Post-game
When you look up “game of your life”, expect to see a photo of Nick Foles, for at least a while, and for some time in Philadelphia.
Who could have possibly dreamt up such a scenario - two tough defenses, an outdoor, January game in the northeast. A backup quarterback and another, emerging QB under center. A blowout, with plenty of points?
No, that is not what was envisioned when we kicked off hours ago, but it’s what we got.
The Eagles were nothing short of spectacular, and the Vikings were nothing short of shameful. They showed up for one drive exactly and then it was crickets. But that gives them too much juice as to the result - the Eagles swooped down and crushed their opponents with a well rounded performance for the ages, and that’s exactly what they’ll need in two weeks time as they gear up for the 52nd edition of the Super Bowl against New England.
We’ll have plenty of Guardian coverage in the lead up to the big game, but for now, thanks for reading, and good morning, good afternoon and good night.
Vikings 7-38 Eagles, Final
There’s joy all around Philadelphia, and especially on the sideline as Nick Foles and co. bring the party on the sideline to the field.
Philly fans, with their well earned reputation are easy to dislike, but who could argue that this is anything but their day, and it is well deserved as they finalize their unexpected trouncing of the Minnesota Vikings.
They’ll face the New England Patriots in two weeks time!
WARNING! Vikings 7-38 Eagles, 2:00 4th quarter
As we hit the two-minute warning, some more email...
“David - Thank you for your coverage of the Eagles game. I am traveling on business in Worcester, UK , and I cannot turn off my electronics until I see the Eagles win the game! Cheers, Karen Hogan”
Stand by Karen, closing time is approaching.
Those poles
Here’s more on the greasing going on down in Philadelphia:
How did the city of Philadelphia prepare for an Eagles championship playoff? A lot of Crisco. https://t.co/ynbiC263EH
— The New York Times (@nytimes) January 22, 2018
Vikings 7-38 Eagles, 4:13 4th quarter
Can you start kneeling with under five minutes left?
Ajayi runs strong for nine yards, as we wait for Pederson to remove Foles for his big hug from title-starved Eagles fans.
Regardless of what happens in Super Bowl LII, that man will never pay for a Philly pretzel again.
INTERCEPTION! Vikings 7-38 Eagles, 5:52 4th quarter
Corey Graham picks off Keenum as Philadelphia continue to ladle a thick, rich, luxurious gravy out of a smoking hot pot. It’s the Vikes third turnover as their plane fires up its engines for that long ride home.
Gar-bage time
That’s what this is. The Vikes have the ball, and still attempting to score in professional fashion. They’re on the 15-yard-line of the Eagles with a fresh set of downs looking for some sort of consolation score. And you know what? Good for them.
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More email
An old colleague Mile Warde is reading all the way from downtown Vietnam, while John Hepp checks in from inside the lower 48.
“I really appreciate the coverage. A Philadelphia native and an Eagles fan, I can’t watch the game as the Eagles have lost every post-season game I’ve ever watched. The curse does not seem to follow me to Guardian commentary, so keep up the good work!
P.S. Your coverage is better than Fox!”
We will both take that money and run!
Dogs bite
The Eagles are on their way to trouncing on the haters again, and will likely wear their underdog status all the way to Minny and Super Bowl LII.
Troy Akiman of FOX TV in the US predicts a spike in online sales, which I buy, even if I won’t be buying.
Is this the end of the Cleveland Browns exclusivity in the dawg department?
'Underdog' Eagles wear dog masks after win - The Eagles were fueled all week by their underdog status for their home playoff game against the Falcons, and veterans Chris Long and Lane Johnson decided to buy, and then wear, German shepherd masks after ... https://t.co/z7Y1lPNAAW
— GhostWriterX™ (@LENJ82) January 14, 2018
More email:
Joe Balfour says:
“Hi David,
Massive Eagles fan who’s been at work all day, am absolutely exhausted, so kind of stunned at what’s going on. It’s real right? Not a dream? We are winning?”
