Super Bowl LVII: Eagles Present vs the Ghost of Eagles Past

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When the Eagles first hired Andy Reid before the 1999 season, many of us shook our heads and said “Andy WHO?”

And with good reason. While most NFL teams went after the offensive and defensive coordinators that were considered the “hot” coaching candidates, Reid was the first NFL head coach to be hired at that time without ever having served as a coordinator first (Reid had held the title of Green Bay Packers quarterbacks coach for the previous two seasons).

And while Reid eventually drafted Donovan McNabb with the 2nd overall pick in the 1999 NFL draft to be the Eagles quarterback, things got even weirder when he announced that Doug Pederson, who was Brett Favre’s backup in Green Bay, would be the Eagles starting QB to start the season.

So there you had it…a former quarterbacks coach and a journeyman NFL QB as the forefront of your organization. Fans could not be blamed for being skeptical.

In the first game of that ’99 season, things started off well as the Eagles got off to a 21-0 lead in the first quarter. And while the Cardinals were just a marginal team, a win in week 1 would have had the city, and its fans, in a good mood.

But it was not meant to be. The Cardinals mounted a comeback in the 4th quarter, eventually winning the game on a last second field goal, 25-24.

Things did not get much better in the following weeks, as the Eagles started off 0-4 enroute to a 5-11 record in Reid’s first season. By November, McNabb had replaced Pederson as the Eagles starting quarterback, and the building blocks for the Eagles future had been set.

Starting the 2000 season, everyone knew that Reid & McNabb were joined at the hip in terms of their eventual success on the field. And they did not disappoint.

What started as a bold and successful onside kick to start the season eventually became known as the “Pickle Juice” game, as the Birds players drank it to fend off the hot temps down in Dallas, all while destroying the Cowboys, 41-14, in their season opener.

The Birds went to the 2nd round of the playoffs that season, and followed it up with three straight NFC Championship appearances during the 2001-03 seasons.

But while Andy Reid had turned the Eagles into a consistent winner, the pressure of losing in the NFC Championship three years in a row began to mount on them, especially as the last two were played at home, and they were expected to win.

That all changed in 2004 when the Eagles finally made it over the hump, defeating the Atlanta Falcons to finally make it back to the Super Bowl after a 24-year absence, before losing to the Patriots in Super Bowl XXXIX.

While the Eagles continued to enjoy success under Reid in the years that followed, he only reached the NFC Championship one more time during his tenure with the team (2008), and after the Birds hit rock bottom in 2012 with a 4-12 season, he was let go after 14 seasons with the organization.

But Reid’s stock was still as hot as an unclaimed winning lottery ticket, and before you could say “Time’s yours”, the Kansas City Chiefs had hired him to become their next head coach.

Meanwhile, the Eagles then did something that wasn’t their typical M.O….they went after the hot head coaching candidate in one Chip Kelly, who was known to be an offensive innovator and had turned the Oregon Ducks into a college football powerhouse.

But while coach Chip Kelly led the Eagles to 10-win seasons in his first two years, the team regressed when Kelly was handed the general manager duties before the 2015 season. And Kelly was let go before the season even ended, with the Birds sitting at 6-9.

The Eagles then went back to what suited them well in their previous coaching search – going after a name that was under the radar.

Enter Doug Pederson, who had come over with Andy Reid as the quarterback “placeholder” while Donovan McNabb learned from the sideline. And while Pederson was the offensive coordinator under Reid in Kansas City, much like Reid’s days in Green Bay, no one was knocking down Pederson’s door to become their next head coach.

But much like Reid’s success in Philadelphia was tied to his young quarterback Donovan McNabb, Pederson’s was tied to Carson Wentz, who was also, like McNabb, the #2 overall pick in the NFL draft. And after a mediocre 7-9 2016 season, the Eagles, and Wentz, caught fire in 2017 and earned the NFC’s #1 overall seed.

And even though a season ending knee injury in December sidelined him for the playoffs, Wentz’s regular season success, and backup quarterback Nick Foles catching lightning in a bottle during the Eagles playoff run, enabled the team to capture their first Lombardi trophy, and first championship in 57 years.

Meanwhile, while Andy Reid enjoyed winning seasons during his first five years in Kansas City, his lack of clock management and coming up short in playoff games, which was the cause of much strife dating back to his days in Philadelphia, continued to rear its ugly head.

That all changed when Patrick Mahomes, who was drafted #10 overall by KC in the 2017 draft, became the Chiefs starter in 2018. Mahomes is a generational quarterback, and, despite Reid’s shortcomings come playoff time, was able to lead the Chiefs to a Super Bowl victory in 2019, their first in 50 years.

Back in Philadelphia, the winning continued during the 2018 & 2019 seasons, albeit not at a championship caliber. And after the Eagles went 4-11-1 in 2020, it was back to the drawing board for a proud franchise trying to replicate the success that it had enjoyed just three seasons prior.

Out were Doug Pederson and quarterback Carson Wentz, who’s 2017 success was never replicated. Enter Nick Sirianni, who, much like Reid and Pederson before him, were under the radar and not really sought after coaching candidates. While Sirianni was the Indianapolis Colts offensive coordinator, he never held the play calling duties, though the Colts reached the playoffs in two of his three seasons as OC, and all three seasons with different quarterbacks (Andrew Luck, Jacoby Brissett, and Philip Rivers).

This time, it was not the #2 overall pick that the Eagles were counting on, but a 2nd round draft pick from 2020 who, much like his new coach, was also unproven.

Jalen Hurts had experienced success during his college career, but wasn’t considered good enough to be a first round pick (many had him being drafted in the 3rd or 4th round). But when Carson Wentz faltered during the 2020 season, Hurts became the starter.

Hurts played well enough in 2021 to lead the Birds to a playoff appearance during Nick Sirianni’s first year at the helm as head coach of the Eagles. But many questions still remained about the quarterback position before the start of the 2022 season.

