Robinson enabled Birds to score momentum
PHILADELPHIA » Eagles cornerback Patrick Robinson picked off Case Keenum and rolled 50 yards for a touchdown Sunday night to knot the score and kick start a run of 38 straight points leading the Eagles to the NFC championship.
Robinson caught the ball on the left sideline, cut up field and then twisted inside and outside before turning up field and squeezing the ball just in just inside the pylon.
“I told the guys before the game that I’m not going out of bounds if I get an interception,” Robinson said after the 38-7 victory. “And that’s what happened. That’s exactly what happened. I was going to run sideline to sideline until I got to the end zone. I don’t know how far I ran but I was very tired afterwards.”
The head-turning play was just the lift quarterback Nick Foles needed.
“I don’t think it just pumped up the offense,” Foles said. “I think it pumped up the whole city of Philadelphia. I think everyone down Broad Street heard that. And I can only imagine what’s going on on Broad Street right now. I know everyone is having a good time. Any time you get a pick-six, that’s a momentum change. P-Rob, that was huge. He made a play and that was the biggest play of the game right there, the momentum shift.”
It was the fifth interception for Robinson, who led the Birds with four picks in the regular season.
Keenum drove the Vikings 75 yards in nine plays, beating an Eagles blitz with a 25-yard lob over the top to tight end Kyle Rudolph for the early lead.
That would be the last score for the Vikings, who turned the ball over twice in the red zone, once on a fumble and later on fourthand-goal. *** Foles underwent X-rays on his ribs according to a report on NBC Sports Philadelphia.
He wasn’t asked about the report during his news conference but did have bruising on his lower right rib cage.
*** Dannell Ellerbe, limited by a strained hamstring last week, was scratched, leaving the Eagles thin at inside linebacker.
The Eagles started Nigel Bradham, Mychal Kendricks and Najee Goode.
The Eagles also dressed linebackers Kamu GrugierHill and Bryan Braman, although they’re primarily special teams players.
In addition to Ellerbe, the Eagles deactivated cornerback Sidney Jones, running back Wendell Smallwood, wide receiver Marcus Johnson, defensive end Steven Means, offensive tackle Will Beatty and defensive tackle Elijah Qualls.
Sam Bradford dressed for the Vikings.
The Vikings shuffled their offensive line, moving right tackle Mike Remmers to left guard, bumping Jeremiah Sirles from the starting lineup, and starting Rashod Hill at right tackle. The 6-6, 313-pound Hill is a solid run blocker.
The Vikings scratched quarterbacks Teddy Bridgewater and Kyle Sloter, running back Mack Brown, guard Danny Isidora, center Cornelius Edison, defensive end Tashawn Bower and Shamar Stephen, a rotational defensive tackle nursing a knee injury sustained last week.
*** The Linc playing surface was repaired during the week, crews re-sodding from the numbers out.
It was a week too late for the Falcons, who weren’t thrilled about the significant slippage in their divisional playoff loss to the Eagles last week.
Early in the first quarter Sunday, Nelson Agholor slammed on the brakes after a catch and slid to the ground.
*** The Eagles made it to the Sweet 16 in the fan voting for NFL group celebrations with their electric slide.
It’s tough sledding ahead for the slide,
The Slide (https://youtu. be/g9BPE5ydqZ0) must compete with the Lions’ Rockettes dance routine, the Packers’ bobsled team and the Vikings’ duck, duck, goose act. All were more popular than the electric slide in the player voting.
On the AFC side of the bracket, you’re looking at the potato sack race of the Chiefs and the Steelers, with a hide and seek act.
Duck, duck goose took first place in the players’ vote.
You can follow the drama here (pic.twitter.com/TZqAWvfHXp).
You can vote here (https://t.co/nrwcjtL2D1).
*** NOTES » Lane Johnson hit the field holding up a Jason Peters jersey during the intros. … MLB star Mike Trout occupied his spot in the end zone area seats wearing a dog mask . ... Chris Long’s father, Howie, was at the game with the Fox Sports football crew. … The temperature was 47 degrees for the opening kickoff.