Bowls, with his Philadelphia Eagles through to the NFL showcase game.
Jalen Hurts and Saquon Barkley rushed for three touchdowns apiece as the Eagles pulled away for a 55-23 win over the visiting Washington Commanders in the NFC Championship Game.
Barkley rushed for 118 yards and Hurts threw for 246 yards and a TD for Philadelphia, which advanced to play in Super Bowl LIX on February 10 (AEDT) in New Orleans.
The Eagles scored eight touchdowns and reached the Super Bowl for the fifth time in team history and the second time in three seasons.
Commanders QB Jayden Daniels had one passing touchdown and one rushing touchdown to lead Washington, which defied the odds to win 12 games in the regular season and two road games in the playoffs. Terry McLaurin caught the lone touchdown pass for the Commanders.
Washington committed four turnovers, compared to zero for Philadelphia.
Barkley scored back-to-back touchdowns to give the Eagles a 14-3 lead late in the first quarter. He broke free for a 60-yard rushing touchdown on Philadelphia’s first play from scrimmage, and he zipped in for a 4-yard score with 3:43 to go in the opening quarter.
The Commanders pulled within 14-12 midway through the second quarter. Zane Gonzalez made a 46-yard kick for his second field goal of the afternoon, and McLaurin broke a tackle on his way to a 36-yard touchdown catch with 7:05 remaining in the half.
The Eagles pulled ahead 27-12 after scoring two touchdowns in 65 seconds. Hurts lurched forward for a 1-yard score with 1:44 left in the half, and after the Commanders fumbled on the kick-off return, Philadelphia took advantage as Hurts found AJ Brown for a 4-yard touchdown.
Gonzalez cut the deficit to 27-15 with a 42-yard field goal just before half-time.
Hurts put Philadelphia on top 34-15 with 8:58 left in the third quarter. He took the snap out of the shotgun and weaved through traffic for a 9-yard score.
Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley (26) celebrates after a touchdown against the Washington Commanders. (Reuters: Imagn Images/Bill Streicher)
Daniels brought Washington within 34-23 on the next possession. He scored on a 10-yard run, then passed to Olamide Zaccheaus for a two-point conversion.
Hurts’s third rushing touchdown made it 41-23 with 12:24 to play. Washington drew multiple penalties for encroachment trying to stop the “Brotherly Shove”, and ultimately Hurts and the Eagles got their way as teammates pushed the quarterback across the goal line yet again.
Barkley scored his third touchdown on a 4-yard run with 7:58 remaining.
Rookie Will Shipley finished the scoring with a 2-yard rushing touchdown with 3:03 to go, two plays after ripping off a 57-yard run. The Eagles finished with 229 yards on the ground.
Mailata, the son of Samoan immigrants who was born in Bankstown in Sydney, played in the Eagles’ 38-35 loss to the Chiefs in the Super Bowl two years ago but returns to the biggest stage in American football.
Last April, Mailata signed a three-year, $US66 million contract extension that included a $US20m signing bonus to remain with the Eagles through to 2028.
The 27-year-old, who is 2.03 metres tall and weighs 166 kilograms, is the fourth Australian to play in a Super Bowl following punters Ben Graham (Arizona, 2009), Mitch Wishnowsky (San Francisco, 2020) and Arryn Siposs, who was Mailata’s Eagles teammate in their 2023 defeat.
But one Australian does have a Super Bowl ring: Jesse Williams was on the Seattle Seahawks roster in their 2014 triumph but did not play during the season because of injury.
Philadelphia will play either the Buffalo Bills or Kansas Chiefs in the Super Bowl.
The Chiefs host the Bills in the second conference championship game on Monday morning.
Reuters