Was Hurts good enough to be the franchise quarterback and lead the team to the Super Bowl? Or would the Eagles be better off looking elsewhere on the free agent market, going after someone like a Russell Wilson?

To Hurts’ credit, his improvement in 2022 is one of the major reasons the Eagles are playing in the Super Bowl today. And what’s even more remarkable is that the Eagles have gone from Super Bowl champion, to winning only four games, to going back to the Super Bowl all in a matter of just five years with a different quarterback and head coach. Much of this is a testament to the moves made by often maligned general manager Howie Roseman, who knows how to wheel and deal with the best of them.

With the Eagles Super Bowl victory in 2017 and the Chiefs’ in 2019, both the Eagles and Andy Reid have finally been able to exercise their demons and accomplish what had alluded them for so long…a championship.

And now, as they come full circle, the Eagles present shall collide with the ghosts of Eagles past, as two franchises, both with a rabid fan base, look to bring home the Lombardi trophy once again.

If the Eagles are successful, Broad & Pattison will turn on its head once again for the 2nd time in five years.

Go Birds. Fly Eagles Fly….

Birds, Bills, Bears, Bye, & Boston

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When the Eagles embarked on their three game road trip, it was meant to signify as a marker for how they may fare for the remainder of the season.

And two games in, they had failed miserably.

Back to back losses at the hands of the Vikings and Cowboys, in games which were clearly over halfway through the 4th quarter, had left the team in disarray. And while the Eagles did bounce back the following week to salvage the last game of the road trip against what was then a 5-1 Bills team, many felt that Buffalo was nothing more than a “paper tiger” (in the words of a columnist from “The Buffalo News”).

The Eagles returned to the friendly confines of home to face a struggling Bears team, which had also fallen on hard times in recent weeks. Chicago had started the season 3-1, but three straight losses had them reeling at 3-4, with questions squarely placed on whether they had made a huge mistake in drafting Mitch Trubisky with the #2 overall pick in the 2017 draft.

The Birds got off to an 19-0 lead, and it looked for a while like a leisurely day at the Linc. But the 2019 version of the Eagles don’t seem to make anything easy, and what was once a comfortable margin turned into a nail biter after David Montgomery’s 1-yard run cut the lead to 19-14.

To their credit, the Birds went on a 8-minute plus drive, chewing time off the clock before eventually kicking a 25-yard field goal to seal a 22-14 victory. But a two-game winning streak against the likes of Bills QB Josh Allen & the aforementioned Trubisky does not mean you are a contender for the Super Bowl.

Nine games in, what have we learned of this team? For starters, their lack of playmakers at wide receiver is a major handicap.

DeSean Jackson was expected to fill the role of a deep passing threat, but his injury has kept him out for most of the season.

Rookie JJ Arcega-Whiteside, while not a speedster, was drafted as a compliment to Alshon Jeffrey, but he seems to struggle to get on the field with the exception of special teams.

In full disclosure, I initially thought his name was JJ “Ortega” Whiteside, which explains why I was developing a craving for tacos every time his name was called during the preseason. Unfortunately, his lack of catches (only two through nine games) has caused my hunger to completely dissipate.

The Birds also made a mistake, in my opinion, by deciding to keep Jason Peters, Darren Sproles, and Nelson Agholor on their roster. Peters & Sproles seem to be hurt every week, with Sproles now out with a season ending injury. Meanwhile, Agholor is taking up $9 million of cap space for the year and is a constant reminder of why Chip Kelly is no longer with the Eagles.

While the Eagles secondary has improved with the return of corners Ronald Darby & Jalen Mills, it’s beginning to look more and more like Sidney Jones is a soft player and a bust.

The Birds took Jones in the 2nd round of the 2017 draft even though he was injured with the idea that he would turn into a long term starter, but so far that has not materialized and Jones just cannot be counted on, at this point, to be a shutdown corner.

If the Eagles were playing in any other division, they would basically be two games back of the last wildcard playoff spot, with virtually no shot of winning their division. But luckily, they happen to reside in the NFC East, a division that has not had a repeat champion since the Birds themselves won back-to-back titles (2003-04) during the Andy Reid heyday.

More recently, the division, which was a stalwart of talent back in the 1980’s, has become the “NFC Least”. Nine games into the season, the Birds stand a chance of making the playoffs by winning their division only because their only competition, the Dallas Cowboys, seems to be just as inconsistent as they are.

The ‘Boys had the easiest part of their schedule to start the season, playing the likes of the Redskins, Giants, and Dolphins en route to a 3-0 start.

But much like the Buffalo Bills, their winning record was due more to the lack of competition they were facing, and as their schedule has gotten tougher, losses have mounted against the Saints, Packers, and even the lowly New York Jets.

Last week, as the Eagles enjoyed their bye week, their fans were treated to another Dallas loss, this time at home to the Minnesota Vikings, a team that looks like it is for real in the NFC North.

The Birds and ‘Boys both sit at 5-4 and tied for the division lead with seven games left, with their remaining matchup at home on December 22nd looking more and more like it could decide the division.

Luckily, the Eagles last five games are very favorable (Dolphins, Giants twice, Redskins, and Cowboys). Another strange quirk of the schedule is that they will only have to get on a plane one more time this year (Miami), as the other road games are easily accessible via bus or train.

The downside is that the Eagles first have two very tough games at home in consecutive weeks against the Patriots followed by the Seahawks.

Bill Belichick & Tom Brady are still steaming from their loss to the Birds in Super Bowl LII, and with a cold and windy day forecasted for Sunday, expect Belichick to walk around the sideline in full “hoodie” mode, looking like the emperor from Star Wars.

Dougie P (Eagles coach Doug Pederson) and company did not succumb to the “Force” on that cold February day in Minneapolis and exercised the demons of the franchise in beating the Patriots and winning their first ever Super Bowl title. This time around, things may be a little more difficult, even though the Eagles are playing at home.

