What They're Saying: Eagles Fight On

You know how every time a team that was down and out makes a come back and they say how they were the only ones to believe in themselves? I don't even think these Eagles can say that. After the Birds lost to the Redskins, many of the Birds thought their season was over. They had no idea there was that slim chance they could get a playoff birth. So what are they saying now that they're one win away from the Super Bowl?

Brian Dawkins isn't satisfied just yet, "Satisfying means it's all said and done - and it's not. We have more work to do. But I'll tell you what, it's a great journey. It's been very intriguing, delightful and pleasant."

Correll Buckhalter credited the D, "I think everybody on the defense deserved a game ball."

As many saw on Comcast after the game, Andy Reid was simply giddy and was acting much more jovial than usual. He had some fun while praising Jim Johnson, "I'm partial, but I think I have the best defense and the best defensive coordinator in the National Football League. For being almost 100 years old, he's kept things fresh for the guys and they believe in him. It was a shame the poor guy had to coach from up in the box. I guess (82-year-old Penn State coach) Joe Paterno set a good example."

"It's great to be back in the NFC championship game," Reid said. "I'm glad to be here. I want to keep going."

Donovan McNabb, as you can tell from his call to Wilma, is having a blast, "This is beautiful. The city of Philadelphia is buzzing. This team is buzzing and I'm looking forward to going back to my part of town, Arizona. It's a little warmer than it is here."

Dawk says this team has that one important intangible, "I think we just believed in one another through the dark times. We didn't allow one another to doubt. We have a collective heartbeat, and a collective heartbeat on a team is a very powerful thing."

We'll find out just how powerful in the coming week or three.

Comments

[Rex]

Few things regarding next week...

Obviously the Cardnials wanted the Eagles in the NFC Championship game. That team has a lot of confidence right now so the Eagles cannot expect things to be as easy as they were on Thanksgiving, especially with the Cards at home.

That being said, the game plan for the birds (Eagles) is simple. Let the defense do what they do. Kurt Warner may be having a good year, but he's still a statue back there, and this pass rush should have no problem getting to him like they did on Thanksgiving. That should allow the secondary to sit back and pounce all over those two recievers they have. Wisenhunt is going to pull a Reid and give up running the ball after 7 plays. That should allow the ends to just tee off on Warner.

Offensively, manage the game, convert key third downs, get Buck and Westbrook going, and the Eagles are in the Superbowl.

[Phils Phan]

"Intriguing, delightful, and pleasant."

Is he talking about the playoffs or the newest wine he keeps at The Capital Grille?

[DLo34]

McNabb haters?

Reid haters?

Silence bitches. That's what I'm saying.

Believe.

[Mr. Bryan]

We can do this!

[Chamomiles Davis]

"We have a collective heartbeat, and a collective heartbeat on a team is a very powerful thing."

Don Johnson agrees.

/harboring a man-crush on Brian Dawkins

[Scott B]

as somebody who was quick to criticize the Eagles team earlier in the year, i was never a McNabb hater or trator. What a game by the D and the offense rolling for the second week with a westbrook who didnt own the game is a scary thing.

Great win!

[chris]

anyone putting together any fun slogans / t-shirts for this playoff run???

[DLo34]

My personal story:

I would like to note that the Eagles D has not let up more than 14 points in a game since Thanksgiving when they won 48-20 against the Cardinals.

Going into the Thanksgiving game, I had reached my lowest point of being an Eagles fan. After seeing the shit everyone had said about McNabb and Reid on top of the benching and the terrible loss the week before to the Ravens, we had no idea what kind of show we would see walking into the Linc on Thanksgiving. That day, 5 was true to form going 27/39 for 260 and 4 TD's. It was great to see him perform so well and it was a joyous holiday, but this happiness came surrounded with the overwhelming feeling that this was too little too late. The feeling of is McNabb showcasing his talent to be in another uniform next year? While all these thoughts flew through my mind and I stood in my section talking to my pops and waiting for the people to file out in front of us after the Thanksgiving night blow out of Arizona, I heard a drunken and sarcastic Eagles fan run up from the bottom of the section towards the concourse yelling "we're going to Tampa baby!"

Who knew that one man's words, surely influenced by the gluttony of the day and the libations of the game would prove to be so prescient, for one win against that very same team this Sunday and yes "we're going to Tampa baby!"

