Pederson acknowledges Patriots’ mystique
PHILADELPHIA – Doug Pederson knows all about the New England Patriots’ mystique and the dimension it adds to Super Bowl LII. But the Philadelphia Eagles coach knows that to beat Bill Belichick and Co., his team needs to put that aura in the proper perspective.
“If I make this all about them, we’re in trouble,” Pederson said Thursday, before the Eagles hit the field at NovaCare Complex for their first full practice of the week. “It’s about us. I’ll keep saying that. It’s about what we’re doing; how well we execute.”
Still, given the DNA of the Patriots — including the presence of Belichick and Tom Brady, dramatic comebacks galore and the five Super Bowl crowns — Pederson doesn’t deny that the mystique should be addressed to some degree with a team installed as a five-point underdog.
“That’s a real issue you have with these guys,” Pederson said. “They’ve been there; they’ve done that. My biggest focus with the team is, ‘Let’s focus on today. Let’s win today,’ and we’ll focus on that (Patriots’ mystique) when we get to the game. Obviously, it’s a credit to what the Patriots have done … their history.”
Since studying New England this week, Pederson basically confirmed what he knew all along: The Patriots are well-coached and disciplined.
“They’re a resilient group, too,” he said. “Just put on the Jacksonville game. They’re a team that gets down in a game early and there’s no panic. They just stay the course and execute the game plan.”
That efficiency, though, just underscores the theme Pederson aims to get across with his team.
“That’s why we need to focus on details in practice,” he said. “We can’t get caught up on what they do. It’s more of what we do.”