The Philadelphia Eagles wrapped up the 2024 regular season with a 20-13 win over the hapless New York Giants at sunny, brisk Lincoln Financial Field Sunday afternoon.
The victory gave the Birds fourteen regular season wins which ties the franchise record set in 2022.
It was also win No. 300 under Jeffrey Lurie's ownership including playoffs.
The Eagles will face the Green Bay Packers next Sunday at the Linc (FOX).
Quarterback Tanner McKee showed last week's two-touchdown performance in the second half against the Cowboys was not a one-time show.
The second-year signal caller out of Stanford was 27 of 41 for 269 yards, two-touchdown passes and no interceptions. McKee was sacked twice but finished with a 100.6 quarterback rating.
After the game, McKee was asked about his thoughts of his performance Sunday.
“I mean, looking internally, I just felt like I showed that I have confidence in myself to go out and, you know, operate, run the offense,” the 6-foot-6, 231-pounder said at his post game press conference. “And, I feel like, for me, it just showed that my preparation has been working, and my preparation has helped me just get to how the offense was run today.
“And obviously, there's a ton of things that we can change; we're going to go back and watch film, and there's a lot of things that, different checks or progression, or something that I did wrong.
“So obviously, for me, it was a growing opportunity, which was great. I'm happy to kind of get my feet wet a little bit, obviously, with my first start, and grow, watch the film, and learn from the experience.”
MAKING HISTORY
Head coach Nick Sirianni has recorded two 14-win regular seasons in his four seasons as head coach. No Eagles coach has ever done that.
He was asked at his postgame press conference how much it meant to him to record these regular season milestones.
“It's cool. It's cool,” he said. “Again, that takes contributions from everybody. We always talk about doing special things, and you have special things to do during the regular season and then the postseason. Winning the division, tying a franchise record, that's cool.”
Sirianni was asked to talk about how he was able to inspire his backups to play well and make the season even more special with these regular season achievements.
“It's taken a lot of people to win 14 games,” Sirianni said. “There have been a lot of contributions from a lot of different people. We had some bumps and bruises along the way and a lot of guys have stepped in and played. When you win 14 games, it takes everybody.
“Fred (Johnson) coming in and playing a lot of plays. Isaiah (Rodgers) and tight end Grant Calcaterra and LB Oren Burks, and Kenny Pickett.
“Then, going out and doing what we did today with the guys that went out there and played. Good depth. An unbelievable job by Howie (Roseman) and his staff to get the depth in here and the coaches to develop those players, and unbelievable job by the players.”
Sirianni was asked to about how McKee played, how does that affect how he evaluates the state of the quarterback position?
“Yeah, love the room. Love the room.”
Safety Isaiah Rodgers was asked about being part of history for this franchise even if the game meant nothing in the standings.
“It was everybody's mindset to go out there and be part of history” said Rodgers, who finished with two tackles, a defended pass and two kickoff returns totaling 75 yards.
“It was meaningless for fans and things like that,” said Rodgers. “But for the guys out there, you're playing for your career, your future. You're playing for yourself, your family back home. We didn't go out there with a meaningless mindset.”
Rodgers said Sirianni kept reminding the players taking the field how important it was to get to the franchise win totals.
“It's definitely hard to get there,” Rodgers said. “You have to appreciate it while it's right in front of you and go get it.”
Rodgers was asked if the Eagles have a buzz about them going into the playoffs.
“We can feel it, it's in the building,” Rodgers said. “I think everyone just wants to find a way to win. Everybody is doing their job, filling their role and doing what they can do to win.”
Rodgers said it was nice to see McKee do well.
“I'm happy for him,” Rodgers said. “We always said during training camp that he's a good quarterback. I'm happy the whole world got to see him today.”
A LITTLE REDEMPTION FOR JAHAN DOTSON
On August 22, 2024, the Washington Commanders traded Dotson and a fifth-round pick to the Eagles in exchange for a conditional third-round pick and two seventh-round picks in the 2025 NFL draft.
Dotson has had a disappointing first season in Philadelphia.
Going into the season finale, he had just 12 receptions for 122 yards and no TDs.
