New England quarterback Tom Brady led a comeback victory that sent the Patriots to a third Super Bowl in four years - and the eighth in his 18-year career.
Brady shook off a hand injury and threw a four-yard touchdown pass to Danny Amendola with 2:48 remaining , rallying the Patriots to a 24-20 comeback victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars in the AFC championship Sunday.
The forty-year-old, wearing a black bandage on his right hand after cutting it during practice earlier in the week, showed no signs of being hampered.
With the game and season on the line, the Patriots star came up big again.
"I've had a lot worse," Brady said. "I didn't know that on Wednesday. It was a crazy injury. Wednesday, Thursday, Friday was a little scary. Then I started getting some confidence and today we did just enough to win."
Brady finished 26 of 38 for 290 yards and two touchdowns to Amendola for the Patriots (15-3), who'll meet the Eagles who routed the Minnesota Vikings 38-7 on February 4.
Nick Foles, a backup until Philadelphia's Pro Bowl quarterback Carson Wentz was lost in December to a season-ending knee injury, tossed three touchdowns for the Eagles.
"It was electric. The fans are awesome," All-Pro tackle Lane Johnson said.
"We're going there to prove we belong," added Brandon Graham of the meeting with the Patriots in two weeks.
It will be the eighth Super Bowl appearance for Brady and coach Bill Belichick, who have won five times - including last year's 34-28 overtime rally against the Atlanta Falcons.
Philadelphia have just two appearances without a victory in the Super Bowl so far.
"It's pretty crazy," Brady said. "It's pretty amazing. Just to be on a team that wins these kinds of games, it's just a great accomplishment. I'm just so proud of everyone on our team, we made so many great plays. Defence played so great when they needed to. Just an amazing game."
Blake Bortles and the Jaguars (12-7) led 20-10 early in the fourth quarter, but couldn't hold against the defending champions.
The NFL's second-ranked defence kept Brady and the Patriots at bay for most of the game, but also lost linebacker Myles Jack and defensive tackle Marcell Dareus on consecutive plays on New England's winning drive.
Jacksonville, looking to reach the Super Bowl for the first time in franchise history, had one more shot but Bortles' throw on fourth-and-15 to Dede Westbrook was knocked away by Stephon Gilmore.
Patrick Robinson 's spectacular 50-yard interception return got Philadelphia (15-3) started. Then Foles and his offence tore up the league's stingiest scoring defence, with long TD throws to Alshon Jeffery and Torrey Smith.
LeGarrette Blount had an 11-yard scoring run when things were decided in the first half, and the Eagles were headed to an NFL title game the Vikings (14-4) hoped to be in at their own stadium.
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