It certainly didn’t help our cause that the Ravens plastered New England in their last game, and Brady & company will be looking to rebound from that. Eagles receiver Alshon Jeffery is expected to be out as well, which leaves the receiving corps even more paper thin than it already was.

The Birds would do well to run the ball, and run it often. And then run it some more, especially with a wind chill factor in play. And with the injury to Jordan Howard, Jay Ajayi is expected to rejoin the team to fill his spot, though let’s hope that Ajayi’s rustiness and lack of playing football doesn’t result in a case of “fumblitis”.

While this will be a tough game, I actually think the Birds can win. New England has only played two winning teams, and alongside their blowout loss to the Ravens, they struggled against the Bills. Expect the crowd to be amped up, especially with a 4:25 PM start.

I’m expecting a low scoring game with the Birds coming out on top, 20-17. And perhaps a Dallas loss to the Lions as the appetizer in the 1 PM game?

Amit’s Marquee Matchups of the Week (all games on Sunday and in EST unless noted otherwise):

EAGLES vs Patriots 4:25 PM CBS

Texans at Ravens 1:00 PM CBS

As Broad & Pattison Turns Week #8: The Bills Mafia

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When the schedule makers anointed the Eagles as the only team in the NFL to have three straight road games during the 2019 season, we all knew that this part of their schedule could be a treacherous one.

Two games in and it has been nothing short of a house of horrors.

The easiest (and best) explanation of this is that the team is dressed up in Halloween costume as a lifeless, low on talent football team, playing out the string on the way to double-digit losses and the hope of a high draft pick.

But if it were that simple, all it would take for the Birds to return to winning would be to remove the costume and show their true colors as a possible Super Bowl contender.

Unfortunately, it’s not that simple. Games are won and lost in the trenches, and in that respect, both the Eagles offensive and defensive lines have been abysmal and downright scary over the last two games.

While the offensive line gave up three sacks (not great but not awful either), Carson Wentz seemed to be hurried and forced from the pocket every time he dropped back to pass. Conversely, while the Eagles defense registered three sacks, Cowboys quarterback Zak Prescott had all kinds of time to throw, and was rarely hurried or knocked down, which explains why the Cowboys were able to drive up and down the field at will.

Perhaps all the Eagles offense will need will be the return of someone to stretch the field a la DeSean Jackson. But if “D-Jax” will be out for an extended period of time, perhaps the trade deadline will be a place to find a suitable fill in.

But the Eagles defense is where most of the issues lie. Aside from the line’s struggles, the secondary has not impressed, and the return of Jalen Mills and Ronald Darby may not do enough to turn the tide.

Linebacker is another area that seems deficient. The Eagles cut Zach Brown because he was giving the Vikings bulletin board material, but didn’t head coach Doug Pederson do the exact same thing when he stated that the Eagles would win last Sunday against the Cowboys?

Zach Brown was not the second coming of Seth Joyner or Jeremiah Trotter, but when Nathan Gerry was getting pushed out of his gap assignments on a regular basis last Sunday, the tune that the “Zach Brown band” was playing sounded quite melodious in comparison.

The Birds now head to Buffalo, where the outcome might play a pivotal role in deciding the course of their season.

Should they come out victorious, 4-4 at the halfway point, while not anything to write home about, would mean that there is still hope, and perhaps a trade to improve the team before Tuesday’s trade deadline (much like they did last year, acquiring Golden Tate from the Detroit Lions).

But a loss could mean that Howie Roseman, much like the Phillies brass at the trade deadline this past summer, decide that it’s not worth giving up draft picks for a team that’s just mediocre.

A record of 3-5 and perhaps the fans turn their attention to the winter sports teams (Flyers and especially the Sixers) while we’re still in the Fall.

Last year, the Birds stood at 4-6 before turning their season around. And while it became a memorable one with a trip to the Divisional Round of the playoffs, a repeat of a bad start is not a good trend, being that they’ve already made it a bad habit of starting that way in games.

The Bills, while not a powerhouse, are 5-1 and actually have the 2nd best record in the AFC (second only to the 7-0 Patriots). And while their offense still struggles with 2nd year QB Josh Allen, their defense is top notch under former Eagles defensive coordinator and current head coach Sean McDermott.

I have to think that the Birds win, if for nothing else than the fact that I’ll be in the stands and don’t want to venture the thought of going to Western NY to see a loss. Either way, expect the “Bills Mafia” (the name given to hardcore Bills fans) to be in full force, and smashing tables pregame (which is their specialty). Win or lose, they still booze in Orchard Park.

Birds win 16-9.

Amit’s Marquee Matchups of the Week (all games on Sunday and in EST unless noted otherwise):

EAGLES at Bills 1:00 PM FOX

Panthers at 49ers 4:05 PM FOX

Raiders at Texans 4:25 PM CBS

Packers at Chiefs 8:20 PM NBC

As Broad & Pattison Turns Week #6: Eagles at Vikings

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We all have those days at work where we’re running around like a chicken without a head, pulling our hair out and looking up at the clock, wishing it would end sooner than later.

And then there are days (albeit rare) that go very smoothly, giving us ample time to catch our breath and reflect.

Last Sunday was one of those days for the Eagles.

In a rather relaxed atmosphere that represented a family picnic in the stands (minus the family drama), the Eagles easily disposed of the New York Jets, 31-6, at the Linc. The game was never in doubt, and halfway through the 4th quarter, many had already started to make their way to the parking lots and subway for an early ride home.

Such a scene has been a rarity for this team since their Super Bowl winning season of two years ago, when it seemed they were beating everyone at home without much fanfare or stress.

But such a result should not have been a surprise to anyone. The Jets entered the game with their 3rd string quarterback (Luke Falk) under center, and he was quickly thrown to the wolves in the form of ten sacks by the Eagles defense.

The Jets should get a much better effort going forward, especially with Sam Darnold, their 1st round pick from 2018, returning to action this week against the Dallas Cowboys. And if Darnold is the real deal as an NFL quarterback, the team may have a bright future ahead of them.

