Pederson perfect coach to understand underdog status
PHILADELPHIA » If it takes an underdog to appreciate one, nobody is more of an authority on it than Eagles head coach Doug Pederson, who spent his professional career as an understudy.
Pederson came off the bench to quarterback the Miami Dolphins to a 19-14 win over the Eagles for Don Shula’s record 325th victory in 1993 at Veterans Stadium. He stepped in when Scott Mitchell was injured.
Legend has it Pederson has a memento of the contest hanging on his wall signed by all his teammates and Shula. And now Coach Doug has a chance to add to the display. But that’s getting ahead of ourselves.
It should surprise no one that Pederson, the champion of underdog causes, understands how much of a tossup the NFC title game between the Eagles and Minnesota Vikings really is this Sunday, and how it mirrors his life.
To Pederson, Nick Foles and Case Keenum, his Vikings counterpart, are
more than just guys who stepped up and then some in relief of injured franchise quarterbacks Carson Wentz and Sam Bradford. They’re cut from the same cloth as Pederson, welltraveled like those factory seconds flooding the racks at the outlet stores.
Foles and Keenum, on consecutive days, toppled defending league-MVP quarterback Matt Ryan and the Atlanta Falcons, and Drew Brees, a Super Bowl MVP, and the New Orleans Saints. That guarantees an underdog plays in SB LII.
“In both cases, there’s been a lot of talk about both these guys the whole season, and in our case, the last month,” Pederson said. “They just seem to sort of keep defying the odds and stepping up to the challenges each week. That’s what’s exciting and fun to see about these two guys. They’ve just overcome everything and have really, really helped their teams get to this position.
“And that’s what you want.”
Foles played turnoverfree and converted sixof-13 third downs to spark the Eagles to a 15-10 divisional playoff win over the Falcons at Lincoln Financial Field, where the Vikings play this weekend. The third down success is a big deal because for the longest time it looked like Foles might never convert again.
Foles also set the Eagles’ single-game playoff record with a 76.7 completion percentage against the Falcons. So, what if he got there with screen passes, Corey Clement (five) and Jay Ajayi combining for eight receptions against the Falcons? That’s almost five more than Eagles running backs averaged per game during the regular season, per Remarkable stats by Inside Edge. It also equaled
the total of wide receivers Alshon Jeffery (four), Torrey Smith (three) and Mack Hollins (one).
Pederson brought back the jet sweeps and the heavy packages with offensive linemen playing tight end. It was old school, and a lot like the Eagles will oppose this week, former Philly offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur directing the Vikings.
“The game plan was conducive to some of Nick’s
strengths,” Pederson said. “It wasn’t anything crazy or out of the ordinary from what we’ve done all season but just plays where he was comfortable. There really weren’t a lot of moving parts as far as motions and shifts and things like that. Just kind of felt real good about our game plan, and we’ve got to do the same thing again this week.”
In Minneapolis, Keenum threw a 61-yard pass to Stefon Diggs to lift the Vikings to a 29-24 walk-off win over the New Orleans Saints Sunday night. The throw went only 28 yards. Diggs found the end zone after safety Marcus Williams, in coverage behind him, ducked underneath instead of making a play on the ball. Williams was told to avoid a pass interference penalty that would have given the Vikings another play, even with no time on the clock, and a shot at a game-winning field goal. He wound up taking a teammate out of the play who had a shot at Diggs.
The Eagles, rest assured, will use that last play as an example of over-coaching. They also have issues to address on special teams, which lately have turned into a mini-liability with fumbles and Jake Elliott’s PAT insecurities.
The bottom line for the Eagles is they’re just four quarters from their goal of playing for the franchise’s first NFL title since 1960. Like last week, when they made history as the league’s first No. 1 seed to be underdogs in a playoff game, they’re getting points again despite hosting the Vikings. Three points right now.
For a few moments this past Saturday and Sunday, when Foles and Keenum rejoiced, Pederson was right there with them, full of adrenaline in his own head. Pederson would only be human imagining what it could be like after the next win. Something like U.S. Bank stadium, only with more attitude. And two more wins?
The way the Jacksonville Jaguars are playing, even the New England Patriots are vulnerable. Foles and the Philly defense against Blake Bortles and the Jaguars? That would be fun.
Pederson, like he did at the Vet, in 1993, knows what to do with the keepsake.