By: KO Kelly
Redemption is Nigh!
As Cody Parkey lined up for his second attempt at what would have most likely been the game-winning field goal, I was at peace with this season. Our Birds did not fold after their brutal dismantling in New Orleans or the gut-wrenching overtime loss in Dallas. No, they rallied together and reminded us what they are capable of when they play as a team. I was even saying to myself this Bears’ team would be easy to root for during the rest of the playoffs. They are young and scrappy on offense, complimented by a ferocious turnover-generating defense.
Fortunately, Treyvon Hestor – who I have been writing off all year as the “nobody” next to Cox in our somewhat depleted front four – had other plans. He pushed his way through the Bears’ line and into the history books with his game-winning field goal block. A block that was not even recorded as a block until the next day because it was barely even noticeable in slow-motion and still shots. By the slimmest of margins, he altered the direction of that ball and kept our playoff run alive.
Quick note on Doug Pederson, only eight other head coaches in NFL history have won their first four playoff games and four of those eight are in the Hall of Fame. That is some pretty impressive company for Doug, here’s to him continuing that streak and climbing that list!
As far as the rest of last week’s game, Foles did not look his best in the first half of the game with two uncharacteristic interceptions but our defensive line has continued to get better each week and along with our young, aggressive secondary stymied the Bears’ offensive efforts. And for as rough as Foles looked in the beginning, his two-minute drill against the best defense in the league was nothing short of spectacular. I had a bit of hesitation after the first two ineffective run plays on the goal line but ultimately, I fully expected and trusted Foles to lead us to a touchdown. He is without a doubt the most clutch quarterback in Eagles’ history.
Now onto this week’s matchup. The Eagles get a shot a redemption this week against a formidable foe in the Big Easy: The New Orleans Saints. I still hear chants of “Who dat, who dat, who dat say dey gonna beat dem Saints?” in my nightmares. However, I am about to say who is going to beat those Saints – Foles and friends – dat’s who!
The brutal November lashing was one of those anomaly games that occur from time to time, where one team can do no wrong while the other cannot get out of the gates. We were on the winning side of such a match-up last January against the Vikings. We were near flawless, and the Vikings never had a chance – not because they were a bad team, they just ran into one of those games at the worst time.
Luckily, our Birds ran into the buzz saw during the regular season and have had a chance to turn things around. They have not dwelled on the game but have certainly used it as a teacher and motivation. When Doug was wrapping up his locker room speech after the win against the Bears, he stoically stated, “I do not need to remind you where we are heading next.” The players smiled but with a deep understanding of what they need to do and how they need to prepare for their upcoming rematch.
Coach Payton is using cash and a trophy to motivate his team. That might work for some teams, but our Birds run on something different. They are fueled by disrespect and driven by brotherhood. They are playing for more than worldly possessions – they have set their course for the history books.
There will not be as many fireworks as the Eagles’ second playoff game last year but by the fourth quarter there will be no doubt the Eagles are moving onto the next round. Afterall, it is only fitting for the Saints to be taken down by the saint – St. Nick!
Eagles Win 24-16
Record 11-7
No comments:
Post a Comment