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Tag: Philly Special

  • A Play That Helped to Define a Franchise – Philadelphia Sports Nation

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    Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

    Sure — when your NFL Team is ninety-two years old, like a lifetime full of tons of happy memories and some that you’d probably rather forget — it’s often hard to believe that one moment defines you.

    And of course — from a franchise that stopped Emmitt Smith on 4th and 1 in 1995, threw a 46-yard dagger into the Chiefs’ secondary in the second half of Super Bowl LIX to end the competitive phase of the contest, and pulled off not one but three Miracles in the Meadowlands — it’s hard to pick just one moment. But it certainly helps when ESPN’s SportsCenter 30 for 30 has produced a film about one of those moments.

    Eight years ago this weekend , the Eagles won Super Bowl LII. That brought home the first-ever Lombardi Trophy for the franchise, even without quarterback Carson Wentz, Jason Peters, Darren Sproles, or Jordan Hicks, by defeating the New England Patriots, perhaps the best quarterback-coach combination in NFL history.

    Right before halftime with the Eagles up 15–12 — Philadelphia running back Cory Clement took a swing pass 55 yards from Nick Foles. Three plays later, Philadelphia had a 4th-and-goal from the one-yard line.

    One aspect that defined the Eagles’ 2017–2018 season was their boldness in keeping the offense on the field on fourth down. Right before halftime and nursing a three-point advantage,  this was no exception for Doug Pederson. Calling timeout — Pederson wildly scanned his playsheet. When Foles ran over to the sideline, and their eyes met ,  he immediately asked for Philly, Philly . This play had been included in the Eagles’ Install Package two weeks earlier for the NFC Championship Game against Minnesota. Moments later ,  Cory Clement took the snap, flipped it to Trey Burton, who threw the ball to Nick Foles for a touchdown to put the Eagles up by ten.

    The irony was that earlier in the game, the Patriots tried to run a similar halfback pass to Tom Brady, who dropped the ball.

    Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

    The Philly Special was not the play that won the Super Bowl. The Eagles would need some 4th-quarter magic on both offense and defense to win 41–33, and even trailed 33–32 in the final period. 

    But what the Philly Special did was to symbolize the fearlessness of the 2017-2018 Philadelphia Eagles. Not only the confidence to go for it on fourth down,  but to run a play that they had never called before.

    That same boldness and fearlessness  wasn’t just a perfect fit for the Eagles.

    It was a perfect reflection of the city that they have called home since 1933.

    One whose unyielding resolve had never waivered in its support — each season waiting for another championship celebration — the first since 1960.

    One year ago,  thousands of fans who enjoyed a 55–23 rout of the Washington Commanders at the Linc — passed a bronze statue capturing that decisive moment when Foles and Pederson decided on a play to stun the opposing team completely. It will forever live as the most remembered play from a storied franchise nearly as old as the NFL itself — a play known now to the ages with just two words:

    Philly, Philly!

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    Michael Thomas Leibrandt

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  • Eagles’ Most Iconic Playoff Wins: Moments to Remember – Philadelphia Sports Nation

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    THIS BLOG CONTAINS LINKS FROM WHICH WE MAY EARN A COMMISSION. Credit: Bruce Emmerling-Pixabay

    Since the creation of the NFL team, the Philadelphia Eagles, one fact that their fans are quite familiar with is the emotion that surrounds their support.

    Credit: Bruce Emmerling-Pixabay

    Especially with the playoffs, which are usually filled with heartbreak, loyalty, and belief. However, they have come out on top in some victories that will be etched in the minds of every Eagles fan and will be continually remembered. 

    In today’s world of sport, brands are also leveraging this emotional investment. We have seen how global brands — including the best crypto casinos — are sponsoring teams, broadcast partnerships, and fan engagement campaigns. This move adds another layer to how fans interact with the sport. 

    So, what are these moments that fans have set aside as “religious” dates for the Philadelphia Eagles? What playoff wins have validated that the city and fans breathe football?

    This post will look at some endearing moments to remember and why it means to wear green. 

    4 Iconic Eagles’ Playoff Moments That Would Never Be Forgotten

    Here are some of the top moments etched in the hearts of every Eagles fan: 

    1) 1960 NFL Championship: Ending Lombardi’s Reign

    Before the Super Bowl became the thing, the Eagles stunned the football world by clinching their most historic win in a match against the Green Bay Packers in the 1960 NFL Championship game. Led by the legendary Buck Shaw, the team went up against the power-packed Packers, who were dominating the league at the time. 

    However, with a combination of a great strategy, a strong defense, and a lethal attack led by Ted Dean, they were able to seal a late victory by a score of 17-13. And that was the first NFL title that the team won. 

