1/23/2005
Atlanta at Philly
By Mark Riley,
Michael Vick has walked into a frigid, intimidating atmosphere in the playoffs and emerged a winner.
So have Brad Johnson and Jake Delhomme.
Vick now will try to duplicate what those lesser-heralded quarterbacks have done the past two years by going into Philly and stealing a spot in the Super Bowl away from a desperate city.
Playing in the NFC championship game for a fourth consecutive season -- and playing host for the third year in a row – Donovan McNabb and the Eagles hope this is finally the year they take the next monumental step as they face Vick and the Falcons.
"The last few years have left a bad taste in our mouth," Eagles linebacker Jeremiah Trotter said. "We know what is at stake now. We are a better team now than we were the last three years."
There is no reason to believe Vick and the Falcons will be rattled by the raucous fans or the weather in Philadelphia. The forecast for Jan. 23 is calling for strong winds and a possible snow shower with temperatures in the low 20s.
"I don't think it'll be a factor," Vick said. "We come to play football, and football is played in all types of conditions -- rain, snow, sleet or whatever. You have to go out and play the game; the game is not going to be called off. Regardless of the conditions, this is for all the marbles."
Conditions didn't matter two years ago for Atlanta when it went to a snowy Green Bay in the wild-card round to face a Packers team that was 11-0 at home in the playoffs. Vick played mistake-free football, throwing for 117 yards and rushing for 64 while not committing a turnover, and Atlanta won easily 27-7.
The next week, Atlanta played in Philadelphia and Vick was intercepted twice in a 20-6 defeat.
That sent the Eagles into their second successive NFC title game -- they lost at St. Louis the previous year -- to face Johnson and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Despite being a favorite and hosting a team that had traditionally been dreadful in cold conditions, Philadelphia lost 27-10.
Last season, the Eagles again were expected to win as Delhomme and the Carolina Panthers visited the 'Linc' for the NFC championship game. Philadelphia fans, whose 22-year title drought is the longest of any city with teams in all four major sports, came away further dejected as the Eagles were upset 14-3.
"It's unfortunate what happened to us the last three years, but it's just a different feeling this year," McNabb said.
The Falcons, meanwhile, enter their second NFC championship game the same way as they did the first, as underdogs on the road. Atlanta pulled off the victory last time, beating Minnesota 30-27 in January 1999 before losing to Denver in the Super Bowl.
"This is a totally different team than was here in 1998, with a different feel and a different look," said linebacker Keith Brooking, who joins Travis Hall as the only holdovers. "But it is similar in the sense that we are making plays when we need to."
Vick certainly has.
He broke McNabb's record for rushing yards by a quarterback in a playoff game with 119 last week in a 47-17 rout of the Rams in the divisional round. Warrick Dunn had 142 yards and two touchdowns on 17 carries as the Falcons' league-leading rushing attack gained 327 yards -- though the Rams defensively do not provide the challenge Philadelphia does.
"They're doing a good job with ball control, so we're going to have our hands full, especially with their quarterback," Philadelphia's Brian Dawkins said.
The Eagles did not have problems keeping Daunte Culpepper in the pocket last week in a 27-14 victory against Minnesota, but he's not nearly as fast as Vick.
Philadelphia can crowd the line of scrimmage to stop the run because its secondary is perhaps the best in the NFL. Dawkins and fellow safety Michael Lewis made the Pro Bowl, as did cornerback Lito Sheppard, who along with Sheldon Brown might often be left in single coverage against Atlanta's suspect receivers.
"If we need to throw the football to win, we can throw the football to win," Falcons coach Jim Mora said. "We also believe that if we're pounding it down someone's throats like we were the other night, then that's what we're going to do because that's an attitude, that's a toughness, that's a physicality that you're supposed to play with."
Once considered a weakness, the Eagles' run defense has improved significantly since Trotter was made the starting linebacker midway through the season. Trotter, voted to the Pro Bowl despite making only seven starts, keyed the victory last week with seven tackles, a half-sack and an interception.
While Trotter's job will be to stop the run and put pressure on Vick, the man whose primary purpose might be to just shadow Vick is Jevon Kearse.
The speedy defensive end played a role similar to that last week against Minnesota and helped limit the effectiveness of Culpepper, who was intercepted twice.
Atlanta has one of the league's best defensive lines -- Pro Bowl selection Patrick Kerney had 13 of the Falcons' NFL-high 48 sacks -- and that group must put pressure on McNabb.
The Pro Bowl quarterback was sacked only once last week as he went 21-for-33 for 286 yards with two touchdowns, not seeming to miss T.O. and having no problems shaking off the rust.
Owens won't be back this week -- he has an outside chance of playing in the Super Bowl -- but Philadelphia's much-maligned secondary receivers played well last week and Brian Westbrook remains a solid option out of the backfield.
"It's going to be a bunch of crazed dogs out there just fired up ready to just tee off," McNabb said. "We're looking forward to this challenge and we can't wait for it to happen."
