What do these topics have in common: Corey Simon on Super Bowl night 13 years ago in Jacksonville, the 2004 team vs. the 2017 team, Alshon Jeffery and really bad head coaches.
What else. They all found their way into our Saturday edition of Roob's 10 Random Eagles Super Bowl Observations!
And the next one will be coming to you from the Twin Cities!
1. It was about four hours after Super Bowl XXXIX in Jacksonville had ended, and back at the team hotel, the Sawgrass Resort in Ponte Vedra Beach, and I was at the front desk signing up for the airport shuttle the next morning to fly back to Philly. Next thing I know these giant arms grab me from behind and I hear Corey Simon's voice saying, "Roooooooob. I'm locked out of my room." Turns out Simon had lost his hotel key at some point, and the people at the front desk were following hotel policy to the extreme and wouldn't give a new key until he could show his driver's license. Which, of course, was in his room. I reached into my computer bag and pulled out my official Super Bowl XXXIX program, turned to the page with Simon's bio and photo, and showed it to the clerk at the front desk. "See? Same guy! He just played in the Super Bowl! Please give him a key." The guy examined the page, looked at Simon, and made him a key and off he went down the hallway.
2. Marvin Lewis, Jim Mora, Dick Jauron, Buddy Ryan, Marion Campbell, Jay Gruden and Jason Garrett have 75 combined years as head coaches in the NFL. Doug Pederson has more career playoff wins than all of them. Combined.
3. I've said all year, I felt like Alshon Jeffery was playing better than his stats. By that, I meant that even though his volume of catches and yards wasn't super high - he finished the regular season 52nd in the NFL with 57 catches and 34th with 789 yards - he was making big catches at big times. His nine TD catches were fourth-most in the league and his 44 first down catches were 17th-most. He was making his catches count while developing chemistry with two new quarterbacks. You could see that chemistry develop with Carson Wentz as the season went on and you can see it now growing each week with Nick Foles. Jeffery has nine catches for 146 yards and two TDs in the Eagles' two playoff wins, his first career postseason games. You look at the Eagles' stats, and they don't have a No. 1 receiver. You watch them play, and I feel like they do.
4. Can you just imagine if Chase Daniel were still Wentz's backup? None of this happens. None of it.
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5. When the Eagles first hired Doug Pederson, he spoke a lot about his years playing under Don Shula, Mike Holmgren and Andy Reid, who he also coached under. He never mentions those guys anymore. It seems Pederson in Year 2 has truly established his own style, his own philosophy, his own approach to coaching. Instead of doing what he saw other coaches do, he's really crafted his own style of coaching unique from those other guys. I'm sure he's taken bits and pieces from everyone, but it's clear to anyone paying attention he's not a clone of anybody. I think a lot of fans feared Pederson would simply be an Andy Reid duplicate, with both Reid's strengths and his weaknesses. He's proven to be anything but. He's just Doug.
6. The Eagles have allowed 10 or fewer points in four straight games for the first time since 1974.
7. This pretty much sums up exactly what this 2017 Eagles team is all about: They have more fifth-round picks on the 53-man roster (10) than first-round picks (nine) and more sixth-round picks (five) than third-round picks (four). Not to mention six more undrafted players (nine) than fourth-round picks (three). With very few exceptions, this is a team of late-round picks, free agents, journeymen and castoffs. Put together 53 guys with a chip on their shoulder and something to prove and something special happens.
8. From 1961 through 1991, a 31-year span, the Eagles won three postseason games. They just won two in nine days.
9. No question in my mind the 2004 Eagles team had more talent than this one. Dawk. Donovan. Westbrook. T.O., Trott. Sheldon and Lito. Hugh and Simon. Akers. That team had All-Pros up and down the lineup. This team is talented, especially on the D-line, but not like that one. What this team has that the 2004 team didn't have is incredible chemistry, unselfishness and togetherness. And a lot of talent. It's a tremendous combination.
10. Mindblowing Nick Foles Stat of the Day: Foles has had more career playoff games completing 77 percent of his passes (two) than Tom Brady (one).
