Philadelphia Eagles: On a Wing and a prayer
The Philadelphia Eagles won on the leg of two different players last Sunday.
While Philadelphia Eagles fans prayers were answered as rookie placekicker Jake Elliot’s kick cleared the uprights giving the Eagles an exciting win in the latest installment of great Eagles-Giants matchups, it was the kick of New York Giants punter Brad Wing that set the table for the memorable win.
Elliot booted his way into club history books when he blasted a game winning 61-yard field goal to defeat the New York Giants 27 -24 in Week #3 of an entertaining NFL season. There were so many storylines and subplots that add flavor and depth to what turned out to be the longest kick in Eagles history.
Eagles fans all over will relive those moments of this critical divisional win and it will bring a smile and maybe a wet eye to remember seeing the jubilation on the faces of Eagles players as they stormed the field as they ran to celebrate with the young kicker.
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One of the juicy, more interesting subplots is the reason that Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz was in the position to connect with Eagles wide receiver Alshon Jeffery for a 19-yard gain. Jeffery gathered the pass in and slid out of bounds despite being surrounded by three New York defenders, with one second remaining on the clock. However, if it wasn’t for the shank of a kick by Giants punter Brad Wing of 28 yards, following a penalty marred drive led by Giants QB Eli Manning, then Elliot would not have been in the position to boot the kick heard throughout the Delaware Valley and beyond. Eagles players kneeled and some locked arms as they watched history being made at Lincoln Financial Field.
The exuberance that every Eagle fan felt on Sunday afternoon would not have been possible if Wing had not totally botched the punt from the Giants 34-yard line which gave the Eagles tremendous field position in a game where most fans thought was going to overtime.
The Giants players looked like they were playing for overtime. But when the punt came off of the side of the left footed Wings cleats it was the spark for the upcoming explosion that would happen 3 plays later as Elliot blasted a cannon for the victory.
Wing, celebrated for his hip hop credentials, as he was name dropped in a song by female mega star rapper Nicki Minaj, rightfully takes the blame for the loss on Sunday. According to a tweet posted by NJ.com’s Daniel Duggan the Wing thinks the loss on Sunday to the Eagles falls squarely on his shoulders.
Brad Wing on his punt: "Shit kick."
— Dan Duggan (@DDuggan21) September 24, 2017
Now he probably wishes that no one knew the name of the punter that averaged only 38.5 yards per punt on Sunday as his much ballyhooed team fell to 0-3.
The Eagles next travel to LA to face a hungry and desparate 0-3 LA Chargers team this week and will board the flight across the country with a confidence that only comes from a complete team win.
The Eagles depth was sure tested on Sunday as critical players fell to critical injuries but ultimately the team pulled out the victory. Thanks in part to the left foot of Wing and the and the answered prayer of Elliot’s historical boot.