The Philadelphia Eagles are underdogs and that is perfectly okay

In the city of Philadelphia, we have embraced the underdog role. From Rocky to Vince Papale, it seems that being counted out is in our DNA.

On Saturday night 70,000 Philadelphia Eagles fans will file into Lincoln Financial Field for the Eagles’ first playoff game since 2014 as rowdy as ever as the Eagles will look to win their first postseason game at home since 2007. At the same time, millions of fans will be tuning in on TV, eager to see the Eagles win their first playoff game since 2009.

While the fans have nervously anticipated this game for the last two weeks, there are 53 guys down in Philadelphia preparing for what may be the biggest game of some of their lives.

It may seem like all of us throughout the Deleware Valley don’t have much in common with 53 professional athletes who suit up in midnight green, but in reality, we have so much in common and are feeling the same way, especially this week.

We feel disrespected.

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For the first time in history, a number one seeded team is an underdog in their first matchup of the postseason. To make things worse, it is to the six seed, a team that barely even made the playoffs this season; and it is in our house.

No one comes into Philadelphia and beats the Eagles, but apparently, the entire country thinks the Atlanta Falcons will come in here on Saturday and pull out a win. And if that is not enough to put a chip on your shoulder, then I don’t know what is.

Yes, I understand that Carson Wentz is not playing and that Nick Foles has not looked good the past two weeks, but using that rhetoric as your entire argument is not fair to the rest of the guys on this roster, or to the coaches.

This team went 13-3 for a reason, and they are not just going to lie down because they lost their quarterback, or because the entire country wants them to. Everybody wants to see this team lose, and people are already discussing who the Falcons will be playing next week.

If you want to say the Eagles have an uphill battle that’s fine because they do. But don’t say they have no chance, or are all of a sudden a bad team now. This team has always been about more than one person and their unselfish play and bond is a huge reason for their success this season.

Let me guarantee you one thing: neither the fans nor the players are satisfied with just going 13-3 and being the number one seed. We want more. And just because the odds are stacked against us doesn’t mean that our expectations change. Our expectations are through the roof, and it’s for a good reason. Because we know what this team is and how good they can be.

Foles will be better on Saturday than he was the last two weeks, as he’s had two additional weeks of reps and the coaching staff will put him in a position to succeed. And I can guarantee you the situation will not be too big for him. He has been there before and knows what to expect. Foles isn’t simply going to lay down like everyone thinks he will, he’s going to fight.

Philadelphia is a city of underdogs. We’ve all been doubted for as far as history goes. This city has had a chip on its shoulder ever since they took the capital away from us. Being underdogs now doesn’t, and shouldn’t faze us, as we’re ready to take this head on and prove everybody wrong.

If Rocky or Vince Papale have taught us anything, it is to never count out the City of Brotherly Love. We wear our hearts on our sleeves and many outsiders may not like us for that, but frankly, they just don’t get it. Outsiders don’t understand the passion we have and probably never will. They just continue to doubt us and that’s fine; because we thrive off of the doubters.

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Trust me, the Eagles have had the odds stacked against before and it has never seemed fazed them. 4th and 26, the 2009 run to the NFC Championship game, and the Miracle at the Meadowlands one, two and three. No matter what is thrown at this team, or at this city, we have not gone down without a fight; and that will remain the same now more than ever.

On Saturday night, our city of underdogs gets to write another chapter in its storied history. The Linc will be rocking and  Eagles fans worldwide will have their unbridled passion on display for the world to see.

The Eagles have not won a playoff game in Philadelphia in 11 years, they haven’t even won a postseason game in nine years, and have not made the NFC Championship game since 2009, the last time they won a playoff game. But on Saturday all of those droughts can come to an end.

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And as a matter of fact, they will come to an end. The Eagles and their fans will show the world what they’re made of and why you should never count them out. Because at the end of the day…

We all we got. We all we need. Fly Eagles Fly.