NFC Championship Game: Everything Eagles Fans Need to Know
By Dan Stamm ••
NBC10’s Matt DeLucia outlines what the city is doing to prepare for overflowing fans for Sunday’s NFC Championship Game. Go Eagles!
Our beloved Philadelphia Eagles will host the NFC Championship Game Sunday here in Philadelphia. A spot in the Super Bowl on the line and we want to make sure fans are prepared.
The game may be the main event, but from getting there to tailgating to where to watch, there is so much more to game day (and the lead up) than just what’s going on inside Lincoln Financial Field.
Here are the answers to some of your biggest questions.
When is the game?
The Eagles take on the Vikings at the Linc in South Philadelphia Sunday at 6:40 p.m.
I want to go to the game but I don’t have a ticket, what can I do?
The game is sold out so plan on forking over hundreds of dollars for a ticket. Tickets on resale sites including Stub Hub and Ticketmaster’s official NFL TicketExchange started around $550 as of Friday morning.
You can also be near the action by heading to XFINITY Live! Just plan on getting there early if you want a premiere spot.
How can I watch the game?
The game can be seen on Fox on TV. Smartphone users can watch the game on the Yahoo! Sports app.
Patti Ortiz, Lauren Newell, Sylvia Gardyasz
Kellie Cieplinski
Christopher Columbus Charter School students: Cole Wray, Daphne Schwartz, Sophia Cieplinski and Maddie Wray. Go Eagles!
Achal Asawa
Sydney Palita, 5, from Oxford, Pennsylvania is proudly displaying her underdog status.
Casey McGinley
At six days young, Madison is already part of the Bird Gang! Let’s go Eagles!
Marie Nelson
Jack is so excited for the Eagles playoff game against the Falcons!
Woodlyn Elementary School
E-A-G-L-E-S 🦅 #weRwoodlyn
Beth Martin
Ethan is excited about his first Eagles playoff game!
Dave Carosella
Even the kids believe.
huskerkid
#FlyEaglesFly Go Birds!
Donna Frappolli
Nico is game day ready.
Melanie Stampone
Our 2017 Christmas card.
Patricia-Bradley
Lacey Bradley is dressed and ready for an Eagles WIN today!
Theresa Waltman
9-year-old Molly from Collegeville, PA.
Jamie Sparks
Riley Sparks, age 16 months, ready to cheer on her Eagles
Jennifer-Carollo
Eagles fan ready for the game.
Amber Fego
Natalia is ready for the Eagles!
Erin Morley
Mother and son ready for the game!!!
Carol Gambino
Our grandson Dominic and Sam cheering on Eagles!
NBC 5 News
Joe-Joe’s ready for his first Eagles game!! #letsgoeagles #puthimincoach 🏈🦅
Lauren Marie
Jim Hoffman is ready!
Briana Thompson
Eagles playoffs!
Lauren Newell
Go Eagles!!!
Patti Ortiz
Fly Eagles Fly ❤️ Nina.
kjm__28
GO BIRDS!!
Katie Powers
Karli, Vinny, Emma and Doggie Maggie are ready for the game! Go EAGLES!!
Meghan Burghardt
Anton Peter Burghardt, III is game day ready!!! Born 10/6 in one of the best Eagles seasons yet! EAGLES, Eagles! First playoff game for this little Eagles fan!
Thom Shedlock
Eagles shrine used for the Super Bowl vs. New England.
Nora Wlodarczyk Manini
Cutest Eagles fan!
Kathryn LeConey
Someone is ready for an Eagles win!
Jottie B.
Reppin’ our Eagles in Cape Town, South Africa! #FlyEaglesFly
Jimmy Deger
Carson and Olivia are ready for their Eagles.
Katie Zeitz
Biggest Eagles fan?
Kerri Taylor
Nellie loves the Eagles!
Sylvia Gardyasz
4-month-old Logan Kosinski during the last two minutes of Saturday's playoff game!
Mary Walsh
Baby and dad celebrate the win!
Rivera Josie
Cheryl L. Evans
Four generations of Eagles fans and him!
Kelly Curley
Eagles Playoff Game #1.
Becky Barker
Katie is ready for an Eagles NFC Championship!
Emily Schiller
Sadie and Clara Jean Schiller are flying HIGH over an Eagles win!
Cathie Steranko
Razz from North Myrtle Beach.
Lisa Kirk
A diehard Eagles fan and Army veteran.
Bryana Perea
Bryana & Baby Chloe (a/k/a CoCo) excited to tailgate!
Jim
16-week-old Maverick was a little nervous last game but he's excited to watch the Eagles fly high at the NFC Championship Game!
Lynn Karavatakis
Border Collie watching his favorite team win!