Michael Vick has walked into a frigid, intimidating atmosphere in the playoffs and emerged a winner.
So have Brad Johnson and Jake Delhomme.
Vick now will try to duplicate what those lesser-heralded quarterbacks have done the past two years by going into Philly and stealing a spot in the Super Bowl away from a desperate city.
Playing in the NFC championship game for a fourth consecutive season -- and playing host for the third year in a row – Donovan McNabb and the Eagles hope this is finally the year they take the next monumental step as they face Vick and the Falcons.
"The last few years have left a bad taste in our mouth," Eagles linebacker Jeremiah Trotter said. "We know what is at stake now. We are a better team now than we were the last three years."
There is no reason to believe Vick and the Falcons will be rattled by the raucous fans or the weather in Philadelphia. The forecast for Jan. 23 is calling for strong winds and a possible snow shower with temperatures in the low 20s.
"I don't think it'll be a factor," Vick said. "We come to play football, and football is played in all types of conditions -- rain, snow, sleet or whatever. You have to go out and play the game; the game is not going to be called off. Regardless of the conditions, this is for all the marbles."
Conditions didn't matter two years ago for Atlanta when it went to a snowy Green Bay in the wild-card round to face a Packers team that was 11-0 at home in the playoffs. Vick played mistake-free football, throwing for 117 yards and rushing for 64 while not committing a turnover, and Atlanta won easily 27-7.
The next week, Atlanta played in Philadelphia and Vick was intercepted twice in a 20-6 defeat.
That sent the Eagles into their second successive NFC title game -- they lost at St. Louis the previous year -- to face Johnson and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Despite being a favorite and hosting a team that had traditionally been dreadful in cold conditions, Philadelphia lost 27-10.
Last season, the Eagles again were expected to win as Delhomme and the Carolina Panthers visited the 'Linc' for the NFC championship game. Philadelphia fans, whose 22-year title drought is the longest of any city with teams in all four major sports, came away further dejected as the Eagles were upset 14-3.
"It's unfortunate what happened to us the last three years, but it's just a different feeling this year," McNabb said.
The Falcons, meanwhile, enter their second NFC championship game the same way as they did the first, as underdogs on the road. Atlanta pulled off the victory last time, beating Minnesota 30-27 in January 1999 before losing to Denver in the Super Bowl.
"This is a totally different team than was here in 1998, with a different feel and a different look," said linebacker Keith Brooking, who joins Travis Hall as the only holdovers. "But it is similar in the sense that we are making plays when we need to."
Vick certainly has.
He broke McNabb's record for rushing yards by a quarterback in a playoff game with 119 last week in a 47-17 rout of the Rams in the divisional round. Warrick Dunn had 142 yards and two touchdowns on 17 carries as the Falcons' league-leading rushing attack gained 327 yards -- though the Rams defensively do not provide the challenge Philadelphia does.
"They're doing a good job with ball control, so we're going to have our hands full, especially with their quarterback," Philadelphia's Brian Dawkins said.
The Eagles did not have problems keeping Daunte Culpepper in the pocket last week in a 27-14 victory against Minnesota, but he's not nearly as fast as Vick.
Philadelphia can crowd the line of scrimmage to stop the run because its secondary is perhaps the best in the NFL. Dawkins and fellow safety Michael Lewis made the Pro Bowl, as did cornerback Lito Sheppard, who along with Sheldon Brown might often be left in single coverage against Atlanta's suspect receivers.
"If we need to throw the football to win, we can throw the football to win," Falcons coach Jim Mora said. "We also believe that if we're pounding it down someone's throats like we were the other night, then that's what we're going to do because that's an attitude, that's a toughness, that's a physicality that you're supposed to play with."
Once considered a weakness, the Eagles' run defense has improved significantly since Trotter was made the starting linebacker midway through the season. Trotter, voted to the Pro Bowl despite making only seven starts, keyed the victory last week with seven tackles, a half-sack and an interception.
While Trotter's job will be to stop the run and put pressure on Vick, the man whose primary purpose might be to just shadow Vick is Jevon Kearse.
The speedy defensive end played a role similar to that last week against Minnesota and helped limit the effectiveness of Culpepper, who was intercepted twice.
Atlanta has one of the league's best defensive lines -- Pro Bowl selection Patrick Kerney had 13 of the Falcons' NFL-high 48 sacks -- and that group must put pressure on McNabb.
The Pro Bowl quarterback was sacked only once last week as he went 21-for-33 for 286 yards with two touchdowns, not seeming to miss T.O. and having no problems shaking off the rust.
Owens won't be back this week -- he has an outside chance of playing in the Super Bowl -- but Philadelphia's much-maligned secondary receivers played well last week and Brian Westbrook remains a solid option out of the backfield.
"It's going to be a bunch of crazed dogs out there just fired up ready to just tee off," McNabb said. "We're looking forward to this challenge and we can't wait for it to happen."
