SantaFeToday.com Santa Fe’s Hometown News
Back-up quarterback Nick Foles the MVP as Philly offsets a record 1,151 passing yards thrown by 40-year-
old Tom Brady, who fails to win a sixth Super Bowl
By Arnie Leshin
It waited so long, it couldn’t wait for Tuesday’s parade down Broad Street.
So when Tom Brady’s “Hail Mary” hit the ground in the end zone on the final play, the celebration began in the City of Brotherly Love.
The faithful Philadelphia Eagles fans spilled out of their apartments, homes, sports bars and onto Broad Street, the ironic thoroughfare. This was supposed to be under the watchful eye of a large police presence, but fireworks were set off, car horns blared, and the men in blue no doubt happy to witness this.
It was the young and the old, some not even born when Philadelphia won the National Football League championship in 1960, nine years before the official Super Bowl took the field.
Now, more than 1,000 miles from Minneapolis, Philly was jubilation and pandemonium to celebrate the city’s first major professional sports since the Phillies won the 2008 World Series. The Liberty Bell will probably be ringing out for days. Maybe Ben Franklin will fly his kite. Center City and South Philly will be feasting on cheese steaks.
While the Patriots get support from the many states in New England and play their games hours away from Boston in Foxborough, the Eagles are Philadelphia’s team. At other end of the state, Pittsburgh has its Steelers, its Pirates, its Penguins, while Philly has its Eagles, its 76ers, its Flyers.
It’s as geographic as that.
As for the Pats, like other franchises, they have fans across the country. But they also have those anti-Patriot folks who are just tired of seeing New England hoist the silver championship trophy, seeing Brady reign as the Most Valuable Player, seeing Bill Billichick gain more recognition, and so probably, just like the Minnesota Viking fans, were in the underdog Eagles’ corner.
Underdog? How about underdogs? They go 13-3 for the top record in the American Conference, get to host the playoffs, and kick off as the underdog against the Atlanta Falcons and then the Vikings as they went in quest of their initial Super Bowl in three tries and tried to keep the Patriots from number six.
With the Vikings getting ousted handily by the Eagles, it kept the crowd at Minneapolis US Bank Stadium at 67,483, just less than the capacity of 70,000. It was cold outside, but the fixed-roof kept everybody warm inside.
So now Philadelphia comes in as the 6-point underdog and many of their players sporting dog masks, and leave with backup quarterback Nick Foles named the MVP, and executing enough to offset the record 5,151 yards thrown by Brady, and another near comeback in the final minutes of the 43-33 result.
Obviously, under head coach Doug Patterson, who pieced together a quality, sometimes surprising, offense, had a chip on their collective shoulder.
One masterful call by Patterson came on fourth down and goal at the New England 4. Instead of going for a field goal, Foles stood to the right of his teammate cast in the quarterback role, did not take the snap, and headed right for the end zone, where all alone, he gathered in the touchdown pass.
With his previous experience with Philadelphia and wanting to quiet those Doubting Thomas’, Foles looked comfortable all game, hurried but never sacked, finding his targets with accurate throws, and passing for 373 yards and three touchdowns, not counting his own.
At halftime, the Eagles were up 22-12 despite failing to kick the PAT after the first TD that made it 9-3. But they were helped by the Pats, who also missed a PAT and a field goal.
With 9:22 left, New England marched down field behind the 40-year-old Brady and took its first lead at 33-32. But back came Foles taking his team 75 yards in 14 plays and hitting wide receiver Zach Ertz at the 11 on 3rd and 7, where he dove into the end zone, had the call reviewed, and when it was upheld, brought Philly the go-ahead touchdown with 2:21 left and up by 38-33.
Back came Brady on what looked like another rally, but on second down at his own 40, he was rushed, the football was poked away by Brandon Graham and teammate Derek Bennett smothered it at the 31 for the game’s lone sack and turnover.
The Eagles settled for a field goal that upped the lead to the final score. But they also ate up time and New England had run out of timeouts. One last chance for Brady came from midfield and his pass into the end zone was knocked around before falling to the ground.
The confetti was to come, but the Philly faithful were already taking to the streets.
“Fly Eagles Fly” came from the Eagle fans in the stands. That’s their fight song that has been heard from UConn women’s basketball coach Geno Auriemma through the week, and by other Philadelphia natives like South Carolina women’s coach Dawn Staley.
And icons like Sylvester Stallone, whose role as Rocky was filmed in Philadelphia and Stallone fought as the underdog. And who can forget Elton John’s “Philadelphia Freedom.”
At the college men’s basketball played in Philadelphia, top-ranked Villanova defeated Seton Hall and throughout the game the home crowd was chanting “Go Eagles.”
It was a time to finally celebrate in a city that needs it.
For New England, it was a close contest just like the three previous ones it won via field goals, and like the late poor quarterbacking from Seattle and then the Falcons last year.
NOTE: With all the commercials, the number one without question was New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning doing a “dirty dancing” with his pet receiver Odell Beckham, III., in an add featuring the NFL. Move over, Dancing with the Stars.
The parade was originally scheduled for Wednesday, but the weather forecast was for rain and snow, with about three inches of the flakes expected. So it was changed to Tuesday, no rain or snow, but about 32 degrees.
Asked by the media if he was now going to Disney World, Foles said, “No, I’m going with the team to Philadelphia.”
And they won’t be booing Santa Claus.
