IN FOLES THEY TRUST
As Saints and free agency loom, Eagles have faith Super Bowl MVP has one more miracle in him >>
The Eagles and Saints have been battling since 1967, when New Orleans entered the NFL as an expansion team. Neither side has been able to take command in the series, with the Eagles enjoying a slight 16-12 regular-season edge, but the Saints holding a 2-1 advantage in playoff games. Sunday in the Superdome, they will be at it again, trying to add to an interesting series history.
Here are some highlights:
• Saints 31, Eagles 24, Nov. 5, 1967: The expansion Saints, who had lost their first seven NFL games, won in Tulane Stadium when Walter Roberts scored on a 91-yard kickoff return, a 27-yard fumble return and a 49-yard reception from Gary Cuozzo. The Eagles trailed, 31-17, before a late 33-yard TD pass from Norm Snead to Timmy Brown closed the difference to a touchdown.
• Eagles 48, Saints 21, Nov. 19, 1967: It didn’t take the Eagles long to enjoy revenge, as Snead threw touchdown passes Tom Woodeshick and Jim Kelly, along with two scoring strikes to Ben Hawkins. King Hill added a TD pass to Izzy Lang in the fourth, good for a 48-7lead at Franklin Field.
• Eagles 34, Saints 21, Nov. 9, 1980: Three Ron Jaworski TD passes to Harold Carmichael in the Superdome helped the Birds enjoy a 9-1start to their first Super Bowl season.
• Eagles 31, Saints 14, Oct. 11, 1981: In their return to the Superdome, where they had lost to the Oakland Raiders in Super Bowl XV earlier in the year, the Birds improved to 6-0 when Booker Russell ran for two touchdowns, Keith Krepfle caught an 11-yard TD pass from Jaworski and Frank LeMaster returned a fumble 47 yards for a score.
• Eagles 15, Saints 13, Sept. 9, 1992: Herschel Walker and Fred Barnett caught TD passes from Randall Cunningham and the Eagles opened their season with a victory at the Vet. They would later face the Saints in the postseason.
• Eagles 36, Saints 20, Jan 3, 1993: In a 1992-season wild-card playoff game at the Superdome, the Eagles outscored New Orleans, 26-0, in the fourth quarter. The rally was capped by an 18-yard Eric Allen interception return for a TD. Earlier, Cunningham had flipped two TD passes to Barnett. The victory sent the Birds to Dallas, where they were eliminated, 30-13.
• Saints 27, Eagles 24, Oct. 15, 2006: In the first of two losses by an identical score in the Superdome that season, the Birds lost on John Carney’s 31-yard field goal as time expired. Reggie Brown’s 15-yard scoring run with 14:54 left helped stake the Eagles to a 24-17 lead, but New Orleans scored twice in the final 12:52.
• Saints 27, Eagles 24, Jan. 13, 2007: Jeff Garcia’s early touchdown pass to Donte’ Stallworth gave the Eagles the early advantage in the Superdome. But with 1:56 left, and the Birds trailing by three, Andy Reid elected to punt. The defense did not respond, and the Eagles would not enjoy another possession. Brian Westbrook had touchdown runs of one and 62 yards.
• Saints 26, Eagles 24, Jan.
4, 2014: In a first-round playoff game at the Linc, Shayne Graham kicked a 32-yard field goal, left, at the final whistle to eliminate the Birds. It was Chip Kelly’s only Eagles postseason game. Nick Foles had connected with Zach Ertz on a three-yard touchdown pass with 4:57 to give the Eagles the lead. Earlier, Foles connected with Riley Cooper for a touchdown.
• Saints 48, Eagles 7, Nov. 18, 2018: In the Superdome, the Eagles were limited to Josh Adams’ 28-yard TD run. Drew Brees passed for 363 yards and four TDs, including a 37-yard strike to Alvin Kamara in the fourth quarter that some Eagles considered a run-up-the-score affront, and planned to use were they to meet again in the playoffs. As it happened, the Birds won their opening-round game, 16-15, in Chicago to set up the revenge game.