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Philadelphia Eagles news and links for 2/10/25.
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Chiefs-Eagles in Super Bowl LIX: What We Learned from Philadelphia’s 40-22 win - NFL.com
Fangio delivers a defensive master class. In the lead-up to Super Bowl LIX, much of the conversation revolved around this legendary matchup of coordinators. It didn’t take Vic Fangio long to prove his superiority. Situationally, Fangio was excellent early. On third down during the Chiefs’ opening possession — a drive that began with a well-designed play for a first down — Fangio put one of most athletic defenders in Cooper DeJean on Travis Kelce, then added Reed Blankenship as a robber defender in Cover 1, plastering an Eagle to every pass catcher while eliminating Patrick Mahomes’ favorite third-down target, Kelce, from the equation. That play ended in a desperate heave by Mahomes that was almost intercepted and ended up proving to be a precursor of what was to come. Fangio complicated the picture for Mahomes, who struggled to find open targets even while the Eagles leaned on Cover 4 shells. This was possible because of Philadelphia’s effective front four, and by the time the Eagles held a 24-0 lead, it was clear who owned the more complete defense. Philadelphia’s Super Bowl triumph was built on an incredible offseason completed by Roseman and the right hires made by Nick Sirianni after their dreadful finish to the 2023 season. As they’d said all week, they needed to go through that experience to get here. But even they likely didn’t know it would be this emphatic.
How the Eagles Erased Patrick Mahomes From Super Bowl LIX - The Ringer
This win cements Fangio as one of the best defensive play callers in this era, as he finally adds a Lombardi Trophy to his list of accomplishments during his 38-year NFL coaching career. The Eagles wouldn’t have even been in a position to compete for a Super Bowl if it hadn’t been for his scheme and his staff’s development of raw, young players into big-time contributors. Before he took over this year, there were questions about whether edge rusher Nolan Smith Jr. and linebacker Nakobe Dean were starting-caliber players, whether Jordan Davis’s abilities as a run defender could impact winning, and whether rookie secondary players DeJean and Quinyon Mitchell could handle a complex scheme right out of college. Even a veteran like Josh Sweat, who seemingly took a big step backward in 2023 and took a pay cut in advance of this season, logged a game-high eight pressures and 2.5 sacks. All of those players made a difference in this game and have set themselves up to continue their dominance in years to come—even as veterans like Sweat, Darius Slay, and Williams may be phased out of the unit.
Vic Fangio quietly savors a Super Bowl masterpiece, as Josh Sweat and the Eagles defense feast on the Chiefs - Inquirer
The Eagles’ 40-22 victory on Sunday doesn’t vindicate the 66-year-old coordinator. Fangio had long ago...