    2) 1980 NFC Championship: Knocking Off Dallas

    In 1980, the Philadelphia Eagles decided it was time to decorate their trophy room, and what better way to do that than against their bitter rivals, the Dallas Cowboys. In the 1980 NFC Championship game that ended 20-7, the Eagles went on to ease to victory. 

    This win means so much more because it was against the Cowboys, who had dominated the NFC throughout the 1970s. And it was an added bonus because they were able to prevent the team from reaching another Super Bowl final. 

    3) 2003 Divisional Round: “4th and 26”

    Every hardcore Eagles fan would always remember the historic “4th and 26th” game that set a precedent for the team. In the 2003 NFC Divisional round, the Eagles had to claw out a win against the Green Bay Packers in the brutal cold. A match that most already tipped in the opponents’ favor, the Eagles were visibly behind in the fourth quarter. 

    Then they faced fourth-and-26 from their 25-yard line before the magic happened when Donovan McNabb found Freddie Mitchell on a crossing route for 28 yards. This helped them win in overtime with a score line of 20-17. 

    As NBC Sports Philadelphia’s Ray Didinger put it:

    “He will always be remembered for the 4th-and-26. A lot of better players came to Philadelphia and played for the Eagles, and won’t be remembered as vividly as Freddie Mitchell will be remembered for that one play.”

    4) Super Bowl LII: The Ultimate Victory

    The final topping on the cake came at Super Bowl LII, and cemented the result as the greatest win in Eagles’ history. As the underdogs in a match against the Patriots, who had names like Tom Brady and Bill Belichick on their roster, they even expected them to lose. 

    However, in a shock of the decade, Nick Foles decided to drop an A-class performance that saw him get three touchdowns and throw for 373 yards. He even went on to catch a touchdown on the famous Philly Special. And this helped the Eagles earn their first-ever Super Bowl title in over 50 years. 

    As Doug Pederson, Eagles’ coach said after the Super Bowl victory:

    “We just needed the perfect time and look, and we found it.” 

    Why These Wins Still Matter

    For the average football lover, these victories might not be that important, but for the Eagles, it’s a game for the record books.

    These games shaped generations of fans who have built their identities around the team and have been there through the highs and lows.

    Now every future playoff is measured against these games and serves as a booster for the average fan’s expectations. 

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    Enhancing Your Philadelphia Sports Fan Experience

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  • Philly Philly Doug Pederson – Philadelphia Sports Nation

    Philly Philly Doug Pederson – Philadelphia Sports Nation

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    Doug Returns to A Town that Will Always Love Him.

    This weekend, when former Eagles-All Pro Running Back LeSean McCoy is inducted into the Eagles Hall of Fame — the former Quarterbacks Coach for one of those great Eagles teams will be on the opposing sideline. That Coach is Doug Pederson.

    Doug Pederson didn’t Coach here for fourteen seasons like Andy Reid. He didn’t install a revolutionary offensive system that has changed the NFL. He did, however do what no Eagles Coach has done in Philadelphia, ever.

    He won Philadelphia its first Super Bowl.

    In thirty-one seasons of owning the Philadelphia Eagles, Jeffrey Lurie has proven that once he determines that a change is needed in Eagles leadership — he doesn’t hesitate. He acts decisively.

    When Lurie bought the Philadelphia Eagles in 1994 — he gave Rich Kotite one season for evaluation. And then fired him. Kotite was then hired by the Jets. After three-seasons of Ray Rhodes approach to acquiring and putting hard-to-find NFL talent into successful positions but being unable to advance past the NFC Divisional Playoffs — he was gone in 1998.

    After three seasons of Chip Kelly’s revolutionary offense that taxed the Eagles defense and a power-hungry campaign to take over the Novacare Complex — Kelly was out. Even Andy Reid — who transformed the Eagles organization from on the cusp to conference championship contenders— was not immune to Lurie’s quick decision-making.

    After the 2020 NFL season — which saw an embarrassing 4–11–1 Eagles Team appear to surrender in a 20–14 loss that gave the Washington Commanders the NFC East Crown by replacing Jalen Hurts with Nate Sudfeld — Lurie and Pederson began a series of meetings about the future of the team including in South Florida. The result was the Eagles moving on from Doug.

    Things aren’t going much better for Pederson in Jacksonville — who has been Head Coach since February of 2022. His 2024 Jacksonville Jaguars are 2–6, and his recent games seem ions away from the boldness that he showed in Super Bowl LII with the Eagles. But like his bronze statue outside of Lincoln Financial Field calling perhaps the most iconic play in Eagles history on the NFL’s largest stage — Doug will also be a hero in Philly.

    Even if he does describe us as “hostile.”

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    Michael Thomas Leibrandt

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