Sunday Dotson caught seven passes for 94 yards.
To his credit, Dotson has not made a stink about his lack of attention from the quarterback room.
The 24-year-old went through similar situation at Penn State. It took a while for him to fit in.
Dotson said he had to wait his turn to shine when he was a Nittany Lion.
The third-year player said that experience helped him keep his focus trying to get targets behind A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith.
“[Penn State] was a really tough situation for me,” Dotson said at his locker after the game. “That was the first time in my life that I wasn't 'the guy.' I wasn't the one on third down they calling on to make the play.
“I didn't know how to deal with it then. So going through that process really helped me today. And to be ready for my opportunity and be ready for the moment. And if you don't get one, it’s off to the next play.”
He too said the coach kept reminding the players that Sunday was not a meaningless game.
“Coach Sirianni, he told us earlier in the week that we were on the verge of doing that (14 wins),” Dotson said. “That's a pretty cool feat. It’s my first time in the playoffs, my first time winning 14 games. I'm pretty excited about it.”
MORE FIRSTS FOR PLAYERS
Last week Eagles Pro Bowl running back Saquon Barkley said he wasn’t aware of baseball caps and t-shirts even existed until he came to the Eagles and helped the Birds win the NFC East.
Nick Gates, who started against the Giants Sunday, was a teammate of Barkley. This championship thing was all new to him as well.
“Anytime you can go out and get a win in the NFL it’s a big deal, it’s cool,” Gates said at his locker after the game. “I have never won more than nine games in my whole career. To come to a team that’s this successful…I’ve only been in the playoffs one time. It doesn’t matter if it’s meaningless game or not, it means something to me. It’s something to the guys that are out there.
“We worked real hard during the week to get ready for this game to go get a win. I’m pretty happy with what happened today.”
Gates said he prepares every week like he is going to play. Even if he knows he may be deactivated at game time.
“Oh year,” Gates said. The coaches preach to us each and every week, we’ve got to be ready and get ready like you’re a starter each and every week do when your time comes, you’re ready.”
Gates shrugged his shoulders when asked about playing the Packers in the Wild Card round.
“Whoever it is, we’re going to put best foot forward,” Gates said. “And go try and win a ball game.”
JACK DRISCOLL AND THE PRIDE OF THE BACKUPS
Jack Driscoll has played five seasons in the NFL. He has played in 67 NFL games, started in 18 of them, All in Philadelphia.
He started Sunday against the Giants. The 27-year-old out of Auburn talked about the pride the backups carried not just Sunday, but all season.
“For us, the backups, we’ve been working all year,” Driscoll said at his locker after the game. “Guy’s have been putting in work all year. Me and Nick (Gates), DK (Darian Kinnard), Trevor Keegan, Fred (Johnson), (Tyler) Steen and everyone else in the group.
“Everyone’s been busting their ass all year. This is a good chance to show what you can do. It’s been practice, practice…but a game when there’s live bullets flying, it was awesome to get a chance and compete. For a lot of us, that was our chance for the year. Now it’s on to the playoffs. And whatever roll we have, we’re going look for a chance to play.”
Driscoll said if it is the NFL and if it’s a game, it is a game.
“An NFL game is an NFL game,” Driscoll said. “We have pride. We knew they were going to play some starters. We knew we had some starters playing…especially on the O-line, we didn’t want to let the standard slip. We’ve got guys like Lane, Johnson, Landon, Cam, Mekhi (Becton) all those guys. They are so good. We want to show we have some great players in the room too.”
Driscoll in playing Green Bay in the first round?
“I’ll be a great challenge,” Driscoll said. “We played them week one…we’ll bring our A game and it will be a great challenge.”
Does this team have that buzz that teams get when they believe they can win it all?
“We have a really great team,” Driscoll said. “Everyone loves each other, everyone plays hard for each other. Look at this week with all the backups…same thing. Everyone is playing for each other, picking each other off the ground…it’s special. We’ve got a lot of work to do but at the same time out coaches have done a good job of keeping us all connected and playing for each other.” *
Some information from Wikipedia.com and pro-football-reference.com.
Email Al Thompson at al.thompson@footballstories.com
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