The weekend’s best game, Eagles-Bears, ended on a heartbreaking note, with Cody Parkey’s game-winning field goal attempt bouncing off two crossbars, en route to falling on the floor, effectively giving Philadelphia a 16-15 win.
The kick is what most will remember, but the game was won on the previous drive.
With a raucos crowd of Bears fans filling the air in Chicago’s Soldier Field, Nick Foles did what he’s consistently done since last season. Come through in the clutch.
Dart after dart into the middle of the Bears’ vaunted defense. Precise pocket movement of that of Tom Brady. Foles added to his legend by employing all that, along with an old-school Eli Manning-like Rainman forgetfulness of his early mistakes.
But with all the talk of Brady or Eli or other great clutch quarterbacks, it’s Foles who has been the best with the game on the line since Super Bowl LII, where he took home the game’s Most Valuable Player award.
Foles deserves is own moniker. In fact he has one. Some call him St. Nick. Recently, others have given him a different moniker, Big Dick Nick. And not to sound vulgar, but it takes massive melons (or cajones, if you prefer) to attempt (and complete) the types of throws that Foles has delivered in pro football’s biggest stages.
Overcoming two interceptions, Foles went 15-for-24 with 153 yards and two touchdowns passes in the second half.
His best throws on the final drive were a down-to-the-goal line 3rd-and-9 slant to former Bear Alshon Jeffrey, and the fourth-and-goal winning score to newcomer Golden Tate in the right flats.
Tate, a midseason acquisition gone awry, hadn’t delivered until his big day on Sunday, with Foles looking his way on various crucial moments.
“We said, once we get in, now you got to deal with us,” Tate said in a video message to the NFL after the game.
The defending Super Bowl champions now visit New Orleans, home of the team that many believe will win pro football’s greatest prize this season.
The Saints wiped the floor with the Eagles at home, 48-7, in November. But that was with Carson Wentz at the helm.
With Foles, the Eagles are a rejuvenated offense and team. The defense is back to playing at a championship-level, as the pass rush has returned to its glory, and the secondary has played with confidence, despite the team losing it’s top two cornerbacks for the season due to injury.
After a 6-7 start, and another injury to their ‘star’ quarterback, the Eagles savior has come in the same form in which he arrived last season. Four straight wins, and another masterful postseason performance later, Foles and the underdog Eagles are back.
Care to bet against them?
Looking Ahead…Divisional Weekend
Colts at Chiefs (NBC, Saturday, 4:35 PM ET)
The Colts look like a dangerous team that can beat anyone after their drubbing of the Texans in Houston. But beating Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs in Arrowhead Stadium presents a different challenge. Winners of 10 of their last 11 games after a 1-5 start, Indianapolis’ much-improved defense will look to stymie the likely NFL MVP, Patrick Mahomes.
The Colts are a more complete team than the Chiefs. But Kansas City has an improving pass rush, bolstered by the return of Justin Houston, and the great season by Chris Jones. But the Chiefs still struggle to stop the run, and Marlon Mack has run wild these past few months for Indianapolis.
It should be relatively high-scoring contest between Andrew Luck and Mahomes
Gut feeling: Chiefs 31, Colts 24
Cowboys at Rams (FOX, Saturday, 8:15 PM ET)
The Rams don’t posses that much of a home-field advantage, but Los Angeles likes them more than the Chargers. The Coliseum has gotten up for a few games this season, and this will be one of them. There will undoubtedly be a bunch of Dallas fans as well, as they’ll be supporting the underdog Cowboys.
To win, Dallas will likely need to pound the rock with Ezekiel Elliott over 30 times to attack the Rams’ questionable run defense, while keeping Sean McVay’s offense off the field. Of course, the Rams haven’t looked as sharp after Thanksgiving. Jared Goff had a tumultuous end to the season, and the offense certainly isn’t the same without trusty slot receiver Cooper Kupp.
Dallas has a top-tier defense, as well as the running game to upset the Rams in LA. The Rams have a slew of defensive playmakers that should make life difficult for Dak Prescott. All it takes is a turnover forced by someone like Aaron Donald to change the game completely.
The Cowboys have the team and proposed blueprint to pul off the upset. But the Rams should play well enough to garner their first postseason victory of the McVay-Goff era.
Gut feeling: Rams 24, Cowboys 23
Chargers at Patriots (CBS, Sunday, 1:05 PM ET)
The Patriots draw the toughest matchup of any first-round bye team in this one.
New England has won 15 straight games at home dating back October 2017. And Tom Brady is 7-0 versus Phillip Rivers. But the Chargers are 8-1 on the road, and 9-0 outside California. Something has to give.
This is the best chance Rivers may ever get to beat Brady. The Chargers have the superior team. They’e the most talented club in the AFC. Their key to victory relies on a big day from Melvin Gordon, and the pass-rush duo of Joey Bosa and Melvin Ingram getting to Tom Brady early and often.
Brady will look to work with his running backs in the passing game to combat the Chargers’ pass rush. Look for James White and Rex Burkhead to have big games. Without Josh Gordon, and Rob Gronkowski showing his age, Brady will stay away from outside-the-numbers throws versus Casey Hayward and others. He will look inside and shallow to Julian Edelman. The Chargers may opt to use do-it-all defender Derwin James as a rover in the middle of the field to take help take away both Edelman and Gronkowski.
Although many will pick the Chargers, and it does indeed feel like their time, Brady always seems to best Rivers. Bill Belichick will outcoach Anthony Lynn as well, as New England moves on to its eighth straight AFC Championship Game.
Gut feeling: Patriots 26, Chargers 17
Eagles at Saints (FOX, Sunday, 4:40 PM ET)
The Eagles were mentioned heavily in the lead to this column so we’ll focus on the Saints here.
New Orleans won’t glide to a victory this time around. They’ll have to shake off the rust and rely on their Big three (Drew Brees, Alvin Kamara, Michael Thomas) to generate points early. The underdog Eagles relish close games in which they are doubted. Leaving them hanging around can be a death sentence. But the Saints are lethal at home, and should prevail here. But if anyone is up to the task of downing the Super Bowl favorites in their home stadium, it’s the Eagles. This one is a toss-up. But I have a hunch.
Gut feeling: Saints 27, Eagles 24
No Guts No Glory 