Five Years Ago: Reflecting on Super Bowl LII and the Hope in the Season
Millions of Eagles fans were glued to their TVs on February 4, 2018. In the final minute of the biggest game of fans’ lives, the Eagles were up by eight points on the New England Patriots. Tom Brady was leading the team on one final drive.
“Brady lines them up,” calls Merrill Reese, play-by-play announcer for the Eagles since 1977. “He’s back again. He’s hit, he stumbles, he’s throwing it, deep for the end zone.”
Fans everywhere held their breath for the longest Hail Mary pass of the season, and for some, of their lives. Could the Eagles actually make the stop? Or would Tom Brady crush our Super Bowl hopes for the second time in his career? It had been 13 years since the Eagles last made the Super Bowl, but Tom Brady could once again steal hope away from us.
This hope that was threatened was bestowed during what had been an improbable season in which the Philadelphia Eagles had a lot of promise. They had a lot of talent, with what should have been an MVP season for the person who fans thought would be the franchise quarterback. No longer a rookie, he started to learn his way around leading an NFL team, which was supported by some big name signings in Torrey Smith, Alshon Jeffrey, and LeGarrette Blount.
This was a special team. After stomping on the Washington Redskins to start the season off, and then losing to the Kansas City Chiefs on the road, the Eagles had their first miracle. Rookie Kicker Jake Elliott was relatively inconsistent on extra point kicks, which are supposed to be freebies for NFL kickers. He was called upon, though, when kicker Caleb Sturgis went down with an injury in Week 1, and did not have his best performance. First impressions are tough to get rid of. Yet, with the Eagles tied with the Giants in Week 3 at home, and the ball at the Giants’ 43, Elliott was called upon to try to win the game.
It was a 61-yard field goal. Elliott had already missed a 52-yard field goal earlier in the game wide left.
“Hold your breath,” Reese called for a crowd that didn’t need prompting.
Carson Wentz was mic’ed up for the game for NFL Films, and was heard making a promise.
“He’s a superhero if he makes this,” Wentz said on the sideline. “I’ll give him my game check if he makes it.”
Elliott’s kick was up and away, and a deep Odell Beckham Jr. could only watch as the ball sailed over his head narrowly through the upright while the officials made the signal. Reese’s simple yet iconic call was cause for celebration among the fans.
“It’s goooooooood!”
It was at that moment that fans really knew that they had something special going on. The rest of the season had more of that magical feel to it, as the Eagles won nine straight games. The Eagles’ defense ranked fifth in the league in rushing yards allowed and 10th in points allowed. The offense? There would certainly be some close games scoring-wise, but there were also some blowouts, such as when the Eagles dropped 51 points on the Denver Broncos in a game that was so full of scoring that Lincoln Financial Field ran out of fireworks.
The season was an all-around great showing for Eagles players that had fans talking Super Bowl for much of the season. Philadelphia was atop the NFC East. Even some of the weakest players were having strong seasons, notably Nelson Agholor who in the seasons before and since was so known for dropping passes thrown his way it was joked about by someone who rescued a kid from a building fire. There were other incredible moments, like Carson Wentz escaping a would-be third down sack on Monday Night Football that had everyone watching except Wentz himself and the game officials believing he was down. Wentz would run for a first down on that play. Plays like these, performances like these, gave Philly hope.
The Eagles lost to the Seattle Seahawks on the road in Week 13, their second loss, before going south to face the Los Angeles Rams. The Eagles won that game, but at a high cost. Carson Wentz, on a routine running play, was injured diving for the end zone. Since he didn’t make it in, he led the Eagles for two more plays before he came off the field and trainers examined his knee before taking him into the locker room. Enter another free agent signing from the offseason, the return of former Eagles quarterback Nick Foles to take over for the injured Wentz.
Fans did not take this well. The next morning, though the Eagles won the game versus the Rams giving them the NFC East title, it didn’t feel like they won in the sports world. Eagles fans were worried about their future. Their high hopes for Super Bowl championships appeared once again dashed. On the 94.1 WIP Morning Show, host Angelo Cataldi had to play counselor to Eagles fans who were having emotional breakdowns over the loss of the star sophomore quarterback.
Philly sports fans are, in a sense, used to dashed dreams. The Eagles made it to the NFC Championship Game three times in a row before finally beating the Atlanta Falcons to advance to Super Bowl XXXIX, before losing to the Brady-led Patriots the first time. Looking at other sports, the Phillies made it to the MLB postseason five years in a row, but only won the World Series once in 2008. In basketball, the 76ers haven’t made an NBA Finals appearance since 2001 when Allen Iverson was on the team, and haven’t won the finals since 1983. The Flyers, in hockey, won the Stanley Cup twice in 1974 and 1975, and despite six other appearances between 1980 and 2010, have not won once.
With this team, under this quarterback who we fell in love with in his first two seasons, this injury hurt. In place of hope, questions lived. How would Nick Foles do? Could the team keep the magic of the 2017 season alive through a playoff run? Or was this the end?
Though the performances by Foles were ugly, Saint Nick delivered a Christmas miracle. The Eagles beat the Giants 34-29 in Week 15, securing a first round bye in the playoffs. Then, on Christmas Day, the Eagles downed Oakland 19-10 to secure home field advantage in the playoffs. Their final game, a meaningless game versus the Dallas Cowboys where the Eagles rested their starters and were shut out, the defense held their arch rivals to just six points. The hope was returning to Philly fans, though very slowly.
