The last time the Eagles went to the Super Bowl, I was certain they were
going to win. After all, I had just witnessed my heroes smash the hated Cowboys in the NFC Championship. I can still remember from my perch in the 500 level of the frozen Vet, wearing the #17 of the great Harold Carmichael, the Birds defense smother Tony Dorsett and pound Danny White, and Wilbert Montgomery bursting to daylight, leaving Dallas defenders in the dust. After such domination, what was there to fear from some wild-card Raiders team that after all, we had beaten early in the year. I was absolutely certain we would win. I was also 7.
But it was not to be. The defining memories of that game are of course, are of Jaworski tossing interceptions to Raiders LB Rod Martin, and the screen pass that Kenny King somehow broke for a long TD. Every big play went against the Eagles, and Raiders prevailed 27-10. Older and wiser, it is easy to explain what happened. The Eagles had peaked emotionally with a win over Dallas, Vermeil's manic energy, rather than inspiring over-achieving as usual, instead led to a tight, skittish crew. A team that had won all year with its defense, and a low-risk, ball-control offense, made mistakes and fell behind early. And those Eagles were not built for playing come from behind football.
The Vermeil Eagles fizzled out without ever making another title run. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, the Reggie White-Randall Cunningham Eagles, teased but underachieved in the playoffs. A combination of Ryan's awful offensive gameplanning (1989 and 1990) and lakefront fog (1988) and injury (1991) halted the team at its peak. The Ray Rhodes Eagles of the mid-90s were solid clubs that never flirted with greatness.
The same cannot be said of the Eagles latest run. The Eagles of Andy Reid and Donovan McNabb have had sustained periods of greatness for the past four seasons, but have until now, fallen short of the Super Bowl.
So will these Eagles finally win the team's first NFL title of my liftime? Will they ultimately end the suffering of the Eagles Nation and defeat the favored, defending champion Patriots in Super Bowl XXXIX?
My head says that while they have a fighting chance, that its more likely than not the error-free Pats will prevail. My heart says absolutely - that we are more than overdue, and this game is the Eagles date with destiny.
I believe that the Eagles' underrated defense will rise up and shine in this game. That they will continue to do what they do best - prevent big plays, and keep teams out of the endzone. Corey Dillon will get his yards, and Brady might move the chains, but on the whole the Pats will be contained to a 1 or 2 TDs and a number of Vinatiri FGs. What will determine the game is the ability of the Eagles offense to aggressively challenge the Patriots defense without turning the ball over. The Patriots will most likely try to muscle the Eagles wideouts, and drop the LBs into coverage to clog the short routes and contain Westbrook. The Eagles will a superlative performance by McNabb, one in which he thwarts the Patriots cover schemes with his scrambling and takes advantage of the opportunities when the wideouts are able to release long, all without being forced into an uncharacteristic interception.
I have faith that McNabb will come through with an MVP performance, that Owens will make at least one spectacular play that will justify all the hype, that Dawkins will jar at least one ball loose from a Patriots receiver, that Kearse will disrupt Brady's timing, that Trotter will stuff Dillon on a critical third down, that Westbrook will break off at least one game-breaking run, reception or return, that Akers will make a clutch FG, that Reid, Childress and Johnson will match Belicek, Weis and Crennel, adjustment for adjustment. I believe, no I am absolutely certain they will prevail - in fact, 24 years later, I haven't changed a bit.
Eagles 23 Patriots 19.
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