Aussie NFL star Jordan Mailata has gone from villain to hero after playing a crucial role in Jalen Hurts’ game-winning touchdown as the Philadelphia Eagles beat the Buffalo Bills in overtime.
The Aussie put on a perfect block, allowing Hurts to score with 2.37 left in overtime.
Following the game, the 26-year-old said he was “crying tears of joy” after the Eagles executed the game-winning play, which came shortly after Hurts had been sacked.
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“I really thought I cost us the game. To be honest, when we gave up that sack, (I thought) the game was over,” he said.
“I was like, ‘F–k, we gotta have it, and you do stupid shit like that?’, but the defence pulled one out for us. And I knew if I’d get another chance, I’d tie my shit down.
“The last three weeks haven’t been ordinary. We’ve been putting ourselves and the fans and everybody else in this organisation through a rollercoaster of emotions. So with that walkoff touchdown, I was crying tears of joy.
“I could not believe they gave us the look to run the play. It was a beautiful play call, beautifully executed.”
Hurts threw for three touchdowns and ran for two more, outduelling Buffalo’s Josh Allen while rallying the Eagles from a 17-7 halftime deficit for the second straight game.
Philadelphia’s Jake Elliott tied the game with a 59-yard field goal with 20 seconds remaining. After the Bills went ahead with a field goal on the first possession of OT, Hurts ran virtually untouched for the 12-yard score that made the Eagles the only 10-1 team in the NFL.
Hurts walked off the field with his arms extended in celebration as fans roared. He hit DeVonta Smith for 17 and 11-yard receptions in OT, and D’Andre Swift had a 16-yard run to help set up Hurts’ walk-off TD.
Allen threw for 339 yards and two touchdowns and ran for 81 yards and two scores for the Bills (6-6), who are in danger of missing the playoffs after winning the AFC East the past three years. But he was intercepted in the fourth quarter by James Bradbury, setting up Hurts’ 29-yard TD pass to Olamide Zaccheaus for a 28-24 Philly lead.
Allen used a 15-yard scramble and a 15-yard roughing the passer penalty on the first drive of OT to put the Bills in position for the win. Tyler Bass — who had missed two field goals — nailed the go-ahead kick from 40 yards with 5:52 left in OT.
Hurts finished 18 of 31 for 200 yards with an interception in a match-up of two of the NFL’s most dynamic QBs. He also rushed 14 times for 65 yards.
Hurts played a miserable first half, throwing for 33 yards while the Eagles had 99 yards overall. But for the second straight game, the MVP candidate rallied the Eagles from a 10-point halftime deficit.
He connected with A.J. Brown from three yards and Smith from 10 yards to get Philly back into the game.
Taking advantage of the short field after Allen’s pick, the Eagles faced third-and-15. Hurts rolled left and almost seemed out of options when he connected with Zacchaeus, who used two hands and hugged the ball against his chest as he fell toward the back of the end zone.
Smith finished with seven catches for 106 yards, and Swift ran for 80 yards on 14 carries. Gave Davis had six receptions for 105 yards and a TD for Buffalo.