But for now, the Jets are in the midst of the football equivalent of “The Great Recession”, with their stock having to rebound greatly before becoming a “buy” for their fans.

Meanwhile, the easy day at work feeling that the Eagles had last Sunday may not be returning till after Thanksgiving, with six consecutive games against winning teams looming.

What makes it even harder is that the next three will be on the road, which makes the Birds the only team in the league to have three consecutive road games this season.

Rumor has it that the schedule makers did that with the expectation that across the street, Citizens Bank Park would be abuzz with 45,000 fans cheering on their team in the NLCS & World Series, especially after all the free agent signings the local baseball team made this past offseason. But as we all know, things didn’t turn out quite as expected (and more on that later).

But the Phillies loss is also the Eagles loss, as they will be facing the Vikings, Cowboys and Bills in consecutive weeks, before coming home to face the Bears, Patriots and Seahawks.

The Vikings are a good team, but not a great one, and their biggest threat will be running back Dalvin Cook. Cook is an evasive runner and stopping him could be the key to getting a win for the Birds.

Philadelphia will be facing a familiar foe in quarterback Kirk Cousins, who was a member of the Washington Redskins from 2012-2017 until he signed with Minnesota before the 2018 season. Cousins is 5-3 in his career against the Eagles, and was the starter for Washington in all sixteen games from 2015-2017.

The Birds will once again be without wide receiver DeSean Jackson, which will hamper their ability to throw downfield. Expect Nelson Agholor and tight end Zach Ertz to get a decent number of balls thrown their way to compensate for the loss of Jackson.

Philadelphia will also continue to be without cornerbacks Ronald Darby & Avonte Maddox. And while their loss did not play a role in the Jets game, it could be a huge factor against Minnesota, who have a great receiving tandem in Adam Thielen & Stefon Diggs.

Along with stopping Dalvin Cook, the difference in this game could come down to whether the Eagles defensive line can put enough pressure on Kirk Cousins so that he doesn’t have ample time to throw to Thielen or Diggs.

This will be a tough game in a hostile environment, and in another dome no less. And while the Eagles will return to the spot where they erased their demons and clinched their first ever championship in the modern era, that will be of no solace to them come kickoff time.

That being said, the Birds are the better team in my opinion, and will come out ahead in a close one, 24-20.

Followed by the Phillies playing in the NLCS. Oh wait…scratch that.

The Last Word:

The Phillies managing partner is a “Middleton”, which might help to explain why the Phillies have finished in the middle of the pack the last two seasons.

Their president is a “MacPhail”, and the team’s mission to get back to the playoffs and World Series has been nothing short of a supersized “MacFail”.

Their general manager is a “Klentak”, which could be a synonym for “can’t draft” in some foreign language.

Put them all together and “Dollar Dog Days” may be the only thing putting fans in the stands next season.

Amit’s Marquee Matchups of the Week (all games on Sunday and in EST unless noted otherwise):

EAGLES at Vikings 1:00 PM FOX

Texans at Chiefs 1:00 PM CBS

49ers at Rams 4:05 PM FOX

Lions at Packers 8:15 PM ESPN (Mon)

As Broad & Pattison Turns Week #5: Eagles vs. Jets

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Three games in and the natives were understandably restless.

A team that looked like it had the talent to make a run at another Super Bowl had stumbled to two consecutive losses against mediocre competition, and faced an uphill battle having to go to Green Bay on a short week against the Packers.

And when the Pack got off to an early 10-0 lead, that uphill climb seemed more like climbing Mount Everest. Aaron Rodgers, after all, was only 59-0 when his team held a double digit lead at Lambeau Field.

Perhaps the 2019 Eagles, much like the 2019 Phillies, were merely overrated and didn’t have the talent to live up to the hype that was bestowed upon them. Perhaps Doug Pederson won the Superbowl during the 2017 season because he had Frank Reich as his offensive coordinator, and with Reich moving on to the head coaching job with the Colts last season, all of Pederson’s flaws would now be exposed.

But following the Packers early ten point lead, things began to change when Miles Sanders took the kickoff 67 yards, giving the Birds great field position at the Green Bay 34. The kickoff seemed to be the catalyst the team needed to awaken them from their slumber, as five plays later, they were in the end zone, cutting the lead to 10-7.

From then on, the Thursday night contest turned into a dogfight, with Philadelphia eventually taking a 21-20 and then a 34-27 lead for good with three minutes left in the third quarter.

But twice in the final 18 minutes of the game, Green Bay countered with long drives of 78 & 86 yards, respectively, which usually generates some points on the scoreboard for your team.

On the first of those drives, the Packers actually had 1st & Goal at the 1-yard line and looked to be in great shape to tie the game at the very least. But Green Bay coach Matt LaFleur must have thought that Halloween had arrived, as it was then that he decided to do his best Andy Reid impersonation and treat running the ball as if it was a felony. The result was the Packers coming up empty after four straight incomplete passes.

But while the Eagles, to their credit, managed to get out of the shadow of their end zone following their goal line stand, moving the ball 50 yards to the Green Bay 49 before having to punt, their inability to score on that drive meant that Aaron Rodgers would get one more shot at redemption.

The final 5:02 of that game seemed like an eternity, with the Delaware Valley watching on pins and needles and biting their nails like there was no tomorrow. But much like that magical 2017 season, when it seemed that someone would always step up to secure a victory in crunch time, it was the combination of linebacker Nigel Bradham, and little used cornerback Craig James (playing in only the 3rd defensive snap of his CAREER), who made the critical tackle on Packers wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling that resulted in the game-ending interception by Bradham.

But while the game was one for the ages, there are issues with this team that could linger for the near future.

For starters, Davante was having his way with Avonte all night (as in Packers wide receiver Davante Adams and Eagles cornerback Avonte Maddox). Adams ran roughshod, catching 10 passes for 180 yards before injuring his foot late in the game. Maddox will probably be out this week, considering he was in the injury protocal after the scary hit he took last Thursday. Add to that the fact that Ronald Darby is still out and starting cornerback Sidney Jones seems to be hurt every week, and the Birds may need their mascot Swoop to play cornerback this Sunday.

