The Eagles are headed to the Super Bowl. An incredible win over the Vikings means the Birds will indeed be following the Vikings back to Minnesota to attempt to win it all on their soil. Here are some of the players who really stepped up to make that possible.
Nick Foles:
What more could be said about Nick Folean Dynamite other than he was nearly perfect? It’s been a wobbly few weeks for Foles since he first inherited the starting role, but throwing for 3 touchdowns and 352 yards against one of the league’s best defenses was anything but wobbly. Foles exuded confidence on every throw. The touch on his deep balls were fueling the offense to take more shots and his accuracy across the board was stunning. If he can replicate that in two weeks time, the Eagles may just have a chance at winning the Super Bowl.
Chris Long:
The veteran defensive end had a superb night in the NFC Championship game. Long worked consistently on the Vikings right tackle and helped force Keenum’s first interception along with adding another QB hit to his tally. Long flushed Keenum out of the pocket on several different occasions which is exactly what the Doctor ordered.
Patrick Robinson:
Perhaps the most exciting moment of the game was Robinson’s pick six. Directing traffic by telling players where to block, the veteran corner weaved his way through player after player en-route to the end zone to completely shift momentum back in favor of the Eagles. A big-time play from a big-time player.
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Zach Ertz:
Often criticized for his lack of YAC ability, Ertz proved a lot of people wrong on Sunday. With a huge 36-yard reception headlining the evening, Ertz averaged 11.6 yards per reception, leading the Eagles in receiving and catching all 8 of the passes thrown his way, with several coming in big situations to move the sticks.
Torrey Smith:
After dropping a deep-shot on the opening drive, Torrey Smith redeemed himself with a beautiful touchdown later in the game…and you could see what it meant to him. Catching 5 passes for 69 total yards, Smith stepped up when it mattered most and overcame an early mental setback to help the team build a big lead.
Jay Ajayi:
Leading the Eagles in all-purpose yards, Ajayi racked up 4.1 yards per carry on the ground as the Birds balanced the offense perfectly yet again. Ball security concerns disappeared and Ajayi ran riot on a big 16-yard run to dig the dagger in deeper into the Vikings chest.
Mychal Kendricks:
Against his brother, Mychal Kendricks had a huge night. Leading the team in 8 tackles, the Birds started off sloppy defending the run, but the lateral quickness and great angles by Kendricks ensured that storm only lasted a drive or two. Without Dannell Ellerbe, the Eagles were tested at the second level, but Kendricks played a great game to keep the impact of that loss to a minimum.
Offensive line:
Foles was sacked just one time all night and hit 5 times in the win over Minnesota, while Blount, Clement and Ajayi all had a 10+ yard run, a stat the Eagles led the NFL in this season. The blocking was superb up front throughout the contest and from Lane Johnson to Halapoulivaati Vaitai, everybody deserves credit.
The fans:
The Linc may as well have been physically shaking at one point. From adopting the “SKOL” chant to “FOLES”, to roaring whenever Keenum and the offense were on the field, the Eagles really did have a 12th man advantage on Sunday.
Mandatory Credit: James Lang-USA TODAY Sports