It’s real, and it’s spectacular.
Vikings 7-38 Eagles, 12:29 4th quarter
On 4th down, Keenum is hit as he throws, incomplete!
DT Fletech Cox makes the mayhem as the Vikes QBN walks off, looking lonely and dejected. Sad!
Kelly and Marilyn write:
“We do not have a TV, so we are TRULY enjoying your “commentary” in our office in Kingman, AZ. Will you also be doing the Super Bowl?”
The Guardian will have all the Super Bowl action live as always - thanks for sticking with us!
Vikings 7-38 Eagles, 12:33 4th quarter
3rd & 10 from the Eagles 48. Keenum runs to his right and takes it himself for eight yards, short of the first down.
Yes, they will go for it, but not yet. Timeout Minnesota, who want to make sure they get this just right.
Quote of the day
“The Vikings, offensively, they haven’t been all that good.”
-Troy Aikman, FOX TV in the US.
Even I can provide analysis like that!
Nick Foles
He’s got himself a perfect QB rating, three TD passes and 341 yards.
What’s the Vegas line going to be? Patriots -6?
Right now in Philly...
They are singing cause they’re winning.
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TOUCHDOWN! Vikings 7-38 Eagles, 14:10 3rd quarter.
Another deadly strike from the golden arm of Nick Foles: Jeffery has his second TD catch of the game, smack dab in the middle of the endzone.
There’s a little extra curricular action between the teams after, football fights always a pathetic affair.
Vikings 7-31 Eagles, end of 3rd quarter
The Eagles want more: they’re at the five, and now Ajayi runs it up the gut for three yards.
The quarter is over but the party continues in Philadelphia where even greased up light poles may not be enought to keep Eagles fans from climbing high in celebrations tonight!
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Vikings 7-31 Eagles, 0:51 3rd quarter
On third down, Foles is forced to his right and is on the run - no problem, he flings the football like he’s skipping rocks on a lake and finds Agholor, who catches and runs, and then runs some more.
That’s ridiculous, and that’s 42 more yards. Otherworldly.
Eagles at the Vikes 23.
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Vikings 7-31 Eagles, 3:22 3rd quarter
Run, run, run: the Eagles and the clock. Now on 3rd & 5 Foles throws, and finds Ertz, who is having one heck of a day.
That’s a first down to keep that clock running. FOX TV in the US says that only two tight ends have registered over 50 yards against Minnesota all year long, and Ertz is over 80.
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CALL REVERSED! Vikings 7-31 Eagles, 6:21 3rd quarter
They didn’t mess it up, and the call is altered in favor of the home team which has it all going for them right now.
The Eagles take over on their own seven-yard line as gthey look to start chewing up huge chunks of clock.
PLAY UNDER REVIEW! Vikings 7-31 Eagles, 6:21 3rd quarter
Fire and brimstone in Philly as the crowd gives it all it has!
Keenum drops back and throws into the endzone - Thielen juggles, has it, somehow and that’s a touchdown!
Or is it?
Replay says it touched the ground, but since it was called a TD, it will have to be definitive.
It’s definitive, but they could still mess this up.
Vikings 7-31 Eagles, 6:27 3rd quarter
Keenum finds McKinnon for a first down and the drive continues...then he throws three consecutive incomplete passes and the drive is dead.
It’s 4th & goal and Zimmer is going to go for it, for whatever reason.
Michael Aston checks in with the latest of many Pats conspiracy theories:
“On the Pat’s pre determined win...One penalty and every call going the Cheats way..I think many of us are about to give up on the WitchKraft NFL…Not sure why any team would bother winning this one, The NFL has already called it… Minnesota, where’s ya miracle? I’ll watch...”
Expect more where that came from.
Vikings 7-31 Eagles, 7:22 3rd quarter
But hold on, back to our regularly scheduled programming.
The Vikings are engineering a drive and find themselves on the Eagles 18, but now they face a key 3rd & 10.