The Eagles also seem to have a bad habit of getting off to slow starts, falling behind by at least 10 points in all four of their games thus far. To their credit, they’ve come back to win two of them, but this trend can’t continue.

This week, the Birds come back home to face the NFL’s version of the “Little Sisters of the Poor”, the New York Jets. The Jets are not only bad, but they’re injured at the quarterback position, with their starting quarterback, Sam Darnold, still suffering from mononucleosis, and their backup QB, Trevor Siemian, out for the year.

With all their injuries, the quarterback duties will fall on 3rd stringer Luke Falk, who has not conjured up memories of Joe Namath based on his limited action thus far.

The Birds should win this game without much fanfare, 30-20. An easy win this week will be vital, since they will then embark on a tough three game road trip which will take them to Minnesota, Dallas, and Buffalo.

A win this week and two of three on the road would be ideal, as that would put them at 5-3 at the halfway point of their season.

As for the Jets quarterback, with a name like Luke Falk, I suspect that he could have a brilliant career on TV’s “General Hospital” should his NFL dreams not pan out.

The Last Word:

Aaron Rodgers 59-game winning streak when leading by double digits at home was the 2nd longest streak of its kind in the Super Bowl era.

The longest streak belongs to Tom Brady and the Patriots, who had an 80 game winning streak…until the Eagles beat them in Foxboro in 2015.

Amit’s Marquee Matchups of the Week (all games on Sunday and in EST unless noted otherwise):

Rams at Seahawks 8:20 PM (Thurs) FOX/NFL Network

Bills at Titans 1:00 PM CBS

Buccaneers at Saints 1:00 PM FOX

Packers at Cowboys 4:25 PM FOX

Colts at Chiefs 8:20 PM NBC

As Broad & Pattison Turns Week #3: Eagles vs. Lions

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One by one, they started falling.

First, Dallas Goedert suffered a calf injury in warmups. Then, the dynamic duo of the “Shawns”, as in DeSean Jackson and Alshon Jeffery, both suffered injuries, which meant that the Eagles top two starting wide receivers would be inactive for the night. Add Corey Clement’s shoulder and Tim Jernigan’s foot, and the blue tent on the Eagles sideline began to resemble a MASH unit.

To make matters worse, Carson Wentz took a hit to the ribs which made all of us wince when we saw it, and he ended up going through the concussion protocol before being allowed to return to the game.

But while injuries were the biggest conversation point after last week’s loss to the Falcons, the Eagles, for the 2nd straight week, failed to score any points in the 1st quarter. This continues a disturbing trend that dates back to last season, when Philadelphia was ranked 31st out of 32 teams when it came to first quarter scoring, averaging a paltry 3.2 points/game.

To the Birds credit, they bounced back, just as they had against Washington one week earlier, eventually taking the lead for the first time, 20-17, with 3:13 left in the game.

But that lead was short lived, as the Falcons, facing a 4th & 3 at their 46, managed to do what Julio Jones and the rest of his teammates could not do in the NFC divisional playoff game two seasons ago at the Linc…score the winning touchdown.

Jones caught a short screen pass, got a good block from fellow receiver Mohamed Sanu, and was off to the races, giving the Falcons the lead.

The Eagles had their chances on their final drive, going all the way down to the Atlanta 16 before a 4th & 8 pass to tight end Zach Ertz only earned them 7.9 yards (or something like that). The big play, or lack of it, on that drive was the catch that Eagles wide receiver Nelson Agholor didn’t make, which would have possibly been a touchdown and, at worst, put the Eagles in great field position with ample time left to take the lead.

But while it’s easy to criticize Agholor for that play, he did come up big in the absence of DeSean & Alshon, catching 8 receptions for 107 yards as the Eagles top wide receiver on the field.

Agholor may have to continue to play a bigger role in this week’s game against the Detroit Lions, as DeSean Jackson has been ruled out and is likely to miss next week’s game as well, which is against Green Bay on a short week.

With Alshon Jeffery (and tight end Dallas Goedert) also questionable, expect Mack Hollins as well as 2nd round draft pick JJ Arcega-Whiteside to see more playing time. Speaking of which, for all of the preseason, I thought his name was Ortega-Whiteside, which caused me to develop a craving for tacos with “Ortega” shells every time he touched the ball. Hopefully my taste for tacos reaches a climatic peak on Sunday, as that can only be a positive for the Eagles offense.

As for this week’s opponent, if you thought that the Washington Redskins have had a mediocre history as of late, that is still nothing compared to the Detroit Lions, who have won exactly ONE playoff game since they last won a championship in 1957.

One playoff win in 61 YEARS. And you thought watching the Phillies under Gabe Kapler was frustrating?

Detroit has had some winning seasons over the years, and have looked at times like they had the talent for sustained success. But if you’re a Lions fan, you must have a fetish for being teased…because every time you thought they had a chance, you were bound to end up disappointed.

The Eagles can help their cause on Sunday by actually getting off to a fast start for a change, and will need a much better game from guard Isaac Seumalo, Seumalo looked like a revolving door against the Falcons last week, which is great if you’re the Ritz-Carlton looking for a 5-star rating on TripAdvisor. Unfortunately, quite the opposite playing on the offensive line.

The Birds would do well to run the ball more often, especially if some of their skill position players won’t be playing in this game. Playing at home, especially with a tough Thursday night road game looming, I see the Eagles winning 27-20, on what will be an unusually hot mid-September day.

Amit’s Marquee Matchups of the Week (all games on Sunday and in EST unless noted otherwise):

Lions at EAGLES 1:00 PM FOX

Ravens at Chiefs 1:00 PM CBS

Saints at Seahawks 4:25 PM CBS

Texans at Chargers 4:25 PM CBS

As Broad & Pattison Turns Week #2: Birds of a Feather

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Many prognosticators looked at last week’s opening day tilt between the Eagles and Redskins and felt that the Birds might be a little rusty in the first half. Unfortunately, no one predicted that the Redskins would come out looking like a well-oiled machine that could move up and down the field at will.