Bridget O'Connell
Shea Ryan and daddy.
Bridget OConnell
Shea Ryan loves the Eagles!
April DiPaolo
My son made a new Eagles friend in Smyrnadelphia!
Leah DeLuca
1-year-old Maddalena is ready for another EAGLES win!
Thomas Braun
Georgie Gurl South Philly Go Birds !!!
Hannah has her very own dog mask GO EAGLES!! Hannah has her very own dog mask GO EAGLES!!
Mary Docherty
Ryder Docherty Ryder is ready! GO BIRDS!!!
The underdogs will prove themselves today!!!! #Superbowl @abcnews @CBSSports @NBCPhiladelphia https: The underdogs will prove themselves today!!!! #Superbowl @abcnews @CBSSports @NBCPhiladelphia https://t.co/Y0zb55X4Or
Tim Ford
Go Eagles! NFC Championship
Justin webster
Bailey New rescue Bailey!
Sandy Bolanos
EAGLES FOREVER
Departamento de Policía de Fort Worth
11:30 a.m. - Wells Fargo, M, N and P lots open 1 p.m. - K Lot opens 3 p.m. - Citizens Bank Park lots open
Normally, tailgating is not allowed in the parking lots north of Pattison Avenue and west of Darien Street (Lots Q-W and the lot near the Nova Care Complex.)
SpotHero is allowing people to reserve parking near the stadium starting but as of Thursday morning no spots were available.
Just don't plan on parking anywhere along Broad Street. Philadelphia police banned parking on Broad below South Street Sunday.
How do I find the best lot?
For the first time, the Eagles are teaming up with Waze to help fans "navigate to the parking lots at Lincoln Financial Field."
Forget about parking, I plan on taking public transit. Will SEPTA be running extra service?
SEPTA has 10 Broad Street Line express trains planned to depart from Fern Rock (times TBA). The Lana Del Ray concert is also set for the stadium complex Sunday night at 8, so expect plenty of people on the trains.
What’s the easiest way to pay for SEPTA?
Make sure you have a SEPTA Key, You can find out where you can purchase one prior to the game here. The city transit agency announced "a special discounted round-trip pass" that can be used on the subway. The pass will cost $4 and be sold on game day at three locations on the Broad Street Line: Fern Rock Transportation Center, at the Dilworth Park entrance to the City Hall Station and at the Walnut/Locust Station.
When can I get into the stadium?
HeadHouse Plaza opens at 3:30 p.m. for fans wanting to beat the rush through security gates.
Club and Suites, as well as inner gates open at 4:30 p.m.
Gate flares urging fans to get into the stadium will go off at 5:40 and 5:55 p.m.
The normal clear bag policy (sized 12x6X12 or smaller) is in place. Here is what you need to know about what can and can't go inside the Linc.
Who is performing the national anthem?
Retired Naval Petty Officer, 1st Class, Generald Wilson will sing the "Star Spangled Banner" as members of the United States military display a large American flag.
Challenger the Bald Eagle will flyover the crowd before kickoff.
Also keep an eye out for honorary captains (And Eagles' NFC Championship Game heroes) Brian Dawkins and Wilbert Montgomery pregame.
Who is playing halftime?
Philly's own The Roots will take a break from "The Tonight Show" to rock the Linc.
Which team is favored?
Grab those (under)dog masks because the top-seeded Eagles are likely going to enter as an underdog, again. As of Friday, most Las Vegas sportsbooks had the Vikings as a three-point favorite.
Where can I get a dog mask like the ones worn by some of the Eagles after the win over the Falcons?
You can buy the masks online but they might not arrive before game day. Expect to see a few homemade masks in the crowd Sunday.
How is NBC10 getting fans ready?
NBC10 is the official television station of the Philadelphia Eagles and we will be getting fans fired up all week.
Come see the Eagles Road to Victory Bus as it stops throughout the region. We'll have giveaways -- and you can sign the bus to support the team. See the schedule here.
The Philadelphia Eagles are going to battle the Minnesota Vikings in the NFC Championship Game for a chance to go to Super Bowl LII. NBC10 is your official Eagles station, and will have Eagles specials all weekend long.
Then stay with NBC10 throughout the weekend for a series of specials, especially before and after Sunday’s game:
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PHILADELPHIA, PA - JANUARY 04: The New Orleans Saints hike the ball against the Philadelphia Eagles during their NFC Wild Card Playoff game at Lincoln Financial Field on January 4, 2014 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
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Did you know?Brian Westbrook is the only Eagle to record a 100-yard postseason rushing game at the Linc. He ran for 141 yards in 20 carries against the New York Giants, including a 49-yard touchdown. The Eagles won the 2006 NFC Wildcard Playoff game 23-20.