Center Pat Elfein is shaken up on a play so we wait for Minnesota’s must-have conversion.
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Pat Shurmur
FOX TV in the US is saying that Vikings offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur will become the next head coach of the New York Giants, very very soon. Like, maybe in about 45 minutes.
Email:
Patrick Corrigan wants to know:
“Who do you think is better prepared for the game against the Patriots between these two teams?”
Well, unless there’s a meltdown, it’s gonna be the Eagles (how is that for analysis?).
I like their chances...against any other team on the planet right now.
TOUCHDOWN! Vikings 7-31 Eagles, 10:05 3rd quarter
The razzle-dazzle, flea-flicking Eagles have done it again!
Smith takes another deadly accurate dart into the endzone - making the play close to the first pylon on the far side. A spectacular catch and an even better play from Foles, whose world we are just renting right now folks!
Vikings 7-24 Eagles, 10:11 3rd quarter
Smith breaks away on a screen and has a first down reception - yet another back-breaking play against the Vikes defense that has been made to look small this evening.
Vikings 7-24 Eagles, 11:32 3rd quarter
Who knows what kind of whopping Vikings coach put on his team at halftime. But the Anthony Barr just put one on Foles, who hit the dirt hard.
He’s up though and no sign of backup Nate Sudfeld just yet.
It’s 3rd & 6. Vikings D needs to make a play, obviously.
We're back
The Eagles have the ball in the suddenly God-like hands of Foles.
Already an impressive play-action pass into the safe hands of Smith for a first down.
The man is hot.
Be warned
If you’re in the friendly confines of Philadelphia, you’ve been warned.
Nick Foles
He doesn’t look like Carson Wentz right now. He looks like Joe Montana. Or Peyton Manning. Or Aaron Rogers. Or...Tom Brady.
We mentioned before the game that he was trending upwards, especially with a pair of 100 QB rating games under his belt. But this is something different. This is something special. He’s 15/22 with a TD and in complete command, distributing the ball well, using all his weapons and making plays, like the Jeffery bomb that blew up Lincoln Financial Field.
At this point, the only question is, can he possibly keep this threading of the NFL’s top defense up?
Are we heading towards the first Meteor Game in Super Bowl history? @LengelDavid
— Hunter Felt (@HunterFelt) January 22, 2018
If the score holds up, it’s gonna be some kind of bummer out there in Minny.
FIELD GOAL! Vikings 7-24 Eagles, halftime
Elliot punches an exclamation point through the uprights as the Eagles complete what must feel like a dream first half!
They are no doubt pinching themselves in Philly, wondering if it’s too good to be true. And, you know, with them, it usually...
NO, I’m not going to do that.
Vikings 7-21 Eagles, 0:04 2nd quarter
Ajayi has a screen pass, he breaks a tackle down the far sideline for 13 yards - timeout Philly as elliot comes out for a 38-yard fieldgoal.
Whoa Nelly!
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Vikings 7-21 Eagles, 0:17 2nd quarter
Ertz springs loose and has a 36-yard completion! Eagles into field goal territory!
Where is the Vikings defense?
Vikings 7-21 Eagles, 0:24 2nd quarter
Keenum draws a crowd and he’s throws while Chris Long grabs his foot, which is not easy, believe me. It’s incomplete (no surprise) and the Vikings come away empty when really they needed something to say, hey, we’re still alive.
Now they’ll head into the halftime knowing they’ve done jack since the opening drive of this game.
Question is, will Philly look for more or play it conservatively?
Vikings 7-21 Eagles, 0:44 2nd quarter
McKinnon out of the backfield one more time, catch and out of bounds, a four-yard gain.
Now Keenum is looking for Diggs - incomplete on the far sideline: it’s incomplete.
It’s 3rd & 6.
Vikings 7-21 Eagles, 0:50 2nd quarter
Big possession for Minnesota, who would love something, anything, here. They have all their timeouts.