Before the charcoal grills in the parking lot had even begun to cool from all the pregame tailgating, the Birds were already down 7-0, and it did not get any better from there.

The ‘Skins tacked on a field goal, and a 69-yard bomb from Case Keenum to wide receiver Terry McLaurin had the visitors from the nation’s capital up 17-0 with just under 10 minutes left in the 2nd quarter.

Save for a Wentz to DeSean Jackson touchdown pass, the Birds were down 20-7 at halftime, and the natives were already starting to get restless.

When the Eagles struggle in the 1st half at home, it is usually the halftime entertainment that suffers the wrath of the disgruntled fan, and last Sunday was no different.

The Eagles had hired an artist to render a painting at halftime, and fans could be heard yelling comments such as:

1) “THIS is the halftime entertainment?”.

2) “Wonder what Jeff Lurie is paying for this?”

3) “This is as bad as the Eagles”.

Even when the artist was finished, no one in the stands could make out exactly what he was rendering. That is, of course, till he turned his painting around to reveal a beautifully drawn Eagle.

The irony was that for most of the first half, no one could figure out what the Eagles of the football variety were doing either. But they turned it around in the 2nd half, scoring 24 unanswered points before Washington scored a meaningless touchdown with six seconds left when the game was no longer in doubt.

In the 2nd half, the Birds showed flashes of what we thought they were, as the Redskins reverted back to what we thought they were as well, which is mediocrity at its finest. The 32-27 victory, though too close for comfort to start, was a good win in what will be a tough first half of their season.

This week, the Eagles travel to Atlanta to take on another type of bird for the Sunday night NBC game. But while the Eagles have soared over the last few years, it is the Falcon that has had its wings clipped more often than not.

Three seasons ago, the Falcons were on the verge of defeating New England and winning their first ever Super Bowl. That is, until Atlanta’s offensive coaches tried to outsmart themselves, and the Patriots came back from a 25 point deficit to win, which became the greatest comeback in Super Bowl history.

While we all remember fondly the Eagles 2017 Super Bowl winning season and the great win over the Patriots, the “Philly-Philly” play, etc., it was actually the Falcons who came the closest to beating us that postseason.

Atlanta had a 4th & Goal at the 2 in the final minute of the game when an incomplete pass to Julio Jones gave the Birds a divisional playoff victory at home. If Julio catches that pass, the curse of the Eagles never winning a Super Bowl most likely lingers on today.

Instead, it is Atlanta who is still trying to climb to the mountaintop for the first time in its history. The Falcons had an injury riddled 2018, and finished with a 7-9 record to show for it. And when they were soundly defeated by Minnesota last week 28-12 (including being down 28-0 at one point), many wondered if the Falcons were for real.

If Atlanta loses this game, they will be down 0-2 and the rest of this season will be an uphill climb for local Philadelphia native and Atlanta quarterback Matt Ryan. The Falcons not only have the advantage of playing at home this week in a dome, but it will be their home opener and they want to show their fans that they are for real, especially after last week’s drubbing.

The Eagles are definitely the better team in my opinion. But the better team does not always win. For that reason, I think the Eagles keep it close but lose 28-27, especially with their suspect secondary.

But all is not lost. The Birds should still have a successful season barring major injuries. And who knows…believe it or not, the predictions of “Nostra-damit” have been proven wrong before. 😉

Amit’s Marquee Matchups of the Week (all games on Sunday and in EST unless noted otherwise):

Colts at Titans 1:00 PM CBS

Seahawks at Steelers 1:00 PM FOX

Vikings at Packers 1:00 PM FOX

Saints at Rams 4:25 PM FOX

As Broad & Pattison Turns Week #1: The Wentz Wagon Returns

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When we last left our beloved Birds, the football was seen glancing off the hands of one Alshon Jeffery and into the hands of Saints cornerback Marcus Lattimore, effectively ending the Eagles hopes of repeating as Super Bowl champions.

As Lattimore raced down the field, a dejected Jeffery lay on the ground, looking at his hands as if they had deceived him at the most inopportune time. But blaming the usually sure-handed receiver, who has been an important cog in the Eagles receiving corps since he arrived from Chicago two seasons ago, would surely be an injustice.

No, the Eagles lost that Sunday because all of the lucky breaks that had gone their way in the previous month or so finally ended. Their late-season surge to the playoffs almost made us forget that this was a team that stuttered through the gates, and were actually 4-6 at one point after a blowout 48-7 loss to the Saints in Week 11.

But the Birds managed to win five of their last six, including three in a row to end the season after quarterback Carson Wentz went down for the season. And with some luck from the Chicago Bears, who defeated the Minnesota Vikings on the last week of the season, the Eagles were in the playoffs in consecutive years for the first time since the 2009-10 seasons.

A 9-7 record and a wildcard entrance, however, meant that the team would have to win three straight on the road to repeat as champs. But after a wildcard round victory over the Chicago Bears, the same team that had assisted the Birds to receive an invite to the playoff dance to begin with, many thought that destiny would once again be in the Eagles hands.

And why not? The “double doink” that gave the Eagles the victory only reiterated to the faithful that the good fortunes of this team would continue all the way to Atlanta (site of Super Bowl 53).

And when the team got off to a 14-0 lead in the Superdome against the same Saints team that had blown them out on that same field just two months prior, all the signs were looking toward Philadelphia advancing to the NFC Championship game once again.

But the Saints would not go easily into the night, especially with a future Hall of Fame quarterback in Drew Brees. And any chances the Eagles had of coming back from a 20-14 deficit were dashed as the ball caromed off Jeffery’s hands.

