EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Dallas Goedert may have been speaking for the group, or he was out of turn. Regardless, his words had merit.
“I just know everybody in the locker room is ready to go to work for the playoffs,” Goedert said. “Ever since we clinched the playoff (berth), I just think everybody has been waiting for the playoffs. Not something that, you know, is a great thing. I think everybody is gonna be ready to go and show the world what we’re capable of.”
Is this what the Philadelphia Eagles have been waiting for? Did the remainder of the regular season not matter? The Eagles held a two-game lead in the NFC standings with six weeks to play before the San Francisco 49ers and Dallas Cowboys blew them out.
The lead for home-field advantage was gone, but the NFC East title was still in play. It didn’t matter apparently; the Eagles clinched a playoff berth.
Philadelphia faced teams that finished with a combined record of 25-43 (.368 win percentage), yet went 1-3 in those games. All those teams missed the playoffs, where the Eagles are ending up — for however long their visit lasts.
Despite losing five of their last six games and having the season crumble on top of them, the Eagles are hitting the reset button — literally. They’re 0-0 heading into the postseason, and the last six games didn’t matter.
Apparently, the first 11 didn’t either.
“We 0-0, what we gonna do?” Brandon Graham said. “That’s the best thing about this right now. There’s people going home right now, but I don’t believe we gonna be home. You know what I’m saying? It’s been a rough ending, but it’s about to be a beautiful start.”
If there are any words that resonate in the locker room, they’re Graham’s. The player who has suited up for the most games in franchise history has been through the highest of highs and lowest of lows in his 14 years with the franchise.
Perhaps Graham hasn’t been through worse situations like the one his team is experiencing, but he’s been through tough times with the organization. There’s a reason why Graham thinks the 0-0 mentality has merit.
“I ain’t worried at all. I just pray about it and put all I have into it,” Graham said. “I stay believing in my team though, because I know we can come back to it. And I know we got some guys coming back. Things are gonna start clicking, and I do believe that — to the end.”
The Eagles are banking on flipping the switch and getting to where they want to go. That approach doesn’t actually serve well in the NFL, yet the Eagles are insistent 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 that? No. Not as of late. That takes complete ownership of every individual doing that.
“Now, it’s about finding that deep in our souls and figuring out ways to win. Who cares how you win in the playoffs? Win or go home.”