Keenum kinds McKinnon on second down, setting up a 3rd & 3.
Shotgun Keenum, quick over the middle to Wright - that’s a first down and a timeout on the field. Big play right there to keep the drive going.
Vikings 7-21 Eagles, 1:09 2nd quarter
Foles throws two balls away, setting up a 3rd & 10 from the Eagles 46.
Now Foles is in traffic, but he’s hanging in a Vikings crowd, for quite some time actually...and now he airs it out - Jeffery is in the endzone and hauls in a touchdown catch! It’s a 53-yard TD reception: Jefferey was WIDE OPEN, and it’s a backbreaking score towards the end of the half to open this NFC Championship game up!
Vikings 7-14 Eagles, 1:25 2nd quarter
Foles throws a screen to his left - Corey Clement has it, and Anthony Barr has him...until he doesn’t! Clement spins away and has a key first down for Philadelphia!
WARNING! Vikings 7-14 Eagles, 2:00 2nd quarter
So a promising Vikings drive yields another miscue, and now it’s up to Minnesota’s defense to try and hold.
Right away we have a 3rd & 6 as we hit the two minute warning.
It’ll be interesting to see how much Doug Pederson is willing to let Foles do in his own territory, with time running down in the half and his team holding a lead.
TURNOVER! Vikings 7-14 Eagles, 3:16 2nd quarter
On 3rd & 5, Keenum is under pressure and here comes Barnett who swats the ball loose! Chris Long has it and the Vikings have turned the ball over for a second time!
Vikings 7-14 Eagles, 4:07 2nd quarter
McKinnon has a screen pass and he’s running, a little cut right, a little more run, and it’s 13 more yards for Minnesota’s offense. They’ve come back with a strong drive, trying to move that momentum their way.
They’re at the Eagles 20.
Vikings 7-14 Eagles, 5:41 2nd quarter
Big 3rd & 6 for Minnesota after an incomplete pass and a short run.
Keenum is back, throws, and it’s to you-know-who - Stefon Diggs on the far sideline, and that’s a first down just past midfield. Diggs has five catches for 50 yards.
Keenum is passing again: this time it’s not Diggs, but Adam Thielen who has 12 yards.
Vikings on the move!
Vikings 7-14 Eagles, 8:03 2nd quarter
Angels outfielder and southern Jersey boy Mike Trout looks on as Minnesota look to get something going - and here is a big completion to Diggs, who seems to be Keenum’s only target - he’s wide open on the far sideline for 22 yards! That moves the Vikes up to their 39.
Vikings 7-14 Eagles, 9:19 2nd quarter
Eric Kendricks hits Foles as he throws incomplete and it sets up a 3rd & 7...
...now here comes the Vikings D - Danielle Hunter wraps up the Eagles QB and sends the Eagles QB hard to the turf!
The Minnesota defense, badly needed to establish themselves as a force to settle down their team, and they have done just that.
Punt, fair catch, Vikes start from their 15.
Vikings 7-14 Eagles, 10:10 2nd quarter
Foles, in the shotgun. He has time, pump fakes, steps up fires (on the wrong foot) and finds Ertz, who was on a long route from midfield to the sideline - that’s a first down and a gain of 15. Eagles at midfield!
Vikings 7-14 Eagles, 11:12 2nd quarter
Minnesota’s defense need to make a play. They need to show everyone what made them no1 in yards against, now.
After a short run and an incomplete pass, it’s 3rd & 8.
Vikings 7-14 Eagles, 11:54 2nd quarter
Now it’s even louder in Philadelphia: Keenum has Diggs, again, for about seven yards over the middle on second down. That sets up a 3rd & 2...
Keenum in the shotgun - Jenkins is blitzing and in his face and the Vikes QB is pushed down after an errant pass on his back foot - incomplete!
The Eagles hold on and have the ball back after a 10-yard Barner return lands the home team on their 30.