But a new season brings with it the promise of another Super Bowl run, especially with a healthy Carson Wentz under center. And the Eagles went out this past offseason to make sure that Wentz has enough ammunition to get this offense going, bringing in running back Jordan Howard from the Bears and bringing back an older (and hopefully, wiser) DeSean Jackson to play wide receiver.

DeSean may not be the young whipper snapper that the Birds drafted in 2008 under then head coach Andy Reid, but he still has the ability to stretch the field with his speed, something the Eagles sorely lacked last season after Mike Wallace was injured early in the year.

Gone though, is Nick Foles, who was the equivalent of Linus’ security blanket from the classic “Peanuts” comic strip (as far as Eagles fans were concerned). Foles could always be counted on to provide comfort (as well as some clutch wins) during a period of uncertainty, and his Super Bowl victory will be etched in this fan base’s memory for a lifetime.

Should Wentz, who’s injury plagued three seasons with the Eagles mask the fact that he’s a very good quarterback when healthy, suffer the same fate once again, the quarterback duties would fall on journeyman backup Josh McCown. And while McCown has bounced around the league more than your average “bounce house” has bounced around your neighbor’s backyard, he has had the misfortune of playing on a lot of bad teams, having never reached the postseason in his seventeen years in the NFL.

If McCown was called into duty on this team, I actually think he would surprise some people with his play, though whether he can replicate Foles’ success as a backup remains to be seen.

The Birds start off their season at home against a divisional foe in the Washington Redskins, the same team that they ended with in the regular season last year (winning 24-0).

The Redskins have been pretty much mediocre since owner Dan Snyder bought the team in 1999, and will probably continue to be until he decides to sell.

The team’s high point during Snyder’s 20-year tenure has been three 10-6 seasons (1999, 2005, & 2012) and only two playoff wins to show for it, with the last one coming in 2005.

In the same span, the Redskins have had eight head coaches. So to summarize – two playoff wins, eight head coaches. Not a stat that would go over well in the City of Brotherly Love.

Speaking of which, over that same span, the Eagles under owner Jeff Lurie have had eleven seasons of ten or more wins, 14 playoff victories, and two Superbowl appearances, including their Superbowl victory two seasons ago.

Redskins fans continue to remember fondly the days of John Riggins barreling through the Miami Dolphins defense en route to a Super Bowl XVII victory, or Doug Williams relishing his “15 minutes of fame” when he put up 35 points in one QUARTER against the Broncos in Super Bowl XXII.

But as the years pass, those memories continue to fade, and ‘Skins fans are left with the bungling Dan Snyder in representing what this once storied franchise has now become.

That all bodes well for the Eagles, who will need a week 1 victory, especially considering that they have a murderous road schedule during the first half of the season. They are the only team in the NFL to have three straight road games this season, but should they get through that, they will only have to get on a plane once in the 2nd half of the season.

The Birds will struggle in the first half, as the rustiness from lack of playing during the preseason will show its effects. But the team will eventually put it together in the 2nd half, winning 27-14.

“As Broad & Pattison Turns” has returned. Let the NFL season begin and Go BIRDS!

Amit’s Marquee Matchups of the week (all times in EST and on Sunday unless noted otherwise):

Colts at Chargers 4:05 PM CBS

Steelers at Patriots 8:20 PM NBC

Texans at Saints 7:10 PM ESPN (Mon)

As Broad & Pattison Turns: From Hapless to Hopeful

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Looking back now, it’s hard to believe just how many times this team has been on the verge of playoff extinction.

On Nov. 25th, as running back Saquon Barkley raced down the field en route to a touchdown, the Eagles season was on the verge of playoff extinction.

One week prior, the Birds were throttled by the Saints, 48-7, in a game in which they were never in it from the start and looked totally overmatched.
And while injuries played a big part in the Eagles lack of success that day, it was hard to believe just how hard and fast the defending Super Bowl champions had fallen.

Now, the Birds faced a 19-3 deficit against the New York Giants, with one more Giants score basically ending the game and rendering the last five games meaningless as far as most of the fans were concerned.

It’s hard to say what went through the players’ minds at that point, but the Birds drove down the field to score a touchdown and then, with the Giants driving once again, Malcolm Jenkins made what may have been a season saving interception.

Stepping in front of Odell Beckham at the 2-yard line, Jenkins interception not only prevented New York from going back up by two scores, but catapulted the Birds to a comeback victory.

A win the following week against the Redskins put the Eagles at 6-6 for the season, but a loss in Dallas the following Sunday, in a game in which both Lady Luck and the referees seemed to conspire against the team, made their playoff chances a precarious one at best, especially with tough games against both the Rams and the Texans looming.

But the Birds surprisingly defeated the Rams on the road, and then, facing a one point deficit against Houston with 2:04 left and starting a drive at their own 11-yard line, drove down the field with Jake Elliott kicking a 35-yard field goal with no time left to give the Eagles the victory.

Elliott seems to miss the kicks that any good kicker should regularly make. Yet, he is as clutch as they come when it counts, and his game winning field goal had, once again, prevented the nail from being driven into the Eagles coffin.

With one week left to go in the regular season, and facing the Washington Redskins, a team that was now on its 3rd string quarterback, most had no doubt that the Eagles would be victorious.

But a victory alone would not be enough, as the Birds needed a Bears win over the Vikings in order to keep their season going into January.

Luckily, Chicago still had a shot to earn a bye on the final week of the season, should the 49ers upset the Rams. But what if the Rams got off to a big lead? Would Bears coach Matt Nagy decide to rest his players in the 2nd half, knowing that he had nothing to play for?

The Eagles did their part, and the Bears played most of their starters in the 2nd half, even when it was evident that their victory would be for naught.

Perhaps it was because Eagles coach Doug Pederson and Bears coach Matt Nagy are friends, having both worked on Andy Reid’s staff in Kansas City?

Whatever the reason, the Birds and the Bears had hooked up and conceived a playoff birth for the City of Philadelphia. Who needs those bees anyway…

The Eagles knew that to reach the Super Bowl again, they would have to take a much more difficult path this time, needing three straight victories on the road. And the first stop was, ironically, Chicago, to face the same team that helped them get an invite to the playoff party in the first place.

