The New England Patriots defeated the Philadelphia Eagles 24-21 in a dramatic NFL preseason matchup at Gillette Stadium on Saturday night, Aug. 22, 2026. The game featured several standout performances, late-game heroics and plenty of roster battles as both teams continued preparing for the regular season.
Patriots Beat Eagles 24-21
The Patriots entered the game without several key starters, including quarterback Drake Maye, but their backups delivered enough late-game production to earn the win.
Philadelphia led 14-10 at halftime after touchdowns from Will Shipley and Britain Covey. New England regained the advantage in the fourth quarter when Lan Larison scored on a short rushing touchdown.
The Eagles answered with another touchdown from Carson Steele, putting Philadelphia ahead 21-17 with less than four minutes remaining.
New England responded immediately. Quarterback Behren Morton connected with Nick DeGennaro for a 37-yard touchdown, giving the Patriots a 24-21 lead with just over a minute left.
Philadelphia’s final possession ended when Cole Payton was stripped from behind by Quintayvious Hutchins. Casey Rogers recovered the fumble, allowing New England to run out the clock.
Carson Steele Shines for Philadelphia
Carson Steele was one of the biggest stars for the Eagles.
The running back caught six passes for 84 yards and a touchdown, repeatedly creating big plays in the open field. His most memorable moments came when he hurdled Patriots defenders on two separate occasions.
Steele’s second hurdle proved particularly important. Tanner McKee found him on a screen near the 20-yard line, and Steele raced into the end zone while leaping over a New England defender.
His performance strengthened his case in Philadelphia’s preseason roster competition.
Tanner McKee Delivers Strong Performance
Tanner McKee also had a productive night for Philadelphia.
McKee completed 16 of 22 passes for 173 yards and two touchdowns. He consistently looked comfortable throwing to Philadelphia’s short and intermediate options and played an important role in the Eagles’ fourth-quarter comeback.
His touchdown connection with Steele gave Philadelphia a 21-17 advantage, but the offense could not produce another scoring drive after New England retook the lead.
Will Shipley Gives Eagles Early Momentum
Will Shipley provided Philadelphia with a strong first-half rushing performance.
Shipley carried the ball 11 times for 56 yards and scored the Eagles’ opening touchdown. He averaged 5.1 yards per carry and helped Philadelphia control the ground game during the first half.
His ability to consistently gain positive yardage was one of the major positives for the Eagles.
Ty Robinson Dominates Patriots Offensive Line
Philadelphia’s defense produced four sacks, with defensive tackle Ty Robinson leading the way.
Robinson recorded two sacks against Tommy DeVito, continuing his impressive preseason after registering a sack in the previous game. He also made several plays against the run.
Joshua Weru and other Eagles defenders also contributed to the pressure, but Robinson’s performance stood out as one of the biggest defensive positives.
Tommy DeVito Provides Big Plays for Patriots
Tommy DeVito started at quarterback for New England with Drake Maye among the players resting.
DeVito completed 8 of 15 passes for 151 yards and one touchdown. He also rushed three times for 44 yards, including a 36-yard scramble that helped move the Patriots into Philadelphia territory.
His biggest play came late in the second quarter when he connected with Kyle Williams on a 69-yard touchdown pass. Williams created separation down the right side and finished the play in the end zone to give New England a 10-7 lead.
Kyle Williams Makes His Mark
Kyle Williams emerged as another important offensive performer for the Patriots.
He caught two passes for 74 yards and scored the team’s first touchdown. His 69-yard reception from DeVito was the longest passing play of the game and gave New England its first lead.
Williams’ explosiveness was one of the biggest positives for the Patriots’ offense.
Nick DeGennaro Scores the Game-Winner
The decisive play came with just over one minute remaining.
Behren Morton led an 11-play, 73-yard scoring drive before finding Nick DeGennaro for a 37-yard touchdown down the right sideline.
DeGennaro had enough separation to enter the end zone untouched, putting New England ahead 24-21.
The touchdown capped a pressure-filled fourth-quarter drive and ultimately decided the preseason contest.
Shaun Wade Forces Another Turnover
Eagles cornerback Shaun Wade continued his strong preseason with another forced fumble.
Wade finished with 10 combined tackles, including six solo stops, and punched the ball out of JaMycal Hasty’s hands during the fourth quarter.
The turnover gave Philadelphia excellent field position and eventually helped set up Steele’s go-ahead touchdown.
Eagles vs Patriots Team Statistics
Philadelphia finished with 301 total yards, while New England produced 388.
The Patriots also held advantages in rushing and passing production. New England gained 140 rushing yards and 248 passing yards compared with Philadelphia’s 90 rushing yards and 211 passing yards.
Third-down efficiency was another important difference. The Patriots converted 9 of 17 third downs, while the Eagles went 4 of 11.
New England also controlled time of possession, holding the ball for 32:41 compared with Philadelphia’s 27:19.
Ja’Quinden Jackson Injury
The game also included a concerning moment for Philadelphia when running back Ja’Quinden Jackson was injured on the opening kickoff.
According to the Eagles’ preseason broadcast update, Jackson had strength and movement in all extremities and was taken to a local hospital for evaluation.
The injury added an unfortunate note to an otherwise competitive preseason game as Philadelphia continued evaluating its roster.
What the Eagles and Patriots Learned
Although the result came in the preseason, both teams received valuable information from the matchup.
For Philadelphia, Steele, McKee, Shipley, Robinson and Wade were among the players who boosted their stock. The Eagles also showed they can generate pressure defensively, recording four sacks.
For New England, Morton showed composure during the decisive drive, while Williams, DeGennaro and Larison made important offensive contributions. The Patriots’ ability to convert third downs and produce 388 total yards also stood out.
The Patriots ultimately made the crucial plays late, while the Eagles were unable to protect their final lead.
Eagles vs Patriots Final Score
The Patriots defeated the Eagles 24-21 in a back-and-forth preseason matchup.
Philadelphia held a 14-10 halftime lead and briefly moved ahead 21-17 in the fourth quarter. However, DeGennaro’s late touchdown and Hutchins’ strip-sack secured the victory for New England.
The result gives the Patriots momentum heading toward their next preseason test, while the Eagles can take several individual performances and defensive positives from the narrow defeat.
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