The Vikings looked so good not so long ago - then the pick-six momentum change, so incredible, so big, so sudden, so dramatic.
Peter Settli says:
“So I’m watching the game on a not quite kosher streaming site - but gave up. The number of commercials is absolutely ridiculous. Will check in with you from time to time instead.”
What a jolly good idea: tell all your friends!
TOUCHDOWN! Vikings 7-14 Eagles, 13:37 2nd quarter
LeGarrette Blount has a head of steam, and he blows over Andrew Sendejo, the Vikes last line of defense on the line: he’s in for a TD and the Eagles have grabbed the lead!
Vikings 7-7 Eagles, 13:45 2nd quarter
On 2nd & short, Jay Ajayi is looking for space, but Minnesota run blitz to wrap up the RB.
On 3rd & 1, Foles has time, and a man on the near sidleine: it’s Ertz, who sneaks off from the end of the line to find room and an Eagles first down on the 11!
Vikings 7-7 Eagles, end of 1st quarter
Philly fans stand and cheer for their men as the first quarter closes with a nine-yard Jeffery reception that puts the Eagles in the red zone on the Minnesota 17.
Foles is 6/9 with 54 mistake free yards, exactly what is required of the backup QB.
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Vikings 7-7 Eagles, 0:25 1st quarter
It’s 3rd & 10: Foles steps into his throw and finds his tight end Zach Ertz, who catches the pill short of the first down, and then goes to work for the exta yards - a fine play by the tight end...who is at it again now!
Back-to-back catches by Ertz, this time over the middle for nine yards.
The Eagles are inside the Vikings 30, and this is not the vaunted defense Minnesota are supposed to be showcasing on this stage.
Vikings 7-7 Eagles, 2:18 1st quarter
FOX TV in the US tells us that indoor teams are 0-12 in conference championship games played outdoors.
Here’s Ajayi on his first carry and he makes quite an entrance, swirling and whirling through the Vikings defense for 13 yards and an Eagles first down.
Now he’s at it again, this time running up the middle for seven yards. And this is exactly what Foles needs against theVikings defense: a ground game to open up the secondary.
Case in point: Foles is able to find Jeffery for eight yards and the Eagles are on the move and across midfield.
Vikings 7-7 Eagles, 4:57 1st quarter
Diggs has it on the near sideline but Malcom Jenkins grabs on to his leg and won’t let him go. It’s a measly one-yard gain on third and long and the Vikings have to punt.
Barner calls for a fair catch, and Foles will start on his own 25.
Vikings 7-7 Eagles, 5:47 1st quarter
Patrick Robinson celebrates on the sidelines with a can of oxygen after running half the field for his TD, all after a wild sequence of events changes the score and the mood in Philadelphia.
Now it’s the Vikings offense who will swallow hard and try to settle down after gifting a touchdown to their opponents. They start at their 25 after the touchback.
Murray runs ahead on first down for four yards. Now there’s pressure on the QB after a play-action gone wrong and an incomplete pass.
The crowd smells blood on 3rd & 6.
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TOUCHDOWN! Vikings 7-7 Eagles, 6:26 1st quarter
The crowd is up and loud.
Keenum is in the shotgun. He’s back to pass and throws into the arms of Patrick Robinson...who is not a Vikings wide receiver, but rather, an Eagles corner! He’s running right across the field and takes the long way home into the endzone!
That’s a 50 yard pick-six for the home team, whose fans are feeling a tad better right about now!
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Vikings 7-0 Eagles, 6:47 1st quarter
Keenum throws towards Diggs who can’t come up with it: the wideout does catch a knee to the back and he’s shaken up.
There’s an injury timeout and when we return the Eagles will try to hold on third down: Minnesota are on their own 43-yard-line and need eight yards to keep this drive going.
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Vikings 7-0 Eagles, 6:55 1st quarter
Stephon Diggs is streaking toward the far sideline and now he has the ball to boot - it’s a first down catch for Minnesota as the Eagles lose their chance to make a quick stand on defense.
