EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ – Dallas Goedert may have been speaking for the group, or he was out of turn. Regardless, his words had merit.
“I just know that everyone in the locker room is ready to get to work for the playoffs,” Goedert said. “Since we clinched our playoff spot, I think everyone’s been waiting for the playoffs. It’s not something that, you know, is a good thing. I think everyone’s going to be ready to show the world what we have. of which I am capable.”
Is this what the Philadelphia Eagles have been waiting for? Doesn’t the rest of the regular season matter? The Eagles held a two-game lead in the NFC standings with six weeks remaining before the San Francisco 49ers and Dallas Cowboys eliminated them.
The home field lead was gone, but the NFC East title was still on the line. That apparently didn’t matter; the Eagles clinched a playoff spot.
Philadelphia has faced teams that finished with a combined record of 25-43 (.368 winning percentage), but went 1-3 in those games. All of those teams missed the playoffs, which is where the Eagles find themselves — no matter how long they visit.
Despite losing five of their last six games and the season falling apart, the Eagles are literally hitting the reset button. They are 0-0 heading into the playoffs, and the last six games don’t matter.
Apparently neither did the first 11.
“We are 0-0, what are we going to do?” » said Brandon Graham. “It’s the best thing right now. There are people going home right now, but I don’t think we’ll be home. You know what I’m saying? The end “It’s been tough, but it’s about to be a great start.”
If there are words that resonate in the locker room, it’s Graham’s. The player who has appeared in the most games in franchise history has experienced the highest highs and lowest lows during his 14 years with the franchise.
Maybe Graham hasn’t been through worse situations than his team is going through, but he’s been through some tough times with the organization. There’s a reason Graham thinks the 0-0 mentality has merit.
“I’m not worried at all. I’m just praying about it and putting everything I have into it,” Graham said. “I continue to believe in my team, because I know we can get back there. And I know some guys will come back. Things will start to click, and I believe in it – until the end.”
The Eagles plan to press the button and get where they want to go. That approach doesn’t really work well in the NFL, but the Eagles insist their talent will get them through.
“It’s always another opportunity. It’s about taking advantage of the opportunity,” Jalen Hurts said. “Do I think we’ve done a good job of doing this? No. Not recently. It requires total ownership of every individual who does this.
“Now it’s about finding that deep in our souls and finding ways to win. Who cares how you win in the playoffs? Win or go home.”