It’s time! We’ve waited 2 very long weeks, filled with monotonous media coverage and cliche’ storylines, but now it’s time to actually play the game. The 2 weeks in between the NFC Championship and now pales in comparison to the decades that Eagles fans have been waiting for a team that they can finally call “champions”. Generations have gone by. Family members and close friends that once cheered for the Eagles with you are now lost. One Super Bowl victory would have made their lives so much happier, even if only for a moment, but they didn’t get to see it. Championships cannot be taken for granted. The Eagles take the field today and if they don’t get it done who knows when they’ll be back. It could be another decade. It could be 13 years just like the time between this Super Bowl and the last one. What if it’s 24 years like the distance between Super Bowl 15 and Super Bowl 39? All of our lives will change dramatically over time. Loved ones who you will be watching the game with today may not be there the next time the Eagles get to the Super Bowl.
It’s time. It’s time for the Eagles to bring one home. This fanbase is ready to burst at the seams, starving for a championship. We love our Eagles. The city needs this. This is for generations of Eagles fans who never got to see it. It’s time boys. It’s time to be called SUPER BOWL CHAMPIONS.
This team has been built for this moment. The Eagles are built to play winning football in December and January. “Play defense and run the ball”, that’s been the formula that’s stood the test of time in the NFL. They can throw waves of defenders at you on the defensive line and in the secondary. Credit to Howie Roseman and Joe Douglas for how deep this roster really is. Offensively I can’t remember a team with this many weapons. Maybe not studs, but weapons who are seasoned professional football players. The offensive line has been fantastic all year. In terms of a championship roster, the pieces are in place.
Which leads me to Foles. Nick Foles is such a great story. We’ve heard it all week so there’s no need to reiterate it but the Eagles need Nick Foles to play well in order to achieve their goal. He has to make smart throws and reads. He must protect the ball at all costs. He cannot turn it over or be inaccurate otherwise it could get ugly. There’s something about that quarterback room this year though that’s clicking and that’s including the coaches. The faith and devotion to God seems to have brought a calmness to the group where neither Carson or Nick could be rattled. Don’t underestimate the work that Carson is doing behind the scenes to make sure that Nick is as prepared as he can be. Now Nick has to just trust his faith and trust in his preparation and go play ball.
The only thing that I found regrettable in the lead up to this game is that I wanted to Eagles to show a little more humility. I’m not talking about “kissing the ring” as Rex Ryan once said, but just being humble in your success and respect your opponent. Don’t start planning a parade like last time. Don’t call out any of the other players. Don’t give the Patriots any bulletin board material because they definitely feed off that and certainly do go guaranteeing a victory.
They almost made it through the 2 weeks. They even made it through the circus that is media day just fine. On the last day of media availability here goes Alshon Jeffery guaranteeing victory (face palm). Why!? Why would you do that!? I thought, “Well there’s no Freddie Mitchell on the team this time so I don’t have to worry about any of that”, but it happened anyway. Then I start seeing tweets about potential days for the Eagles parade. Win the game first! Even the great Brian Dawkins says at the NFL awards on Saturday night that the Eagles are winning the game. ook, I’m a big believer in karma and ju-ju’s, like the movie Silver Linings Playbook, and I just really wish that things like that hadn’t gotten out. I was feeling much better about today before these things happened.
Kobe Bryant tweeted out after the NFCCG instructing the Eagles to “focus” on the task at hand. The mission was not accomplished yet and a great champion like Kobe surely recognizes that. The Patriots are a team of men just like the Eagles. They are not some supernatural force that many pundits make them out to be. To be honest, their “greatness” is highly debatable. Surely they are the most fortunate team any of us has ever seen. The first part of their dynasty is highly questionable given the spy-gate scandal and three 3 point Super Bowl wins. Then they lose 2 to the Giants, who had very similar teams to the one we’ll be putting out on the field today. Then the last 2 Super Bowls they were in where it took 2 all time gaffes by each of their opponents to win the games. They are well prepared for sure and will definitely push the boundaries of the rule book but they are not unbeatable.
The Eagles need to dominate at the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball. They need to win the time of possession battle and they can’t turn the ball over. Winning the battle on 3rd downs will be a key. It’s going to take 60 minutes of football to beat the Patriots because you know they’re going to keep coming. If they can force a turnover or 2 and/or make a big play on special teams that will go a long way towards winning the game.
It’s time. It’s time to get revenge for the 2005 Super Bowl. It’s time for you and your friends and your loved ones and all the people that have passed on and are not in your lives anymore to finally celebrate that ever elusive Eagles championship. IT’S TIME TO DETHRONE THE PATRIOTS!
Would you rather have played a team led by Case Keenum or Blake Bortles in the Super Bowl and have a better shot at a championship or would you rather go through Tom Brady and the Patriots machine? Most fanbases would take Keenum or Bortles and say “give me the easiest path to the championship” but that’s not Philly is it? To be the man, you gotta beat the man, and standing in our way happens to be the “Greatest of all Time”. I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Enjoy this day. It’s Super Bowl Sunday and our Eagles are playing football. Do not take it for granted. To my fellow Eagles family, it’s time….
Fly Eagles Fly.
Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