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Vikings 7-0 Eagles, 7:14 1st quarter
The Philly defense need to show they’re conscious.
First play, Keenum looks left and fires incomplete looking for Diggs on the sideline.
Then McKinnon gets wrapped up for no gain!
Big 3rd & 10 coming up!
Vikings 7-0 Eagles, 8:29 1st quarter
Burton is completely open and makes the catch, but there’s a problem. He’s out of bounds, for whatever reason we will never really know.
Philly punt, Sherels calls for a fair catch, and Shelton Gibson runs into him because he’s asleep at the wheel. That’s 15 yards tacked on for the Vikings, who say, thank you very much.
Minnesota start at their 29 instead of their 14.
Mess.
Vikings 7-0 Eagles, 8:46 1st quarter
An early gut-check for Philly here, who just got cut in the opening round. How will they respond? After a touchback they start on their 25.
Foles rolls right on the play-action on his very first play from scrimmage - it’s complete to Agholor for 11 yards.
Now he takes a shot way down field!
It’s incomplete to Smith: Foles was a little off but it should have been caught.!
So Philly aren’t shy, this we know.
It’s 3rd & 4...
TOCUHDOWN! Vikings 7-0 Eagles, 10:14 1st quarter
Kyle Rudolph is wide open in the far corner of the endzone and the tight end ices this drive with a TD reception!
Where was the Eagles coverage there? The deadened Philly crowd is wondering the same thing as the home team allows the visitors to come and and smack them around, lickety split.
Nine plays, 75 yards. Too easy.
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Vikings 0-0 Eagles, 10:30 1st quarter
Keenum is back to pass again and he has time, just enough to find Adam Thilen on the far sideline for another first down.
A great start for Minnesota who look to be quite comfortable on this field that was re-sodded this week.
Vikings 0-0 Eagles, 12:12 1st quarter
Latavius Murray starts us off with a pair of runs, both up the middle: one for six, and a second for two yards. It’s 3rd & 2...
Jerick McKinnon takes a hand-off and spins for a first down at the Vikes 35.
Here’s Murray again, and this time it’s from Keenum, whose first pass is a screen left for 11 yards and another first down.
Vikings are up near midfield and on the move!
Kickoff!
It took a one of the most miraculous plays in NFL history to get Minnesota to this NFC Championship - are Mike Zimmer’s Vikings destined to become the first team to play in their own park in Super Bowl LII?
Will Nick Foles force his worst-to-first, underdog Eagles into a third Super Bowl?
We’re about to find out because we’re underway: The Vikings receive and will start at their 25 after a touch back. Philly will get the ball after the half.
Greasing up for a big game
The Associated Press brings us this news:
Workers in Philadelphia are greasing light poles in a bid to prevent fans from climbing up them after the NFC Championship game. Officials say the grease should make the poles too slippery to climb.
Philly folks have always had an interesting way of showing off their City of Brotherly Love moniker.
Meanwhile, the Eagles are out on the field and kickoff is coming right up.
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Bringing it home
No team has ever played a Super Bowl game in their own stadium, and so there’s two ways of looking at that. First off, it’s over 50 years, so we’re due for that against the odds set up to cash in. Of course, the other way is that this is something that is never going to happen, and that’s another reason to take the Eagles.
It’s worth noting that the San Francisco 49ers played the Miami Dolphins in Super Bowl XIX just a 40 minute drive from their former Candlestick Park home back in 1984, but that doesn’t count. Overall, five teams have played in their home state.
Viking Invasion
Vikings fans doing the "Skol" chant on the top of the Rocky Steps at the Philadelphia Museum of Art: pic.twitter.com/nXemI2gSGJ
— Ben Goessling (@GoesslingStrib) January 21, 2018
I hope that folks sprung for security.
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Prediction time
I like the Eagles for several reasons.
