Rested Eagles play down talk of being divisional underdogs
PHILADELPHIA – The Eagles aren’t buying the narrative that they’re not being respected because the betting lines have the Falcons listed as the favorite.
It’s believed to be the first time a No. 1 seed, like the Eagles, are underdogs in a divisional round game in NFL playoff history. And the Falcons are the No. 6 seed, the lowest of the playoff teams.
“Whatever people are saying on the outside, it really doesn’t matter,” defensive end Chris Long said. “What would it sound like if I came in here and I was like, ‘I wasn’t that motivated for the playoff game, but I just found out we’re underdogs, and nobody picked us on ESPN, so I’m more motivated?’
“This is not the way we think.”
It’s easy to see why the Falcons are favored. Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz was lost for the season with a torn anterior cruciate ligament Dec. 10. Nick Foles has started three games in Wentz’s place, and the last two have not gone well for him or the offense.
In addition, the Falcons reached the Super Bowl last season and have pretty much the entire roster back.
The Eagles have spent the bye week trying to find ways to make Foles better than he has been recently. Eagles offensive coordinator Frank Reich said he’s not worried about Foles’ confidence based on his history as a former starting quarterback.
But Foles hasn’t completed a throw longer than 25 yards over the past two games, something that Wentz was doing quite often this season. Then again, Wentz was a top candidate for the league’s MVP award before his injury.
“There’s enough substance behind (Foles’) career that mer- its having confidence,” Reich said. “I’ve seen the best quarterbacks in the world — the best quarterbacks in the world have a bad game or two in a row. I mean, the best. It happens.”
This is where the Philadelphia running game can help the Eagles’ cause. That means the Falcons could see a heavy dose of Jay Ajayi, whom the Eagles traded for on Oct. 31. Ajayi played against the Falcons this season while playing for the Miami Dolphins.
Ajayi had 26 carries for 130 yards that day in the Dolphins’ 20-17 win. Ajayi hasn’t rushed more than 15 times in a game since joining the Eagles. But that could change, too.
“Certainly his production has continued to ramp up, and hopefully we keep getting good production from that position,” Reich said. “I really do feel like he’s fresh, and that is one of the advantages of what we’ve done and really managing that situation for him in whatever things he has going on physically.
“But I just feel like he’s been fresh and good, and all our backs are. Obviously getting the bye week I think has gotten everybody fresh.”
That’s another thing that perhaps might be overlooked. The Eagles had a week off to practice and rest. They’re playing at home in a loud environment against a team that plays its home games indoors and had to play this past weekend.
Shouldn’t that have some bearing on the point spread, or at least which team is favored?
“At the end of the day, you earn your ranking by what you did in the regular season,” wide receiver Torrey Smith said. “It doesn’t matter at this point. We’re going to go out there and play, and it doesn’t matter if you’re home or not, you have to be ready to play. … I’m not one to get excited about bulletin board material. I think we’re better than (the outside perceptions).”
“But we have to show it, which is more important than talking about it.”
That means on defense the Eagles have to find a way to slow wide receiver Julio Jones while keeping the running backs Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman in check.
“The point is to try to win the game,” Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz said. “If Julio Jones has 350 yards receiving and we win the game, that’s what it took to win the game. If he has 10 yards receiving for the game-winning touchdown, then that wasn’t enough.”
That point, to Schwartz, is more important than the point spread.
“Unless we start the game down, (it doesn’t matter),” he said. “That stuff makes for good talk and TV, and a lot of people have a lot of programming to fill. But all year, I have no idea if we’ve been favorites or underdogs the whole year. It’s not going to change now.”