[Chamomiles Davis]

I'm going to come clean and admit that I finally caved in and jumped on the "Fire Andy Reid" bandwagon after the Birds loss to Baltimore. (My comment is on this site somewhere.)

Do I find my lack of faith disturbing? Quite, but at the time it had been officially stretched to the breaking point.

[Chamomiles Davis]

-1 to me for splitting an infinitive

/Villanova wants back my English degree

[MikeY]

@ Chamo:

"wants back my English degree" or "wants my English degree back"

The one you wrote doesn't sound right to me, but you are (allegedly) the English major.

As for a t-shirt, someone should design and shirt with a huge green Eagle eating a little red cardinal...or something to the effect.

[Meg]

WHY CAN'T US!

[Chamomiles Davis]

@MikeY: Either version should be acceptable.

[Steve]

There needs to be a Do it for Dawkins shirt if anything.

[Loqiel]

We need to found an award that's given to the tactically worst head coach who receives praise for his team's play even though his co-ordinators carry him. I think we shall name it the Jim Johnson award.

[ron]

@ DLo34:
As an avowed Reid basher, I stand before you humbled and silenced... and I couldn't be happier to have been wrong.

When we build the Dawk statue, what pose does he stand in?
The Wolverine leap?
The Dual Bicep Flex?
Or leading the Fight Song?

[Walklett]

I heart Dawkins.

[Leroy]

I wonder if Antonio Peirce slept at his lawyers office last night?

[MPR529]

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[TK]

@ Steve

I couldn't agree more. Someone with the capability needs to make some DO IT FOR DAWKINS shirts.

[jd]

hindsight is 20/20, but hear me out.

i believe the second loss to the redskins was an intervention for reid, and might be the best thing that happenned to reid's philosophy.

the week before, we blew out a crippled Browns team at home on Monday night, but there were still signs of Reid reverting to the same hubris laden offensive scheme that doomed the team in cincinnati, balt., etc.

what the skins overtly reaffirmed was that you still need to run the ball. even if it only averages 2 ypc, you still have to run just for the result of keeping the defense honest. Especially against very good defenses.

i have supported reid for a long time, but the skins and cincy games pushed me over the edge. after said skins game, i wanted reid out. but hey, i've been wrong before.

[jd]

of course, if we didn't make the playoffs, i would still want reid out.

like i said, hindsight...

[Stock]

@ Ron

It has to be the Dual Bicep Flex

[MikeY]

Let's make 2 statues...the biceps flex and the wolverine leap...have to have the leaping B-Dawk statue, have to.

[MikeY]

yeah, "have to have"...me speak the English, I swears.

half to have**

[Kulp]

1/2/08: "Coaching mistakes kept the Eagles out of the playoffs, period."

If the Bucs and Bears don't lose in Week 17, that statement is correct two years in a row.

Firing talk was premature. Harsh criticism was not.

[MikeY]

Tony Dungy steps down as Colts coach, retires.

[Scott B]

@Ron

ill take the patented...Dual Bicep Flex

[FlipPhlopper]

@Ron: For the Dawk status, it's gotta be the Leap! Watching replays of those tackles

And I also have to say something about how wierd it is to watch a run for little to no gain and get excited about it. It's my new favorite play (thanks, run balance), and you know it's chipping away to help break the big plays later on...so refreshing to feel like it's a game plan and not an arial crapshoot on five's shoulders.

[PhiPhan5648]

As far as B-Dawk statues, I vote for the Flying Wolverine Pounce.

For Number 5, my stance is, and always has been the same. You can see my thoughts littered throughout here.

Now... I too was someone, calling for Big Red's head after the Baltimore loss. Does that mean, I've always hated Reid? Absolutely not, up until this season I've been a huge Reid defender. But just like other's have stated, my trust in Big Red was run through with a Bengals Tie, a McNabb benching, and a Ravens Destruction.

But since, he's seemed to have learned his lesson... and he's been consistently running the ball. So, I've effectively fallen back in love with Big Red.

In Big Red I Trust!

[jd]

@ron

i can only think of one statue that would truly reflect dawkins as a player.

in it, he would be uppercutting a tank.

[PhiPhan5648]

@jd

LMAO! That'd be awesome!

[ron]

@jd.
you sir, are a genius.