-Foles had a QB rating of over 100 again last week, and if he does it again that will be three straight triple digit games. This is probably a good time to remind everybody that not only is Jeff Hostetler, Giants backup from 1990 a Super Bowl champion, but so is the underwhelming Trent Dilfer, who was a starter for the Tampa Bay Bucs when their dominant defense won the teams only title. So you don’t need to be Joe Montana or Tom Brady to get to or win the Super Bowl. Foles just has to make the most of his weapons, which are plenty, and not try to do too much.
-I like the a good defense at home: they will make life for Case Keenum extremely difficult.
-The disrespect factor looms large here. Philadelphia are underdogs, at home, for a second straight week. That’s only because they lost Wentz, but still, that is a huge slap and Doug Pederson is playing that up big time.
-Jake Elliot is a kicking machine and was the MVP of the Eagles win over the Falcons last week. Yes, he missed an extra point, but he’s a rookie kicker on a roll, months removed from the Bengals practice squad.
I am taking the Eagles 20-17. How about you?
The GOAT
Like it or not, Tom Brady is probably the greatest of all time, and the greatest of all time has done it yet again. This time he’s overcome a 10-point second half deficit, without his enormous target, Rob Gronkowski, who he lost to a concussion. It was a new version of an old Brady trick - he now has 42 fourth quarter comebacks, second only to Peyton Manning. His eight playoff fourth quarter comebacks are a record.
Brady also beat down his Tom Coughlin curse, and so his Patriots are heading to the Super Bowl for a ridiculous tenth time in franchise history.
Weather
You would expect an NFC Championship game in the northeast to feature mid-winter misery for all, but actually, it’s a tailgaters delight out there, a balmy 47 Fahrenheit, sometimes known as 8.333333 Celsius. So, it’s cozy: perhaps a bit too nice for the Eagles’ opponents who are used to the dome. There’s probably more movement inside the Vikings arena from the climate control than there will be tonight from winds which are a measly 3MPH. Advantage Minnesota.
Hola!
Hello, and welcome to our coverage of the NFC Championship.
It’s a battle of cursed clubs that have combined to go 0-6 in the Super Bowl, and a match-up of fan bases that are collectively sitting on a series of ledges located in and around Eastern Pennsylvania and Minnesota. The winners get an opportunity to take their agita to defcon five while awaiting LII to kick off: a prize no true fan would ever turn down.
The Eagles were on cruise control until they lost Carson Wentz during an MVP-like season that elevated his status to “franchise.” Now Philadelphia are in pure Jeff Hostetler territory, riding a talented team without their star QB under center, through the playoffs, to the brink of the big game. It can be done, has been done and so Eagles fans - and yes, this is a real stretch - should feel good about that.
They should also be feeling positive about their multi-faceted rushing attack, a core of receivers that make plays, and of course, their defense, one that allowed the fourth fewest yards in the NFL this season: a group that are only overshadowed by their opponents.
Yes, the Vikings, unquestionably, have the best defense on paper today, and a bruising reputation to go along with it. It’s worth mentioning however, that Minnesota’s vaunted D did show vulnerabilities against the Saints last week, a team with more current offensive fire power than the Eagles for sure. Still, they played New Orleans in an controlled dome environment, at home, and featured a few fractures.
Now they’re forced to showcase their skills in hell, Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, a city that seems to be more worried about crowd celebrations in victory than defeat. To win, the Minnesota defense will probably have to be the best unit on the field, because Nick Foles is competent enough, trending upwards in confidence, and backed by an Eagles defense will undoubtedly make trouble for Case Keenum.
We’ll have more in just a few ticks, but for now, please enjoy what’s left of the Patriots and Jaguars classic, and get your popcorn ready for this underrated NFC Championship game. It’s also worth mentioning that you too can be a part of our coverage: tweet me at @lengeldavid or send over an email.
David will be here shortly. In the meantime here’s DJ Gallo’s story on how the Vikings and Eagles have made it to the brink of the Super Bowl without a star quarterback.
