It’s time we put “long suffering” to bed permanently! The Eagles will deliver!
by John Kincade
As an Eagles fan in his 50’s, born and bred in a family of “long suffering” Delco Birds fanatics, I’m finally ready to bury that belief that when a huge opportunity is there for the raking that the team will fall short. The doomsday beliefs of our Eagles fan ancestors are about to be buried and my hope is permanently. 2017 was a gift from the Gods, while I believe 2022 will be the one we remember as our team finally ascending to a throne. It’s a perch I don’t expect them to vacate easily either.
The feeling of confidence that I have going into this game is not one of bravado, it’s been earned. The Eagles made me believe in them. The team that turned around a 2-5 start to make the playoffs at 9-8 was a spunky cute story. The backside whipping that they took from the Buccaneers was almost expected. What followed was an aggressive off season that demanded we sit up and take notice. The signing of Haason Reddick was a splash but didn’t truly move the needle. The draft night acquisition of AJ Brown was an earthquake of excitement that once again jolted the excitement level. Yet the nagging doubts about whether Jalen Hurts was truly “the guy” remained. The bolstering of the secondary with the signing of James Bradbury and the trade for CJ Gardner Johnson seemed unbelievable!
The Eagles told us all that they were all in on making something big happen in 2022. When the season started I had predicted a 12-5 record with a playoff victory. I didn’t call for a trip to the Super Bowl, because I didn’t believe they were ready to make that jump. It wasn’t until they raced off to a 6-0 start that a return trip to Arizona this season seemed viable. It took some convincing and they continued to do it.
The 13-1 record was gaudy and the injury to Jalen Hurts brought back memories of the Carson Wentz injury. The team showed resolve and toughness and secured the top seed and after 2 playoff game laughers, the ultimate prize awaits them. I expect it to be happening. Why? It’s because they answered all my doubts.
I’m tired of the boring sob stories from seasons past. I choose to focus on this season, as no other outcomes have anything to do with this team! They have been the best since the start, leading wire to wire. They are better on both lines of scrimmage. The pass defense which you need to defeat a guy like Patrick Mahomes they most certainly have in place. There are no further reasons for doubt.
I expect a dominant effort on Sunday. The Eagles defensive front to dominate the KC offensive line. Throw in a Mahomes INT for good measure and chill the champagne. The Eagles, who gave delivered all season, are worth believing in. A second Super Bowl title in a short time should forever eradicate “long suffering” from Eagles fans vernacular. They proved it, they earned it and they deserve it.