And once again, the Birds faced a one score deficit late in the 4th quarter with Nick Foles needing to drive them 60 yards for the go-ahead score. And once again, the team was one play away from their season ending when they faced 4th & Goal at the 2.

Enter Golden Tate, who had been acquired in a mid-season trade, which many questioned as a bad move. But on this day, it was Foles pass to Tate that resulted in the go-ahead touchdown.

But a short kickoff gave the Bears a great opportunity to drive down the field from their own 42, and with 10 seconds left it was up to Bears kicker Cody Parkey to win the game.

And as the kick went up and straight down the middle, the Eagles season seemed to finally have come to an end. But wait…Doug Pederson had called a timeout to ice the kicker right before the kick took place. Surely, that stuff never actually works does it?

But as Parkey kicked again following the timeout, this time, the ball did not go straight down the middle but started to slice to the left. And as a tri-state area watched with bated breath, the ball hit the goalpost and started to make it’s way downwards.

There was still the chance that the ball could fall in, away from the end zone side of the lower post, resulting in a Bears win. A few inches here and there would make the difference, but as the ball bounced back toward the end zone, Philadelphia exhaled.

Once again, the Eagles had avoided the nail in their coffin and had survived to see another day. And a fan base which had finally witnessed its first Super Bowl victory in amazing fashion just last season started to wonder if lightening could strike twice.

But the next hurdle to be overcome for the Birds will not be easy. The Saints may be the toughest test the Eagles will face should they continue this amazing journey, and the crowd inside the New Orleans Superdome will do everything in its power to make sure the Eagles next game is their last.

The Birds are an improved team, and a healthier one, from when they faced New Orleans back in Week 11. But the Saints are well rested having earned a bye last week, and motivation will not be a factor in playoff time.

If the Eagles 2018 party were to end down in the “Big Easy”, no one would be surprised. This team, after all, has been playing with house money for some time now.

But just as Bill Belichick and Tom Brady needed some good fortune bestowed on them on the way to three Lombardi trophies in four years (2001-2004), perhaps it is Doug Pederson and Nick Foles that are now riding the wave of good fortune?

If anyone can pull off an upset, it is this Eagles team that somehow, someway, always seems to escape elimination.

A team that looked hapless just a few weeks back is now hopeful that this amazing journey will continue.

E-A-G-L-E-S EAGLES.

As Broad & Pattison Turns Week #11: Difficult task in the Big Easy

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The Philadelphia Eagles, one year removed from their first ever Super Bowl title, have been doing a lousy job of defending their status as champions.

A record of 4-4 halfway through the season, with three of their four losses coming in excruciatingly painful fashion, have the faithful pulling their hair out and wondering if 2017 was simply a mirage that never really happened.

With the team opening up the 2nd half of its season against the Dallas Cowboys, a team that has been mired in mediocrity not only this season but basically since the turn of the century, this matchup seemed like the perfect tonic for whatever has been ailing the Birds.  And the oddsmakers must have felt the same way, as the Eagles were seven point favorites going in.

But when Philadelphia went on offense to start the game and promptly went three and out, I couldn’t help but think of Han Solo in those classic Star Wars movies looking over at Chewbacca and stating, “I’ve got a BAD feeling about this”.

That bad feeling continued for the first thirty minutes as the Eagles went into halftime down 13-3.  This team’s ineptitude at the beginning of games is puzzling, as they have now scored a total of 21 points during the 1st quarter all season, with 14 of those points coming in one game against the lowly New York Giants.

The Birds did manage to crawl out of their hole to start the 3rd quarter and eventually tied the game at 13-13.  But on the two occasions that they clawed their way back into a tie, Dallas’s offense, which was held in check for most of the first half, would drive down the field without much resistance to retake the lead. 

Down 27-20, the Birds reached the Dallas 30 yard line at the two-minute warning of the 4th quarter.  But on 3rd & 2, a swing pass to Corey Clement was sniffed out for a 5-yard loss, and the following play, a pass to tight end Zach Ertz, fell just one yard short of the first down. 

And while the Eagles did get the ball back with 38 seconds left, it was too little, too late.  That’s the kind of season it’s been my friends.

This team, instead of resembling a Super Bowl champion, looks very much like the 7-9 team of two years ago.  That was Doug Pederson’s first year as head coach, and that team also had the habit of losing close games that they could have won had one or two plays gone the other way.

Sitting at 4-5, the Eagles now find themselves heading to New Orleans to face the Saints, who just happen to be the top team in the NFC, a spot that the Birds held for most of last season.

Add to that the fact that the New Orleans Superdome is not an easy place to play, and the Saints feature one of the best current coach/quarterback combinations in Sean Payton & Drew Brees (second only to Tom Brady & Bill Belichick in my opinion), and one can see why the Eagles started off as nine-point underdogs.

The good news (if there is any) is that the Birds should be able to score on this defense.  The bad news is, can they actually stop the Saints offense?

Both starting cornerbacks for the Eagles (Ronald Darby & Jalen Mills) are out, with Darby out for the remainder of the season.  2nd year man Sidney Jones will return this week, and will have to earn his paycheck as the starting outside corner for the first time since his college days against a dangerous Saints offense.  Opposite him will be his fellow 2017 draft pick Rasul Douglas, who allowed eight catches last week in his first starting gig.

For some reason, I think that the Eagles will play with a lot of pride, and actually keep it close.  The question is, is this team good enough to win?

Birds lose this game, 28-24.  And let’s hope the Redskins & Cowboys do as well.  Otherwise, we may be throwing the 2018 Eagles season out with the trash on Monday morning.

Amit’s Marquee Matchups of the Week (all games on Sunday and in EST unless noted otherwise):

Texans at Redskins 1:00 PM CBS

Vikings at Bears 8:20 PM NBC

Chiefs at Rams 8:15 PM ESPN (Mon.)