I can’t help but shake the feeling I ruffled some feathers Sunday at the NFC Championship game. As I sit here perusing the socials for independent media of the fans this past Sunday at Lincoln Financial Field, there is an indelible image in my mind of some “Karen” poking her finger in my chest. It’s paired with a soundtrack that resembles when adults spoke in the Peanuts cartoon. Things got a little rowdy right around the Austin Ekeler fumble, and I might have offended someone’s delicate sensibilities.
A Tailgate Tradition Like No Other At the NFC Championship
Anywho, back to the beginning of the NFC Championship gameday. Vibes were on point for this game from the tailgate to the final whistle. Three weeks in a row we managed to get the exact same parking in the S lot, cause I’m neurotic like that. We had a healthy four hours in the lot before the game and it was jam-packed early.
After crushing my fair share of Garage Beer [editor’s note: not a sponsor, could be], I’ve got to say that the one-man “privacy tent” is an invention that ranks up there with the light bulb and USB-powered everything. Walking in, it was hard not to take notice of the line to get into Xfinity Live. It ran the whole length of Pattison Ave out to Broad Street.
You always wonder if a game can top the National Anthem capped with an F-16 flyover, but those doubts were laid to rest the first time Saquon touched the ball. As he spun out of the grasp of two defenders and broke to the right, the crowd erupted in a crescendo of cheers. Any doubts about the Eagles’ ability to deliver in this game were put to rest that moment, and the inexperience of Daniels and the Commanders was laid bare.
MVP-Worthy, But No Recognition
It’s a damn shame playoffs aren’t considered in MVP voting. Of all the pieces on this team, or any other, none have been more impactful than the addition of Saquon Barkley. It’s probably Josh Allen or Lamar Jackson, both of whom were unceremoniously excised from the playoffs. Barkley averaged nearly 8 yards per play and tallied 5 touchdowns, 3 over 60 yards, in the last two weeks. Unreal. God willing, he will get to hoist the Lombardi trophy as the reward for the selflessness he has shown over this near record-setting season.
Undeniably, the NFC Championship game is Eagles’ most complete game from stem to stern. This was the game that was looking for a place to happen back in December before Hurts got hurt. You can’t help but wonder if the Commanders were trying to conjure up a Body Bag Game of their own, between the comments from Joe Whitt and what happened in the 2nd meeting of these teams in the regular season.
Four Takeaways = Dominance
On the defensive side of the ball, you’ve got to start with posting four takeaways. Zack Baun is elite, forcing yet another turnover in a big spot. I’ll say it till I’m blue in the face, pay that man. Work the Howie magic, flip the couch cushions wring every dime out of that budget, and put a real offer on the table for him.
Then we’ve got Quinyon Mitchell. The rightful favorite for Defensive Rookie of the Year, but he ain’t gonna get it. He is going to get snubbed because teams were justifiably scared to throw in his direction. What happens when they do?
He elevates over your boy Scary Terry and snatches that shit. I’m mid-conversation, enjoying the NFC Championship game, when this play is going down, thinking this game is in the bag, up four scores with less than 5 minutes to go. It was on the far side of the field from me but you could see it plain as day he caught it off the self-tip. I nearly gave the person in front of me a spine injury I shook them so badly.
Jalen Carter: The Slap Heard ‘Round the League
The trade-off for the atmosphere and emotion of going to the game is you miss some of the little details. Without a doubt, my favorite clip from this game is Jalen Carter channeling his inner Rick James as he SLAPS Biadasz. Now I think he flopped, but some are exaggerating this was a punch. Call it what you will, but I love it and I enjoy that it’s quickly becoming his signature move. It just lets you know what he thinks of the opponents across from him. He is just on another level.
Call me greedy, but I still wanted to see more from Hurts in the passing game during this NFC Championship game. Maybe I’m just getting hung up on his touchdown pass getting dwarfed by a SEVEN RUSHING TOUCHDOWN game. I’m still holding out hope he can stymy the haters and post a three-TD game once this season. He’ll get one more shot in a couple of weeks.
Did the Eagles’ performance in the NFC Championship ease your mind going into the Super Bowl? Let us know in the comments below or on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or TikTok.