So Long and Goodnight, Eagles
It was a good run, wasn’t it?
It’s hard to feel too much anguish about the Eagles being unceremoniously booted from the playoffs by the juggernaut that is Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints. I mean, it sucks that we aren’t going to the Super Bowl, obviously, but can any true fan deny that we have been living on borrowed time since BDN stepped in for an injured Carson Wentz and catapulted the Eagles out of a losing season into several critical wins and sudden wildcard playoff contention.
It was a big hope that we were going to get anywhere against the Saints, and for a little while – one quarter, exactly – it looked like maybe we stood a chance. The Eagles came out swinging with two touchdowns in quick succession after kickoff, catapulting the team to an early 14-point lead. I don’t know if the team ran out of juice or rested on their laurels, but that was about the sum of all they got done for the game. For the next 45 minutes, the Saints chipped away at their deficit, eventually building a lead. The Eagles, flagging by just 6 points – or one touchdown – looked like they were actually putting some steam behind them in the closing moments as the clock ticked away the game’s final minutes. We had the field, Foles was locked and loaded, and it looked for several golden (Tate) moments like victory could maybe be ours. And then it happened… a heartbreaking butterfingers fumble by Alshon Jeffrey right at the two-minute whistle, which got the ball safely back in the arms of the Saints, ensuring their win as time ran out.
I’m reminded of that old Super Bowl commercial that showed bulky football players basking on the beach, in pools, or playing with their kids, to the tune of Annie’s “Tomorrow.” Come February 8th, whether it’s the Saints, Rams, Pats, or Chiefs who steal the Lombardi, we’ll all be undefeated again. The offseason brings with it the siren song of a fresh start, and the possibility that Foles may have stolen himself a franchise quarterback position. We’ll see, Philadelphia.
We’ll see.