Ted S. Warren/AP
Did you know?The Eagles have scored fewer than 30 points in 16 straight playoff games, just one shy of the NFL record of 17 straight games. The last time the Eagles scored 30 points in a playoff game was the 33-19 win over the Bears in the 2001 conference semifinals at Soldier Field. The Eagles have gone nine straight home playoff games without scoring 30 points.
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Did you know?Greg Lewis is the only player in NFL history to catch a pass of 30 yards or more in three games in a row in a single postseason after not catching a single pass of 30 yards during the regular season. Lewis did it in 2004 with a 45-yard catch against the Atlanta Falcons in the second quarter of the NFC Championship game at Lincoln Financial Field on January 23, 2005 .
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Did you know?The Eagles have allowed 100 or more rushing yards in nine straight playoff games. That's the second-longest streak in NFL history. The Lions allowed 100 yards in 10 straight postseason games from 1935 through 1983.
Bill Feig/AP
Did you know?Only two Eagles have had two interceptions in a playoff game in the last 25 years and only one of them was a cornerback. Eric Allen picked off Bobby Hebert twice -- including a pick-six -- in the 1992 wild-card 36-20 win over the Saints at the Superdome.
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Damon Moore intercepted Brad Johnson twice in the 2001 wild-card win over the Buccaneers at Veterans Stadium. The Eagles won 31-9.
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Did you know?Brent Celek's 10 catches against the Cardinals in the 2008 NFC Championship Game match the most by a tight end in any postseason game in the last 20 years. The last tight end with more receptions in a playoff game was Jay Novacek, who had 11 for the Cowboys in a 1995 wild-card game against the Packers.
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Did you know?The Eagles haven't had a rushing play longer than 27 yards in their last five playoff games. Their last postseason run longer than 27 yards came in the 2006 NFC divisional playoff loss to the Saints, when Westbrook had a 62-yard run.
Did you know?Chris Warren (35) is one of only three players in Eagles history to have 22 or more carries in a playoff game. Warren only played one regular season game in an Eagles uniform and had 22 carries for 77 yards against the Buccaneers in the 2000 NFC wild-card win at the vet. A week later, the loss to the Giants, was his final career game.
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Did you know?David Akers is the only kicker in Eagles history to make a postseason field goal of 43 yards or more. That includes this 45-yard field goal in the first quarter during the NFC championship game against the Arizona Cardinals on January 18, 2009 in Arizona. Akers is also the only Eagle with more than one career postseason field goal of 40 yards.
NBC10
The longest Eagles postseason field goal by anybody other than Akers was a 42-yarder by Luis Zendejas in the Fog Bowl.
Which players should I be keeping an eye on?
The Eagles success starts and finishes with quarterback Nick Foles. Since star QB Carson Wentz was lost for the season in December, Foles has had some good (including the Falcons game) and bad games. Foles playing well will be key for the Eagles.
The Vikings also have a quarterback who didn’t start the season as the starter. Case Keenum (Foles former teammate on the Rams) has shined since taking over for injured (former Eagles) QB Sam Bradford. His miracle walk-off touchdown pass to Stefon Diggs propelled the Vikings into the NFC Championship Game.
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Offensive lineman Isaac Seumalo has one of the most impressive heads of hair on the Eagles roster, but he is not alone in having great hair.
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In the long hair category we also have defensive lineman Beau Allen...
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Running back Jay Ajayi
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Defensive back Ronald Darby
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Special teamer Bryan Braman
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Linebacker Joe Walker
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And cornerback Sidney Jones.
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Fellow defensive back Jalen Mills' green hair is one of a kind.
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Running back Corey Clement also has some color in his hair, though.
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Safety Rodney McLeod also sports two shades in his hair.
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Kicker Jake Elliott has a traditional cut.
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Safety Malcolm Jenkins sports no hair on his head but an amazing beard.
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Offensive tackle Lane Johnson also has hair on the face rather than the top of his head.
TELEMUNDO
Of course, we have to give a mention to the hair head coach Doug Pederson. He likes to show it off through his visor.
When was the last time the Eagles played in the NFC Championship Game?
The Eagles lost to the Cardinals in Arizona on Jan. 18, 2009. The last time the Eagles hosted the NFC Championship Game, they beat the Falcons on Jan. 23, 2005 to go to Super Bowl XXXIX.
When the Eagles win, which team will they face in the Super Bowl?
The AFC Championship between the New England Patriots and Jacksonville Jaguars will be decided Sunday afternoon. Super Bowl LII takes place in Minnesota (of all places) on Sunday, Feb. 4.
Feel free to ask other questions in the comments and we may be able to get an answer for you.
