A 50-YARD touchdown run from LeSean McCoy with 4:34 remaining lifted the Philadelphia Eagles to a 27-17 win over the New York Giants that leaves them atop their division.
On fourth-and-one, Eagles quarterback Michael Vick bobbled the snap from centre and then pitched to McCoy as he was tackled by the Giants’ Osi Umenyiora.
McCoy raced to the outside and went untouched to the end zone to put the Eagles back in front after they blew a 16-3 lead at Lincoln Financial Field. Vick added a four-yard touchdown run and David Akers kicked four field goals as the Eagles improved to 7-3 with their third straight win.
Philadelphia has a one-game lead in the NFC’s East Division over the Giants, who fell to 6-4 and have lost two straight.
The Eagles’ win capped a day in which the New York Jets beat the Houston Texans 30-27 on a six-yard touchdown catch by Santonio Holmes with 10 seconds left.
The New England Patriots then tied the Jets atop the American Football Conference’s East Division with a 31-28 win over the Indianapolis Colts. At 8-2, the Jets and Patriots are tied for the NFL’s best record with the Atlanta Falcons, who beat St Louis 34-17.
The Jets have won three in a row and are off to their best start since 1986, when they opened 10-1. Their past five victories have been decided in the closing minutes, including overtime wins the previous two weeks.
“I want to apologise to all of the Jets fans for affecting the heart a little bit, but we’ll take the win,” coach Rex Ryan said.
New York built a 23-7 lead at New Meadowlands Stadium before giving up 20 fourth-quarter points.
The Jets then drove 72 yards in 45 seconds for the winning score, with Sanchez connecting with Holmes in the corner of the end zone.
In Foxboro, Massachusetts, the Patriots led 31-14 in the fourth quarter and then withstood a rally by the Colts and Peyton Manning, who threw for 396 yards and four touchdowns.
Tom Brady collected his 25th straight win at Gillette Stadium, tying the NFL record for most consecutive home wins by a quarterback set by Brett Favre in Green Bay from 1995-98.
The Buffalo Bills rallied from a 21-point deficit to beat the Cincinnati Bengals 49-31 for their second straight win following a 0-8 start.
The Dallas Cowboys also won their second in a row, beating the Detroit Lions 35-19.