The hope grew as the Eagles faced off against the Falcons in the Divisional Round. Home underdogs for the first time in NFL history in a playoff game, a bad fumble in the Eagles’ first drive led to an early Atlanta lead. It was a defensive affair, and by the end of the game, just 25 points were scored combined. Elliott missed another extra point. Foles couldn’t seem to get the ball moving much through the air. But at the end of the night, it was a pass to Julio Jones that sealed the deal for the Eagles, as Jones could not stay in bounds on the play. The Eagles were still alive, and that led to the NFC Championship Game versus the Minnesota Vikings. And hope continued to build again.
The Vikings were hoping to be the first team in NFL history to play in a Super Bowl in their own stadium. At the outset of the game, it looked like they might. They scored on their first drive, while the Eagles had to punt the ball away on their next drive. After that, things took a turn in the Eagles’ favor as Patrick Robinson intercepted Vikings Quarterback Case Keenum’s pass intended for Adam Thielen, returning it 50 yards for a touchdown. The Vikings never scored again in the game. Nick Foles, meanwhile, finally found his groove with an offense that suited his style. The Eagles blew out the Vikings 38-7. The Eagles were back in the Super Bowl for the first time in 13 years. We had more than hope; we had a chance. But we had to rematch the New England Patriots, and Tom Brady, who beat us 13 years prior.
Super Bowl LII was the Eagles’ toughest challenge yet. Nerves were on high alert for Eagles fans everywhere, as it was an offensive shootout. Points were scored on most drives, but after both kickers missed field goals or extra points, the kickers were moved away from and touchdowns and two-point conversions were more routinely attempted.
Early in the second quarter, the Patriots tried a trick play, with a direct snap to Danny Amendola who tried to throw it to Tom Brady running down the right sideline. The ball was overthrown, and the Patriots would later have to punt. That, however, would set up later in the game for one of Philly’s most iconic plays.
As the second quarter was winding down, the Eagles were driving towards the end zone, knowing that the Patriots would get the ball to start the second half. The Eagles were only up by a field goal, and after Corey Clement ran the ball twice, Foles threw an incomplete pass bringing up fourth and goal from the one yard line. During the Eagles’ timeout, Foles ran over to head coach Doug Pederson, and was heard by NFL Films mics asking the coach, “Do you want Philly Philly?” Pederson agreed. Foles shared the play with the offense and they broke the huddle.
“Foles in the gun,” called Reese. “Clement to his right. Now lines up behind Foles. Foles moves to the right. It goes directly to Clement. Clement reverses it, and the pass goes into the end zone and it’s a touchdown by Nick Foles!”
“You really want to know what we call it?” Pederson responded to a reporter in the postgame press conference who asked about the play. “Philly Special. We call it the Philly Special.”
Special indeed. It was a play that would be so seared into the Philly sports lore it was put on t-shirts. Miller Lite, in the 2018 season launch giveaway, put it on the brim of the visor freebie they gave to fans. It was one for the history books. And as Justin Timberlake performed during the halftime show, Eagles fans were very hopeful.
Unless Brady had something to say about it. And he had plenty to say. Starting off the second half, Brady promptly marched 75 yards and scored a touchdown. The teams went shot for shot, but ultimately in the fourth quarter, Brady pulled ahead by a point. The Eagles marched down the field and scored again, but it was nerve-wracking. Then came the next turning point in the game.
The Patriots got the ball to start at their own 25. After a quick pass to Rob Gronkowski for eight yards, Reese made a prescient comment. The Eagles had tied for fourth place in takeaways in the regular season, and had made at least one in each game to this point in the postseason. Reese knew they hadn’t gotten one yet this game.
“Boy, if the Eagles could come up with their one turnover of the game right here,” he called, “that would be sealing.”
What happened next, well, was sealing.
“It is 2nd down and 2,” he called. “Brady, with White to his right. Brady, back again, he steps up, he’s hit, and falls forward, and he fumbles the football and the Eagles have it!”
Brandon Graham forced the fumble, while Derek Barnett recovered it. This was the Eagles’ chance to go up two scores, put the game away, and bring Philly home its first Super Bowl. Alas, they went three and out, but not before Elliott knocked in a field goal to put the Eagles up eight points. The score was 41-33. The most Brady could do was tie.
Brady started at the Patriots’ own 9. With the Patriots out of timeouts, the Eagles just had to get the ball back to end the game. Instead, they let the Patriots move the ball 30 yards.
With nine seconds left, Brady had to do one final Hail Mary, hoping that one of his guys would come down with the football.
The Eagles had to keep that from happening.
Holding their breaths on the final play, some still holding their breaths in a way since Reese told fans to back in September, Reese’s call continued, “and it’s batted around…”
Fans prayed it would hit the ground, hoping that the Eagles wouldn’t try to play hero ball and play for the interception, hoping for their season of hopes to be realized and rewarded.
“…and it is…incomplete. And the game is over! The game is over!”
With the clock at zero, fans heard for the first time from Reese’s mouth the words that they had waited a lifetime to hear.
“The Philadelphia Eagles are Super Bowl Champions! Eagles fans everywhere, this is for you! Let the celebration begin!”
Fans did not need Reese to tell them a second time. Broad Street was a mad house. Those who weren’t in the city still overflowed with jubilation.
Though the team would never truly recapture the magic of this season, though players and coaches would ultimately leave, though Carson Wentz would fall out of Philly’s good graces due to locker room demeanor, the Eagles, for that moment, were on top of the NFL. They were Super Bowl champions.
Now they have the chance to do it again.
Featured Photo: Executing the Philly Special just before halftime in Super Bowl LII, Nick Foles catches a pass for a touchdown on February 4, 2018 in Minnesota. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
