Eagles Defense Reacts To Incomplete Pass: "I Thought He Caught It"

The Carolina Panthers appeared to score a touchdown with 44 seconds left in the Eagles' 22-16 win that would've gone for a probable game-winning ouchdown, but it was ruled incomplete.

Dec 8, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Carolina Panthers wide receiver Xavier Legette (17) is unable to catch a long pass in front of Philadelphia Eagles safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson (8) in the final minute of the game at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images / Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

PHILADELPHIA – Nakobe Dean blitzed and was on the ground at Bryce Young’s ankles when he was able to turn around to see the end of what looked like a Panthers touchdown with 44 seconds to play, a score that would have given would have given Carolina a lead and probably an upset over the red-hot Eagles on Sunday.

Rookie receiver Xavier Legette could not handle Young's throw at the 3-yard line before rolling, untouched, into the end zone. Replays showed the ball narrowly touching the turf, making it incomplete.

“I thought he caught it,” said Dean. “When they said incomplete, I was like, ‘Yes! Yes!’ Thank goodness he didn’t catch it, and we pulled out the win.”

The 22-16 win was the Eagles’ ninth straight and moved them to 11-2. It didn’t come without a couple of heart attacks. Legette’s drop was the key one.

“I turned around when he threw it and all I saw was here (he holds out arms and takes them to chest) here and I didn’t know what to think,” said safety Tristin McCollum. “I immediately looked at a ref to get any kind of confirmation, and when I saw that (incomplete), I was like, ‘Whew,’ one of those.”

Cooper DeJean may have been the only one on the Eagles defense to see the ball slip out of Legette’s arms.

Dec 8, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Cooper DeJean (33) plays against the Carolina Panthers during the first quarter at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images / Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

“I saw it hit the ground,” the rookie DB said. “From where I was, I was back close to the line of scrimmage, but I saw it hit the ground. I was a little nervous there when the ball was in the air, but when I saw it hit the ground it felt like a weight lifted off my shoulder.”

Darius Slay and C.J. Gardner-Johnson were the closest. The Panthers caught the Eagles in a defense that was designed to go over the top, and it nearly worked.

“Ahh, I said, goddamn, they caught us in this blitz and ran the big post,” said Slay. “That’s the only route you’re scared of in that coverage, and they ran it. We sent pressure and we thought they wouldn’t be able to pick it because everything has to come out quick.

“It looked like they did a good job picking it up, giving him time, or he just anticipated throw. I don’t know, but that was a damn good throw, a damn good call.”

The ref in front of Slay was about to rule a touchdown, until another ref came running over and said it was incomplete.

“I thought it was (a touchdown) because the one (ref) that was in front of me said, ‘Touchdown,’ but somebody beside me said he dropped it. I said, ‘Thank God! Thank you God, God damn!'"

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