VIKINGS-EAGLES NOTES
PHILADELPHIA – The Eagles did not get to relish yesterday’s 27-14 victory over the Vikings for too long before the inevitable question hit them: So how are you going to deal with Michael Vick?
The Falcons arrive Sunday for the NFC Championship Game at Lincoln Financial Field, putting the dynamic Vick on the biggest stage of his still-young career.
The Eagles in their first playoff test got a taste of how to deal with a mobile quarterback and had little trouble containing Daunte Culpepper, but Vick is another matter.
“I want to enjoy this one before I think too much about Michael,” Eagles coach Andy Reid said. “He’s a heck of a player and we’ll have to come up with something to contain him, obviously. Michael’s going to be as fast as your fastest guy so you got to handle that a certain way.”
Vick lost a divisional playoff game in Philadelphia two seasons ago.
*
The Eagles are one of only five teams to advance to four consecutive conference title games. The others are the Raiders (1973-77), Bills (1990-93), Cowboys (1970-73) and Raiders (1967-70). All made it to the Super Bowl at least once, something the Eagles have yet to do.
“It all starts with the quarterback and my confidence level is high and the rest of the guys seem to follow along with that,” Eagles QB Donovan McNabb said. “As a unit we’ve talked about our number one goal, and that’s to win the Super Bowl. We’re excited about moving on.”
The Vikings botched a fake field goal in the third quarter. Randy Moss was supposed to hide out near the sideline and then go out for a pass from holder Gus Frerotte, but the Vikings had 12 men on the field.
When they motioned from the bench for the extra lineman to get off the field, Moss thought they were pointing at him and he left.
The Eagles were fooled, but there was no one for Frerotte to throw to as he tossed the ball out of the end zone.
“I pretty much felt sick to my stomach out there,” Frerotte said. “I knew we had a touchdown.”
*
LB Jeremiah Trotter, let go by the Eagles three years ago, spent the past two years missing out on the playoffs with the Redskins and now gets another shot at the Super Bowl with his original team.
Trotter had a big game against Minnesota with seven tackles, one interception and a half a sack.
“Eight months ago I was on the unemployment line,” Trotter marveled.
(p. 66 in metro)
