Loving The Linc
Posted: January 20th, 2018 | Author: Tommy Lawlor | Filed under: Philadelphia Eagles | 186 Comments »
A few years back, the Eagles were a mediocre home team. Lincoln Financial Field still had crazy, passionate fans, but their energy just didn’t translate into improved performance by the team. Boy has that changed in the Doug Pederson era.
The Eagles were 6-2 at The Linc in 2016. They dominated the Steelers, winning 34-3. The Eagles manhandled the Falcons, who eventually made it to the Super Bowl. The Eagles even beat the Minnesota Vikings, 21-10.
This year, the Eagles took it up a notch.
PHI 27, NYG 24
PHI 34, ARZ 7
PHI 34, WAS 24
PHI 33, SF 10
PHI 51, DEN 23
PHI 31, CHI 3
PHI 19, OAK 10
DAL 6, PHI 0
PHI 15, ATL 10
The Eagles gave up 13.4 points per home game. They were stifling on defense. In the last four games, they gave up a total of 29 points. The Vikings scored 29 last week in their playoff win over the Saints.
It is fair to point out that the Eagles didn’t face a great set of offenses in home games this season. The flip side of that is that the Eagles didn’t just play well, they dominated. Denver scored 23, but 14 of those points came in the 4th quarter with the game well out of reach and one of the TDs was a fumble return by the Broncos D.
The defense gets better as the game goes along. The Eagles starters haven’t given up a second half TD since the bye week. They shutout the Falcons after halftime last week.
Why is the defense so good at The Linc?
The fans are part of it. Crowd noise affects the opposing offense. It makes it harder for them to communicate and it can affect the snap count. There is also the fact that the fans create energy and emotion. The players feed off that. The Eagles are at their best when they play with attitude. Playing at The Linc brings out that attitude in them.
There are times when home-field advantage seems overrated. These are the best teams in the league. Where you play shouldn’t make that much of a difference. That doesn’t seem to be the case this year for the Eagles or the Vikings.
AC Viking, our beloved Eagles historian and occasional stats guru, put together the home/road splits for the Eagles and Vikings.
HOME / ROAD SPLITS
| MIN Def – away | PHI Def – home | |
| Rush yards per game | 112.1 (55.4 at home) | 71.3 (86.8 on road) |
| Pass yards per game | 190.6 (195 at home) | 209.3 (244.8 on road) |
| Total yards per game | 302.8 (254 at home) | 280.7 (331.5 on road) |
| 3rd down conversions | 27.2% (23.2% at home) | 27.1% (38% on road) |
| Completion % | 54.3 | 60.1 |
| Opp QB rating | 71.6 (70.9 at home) | 75.7 (82.9 on road) |
| Sacks | 13 (24 at home) | 17 (21 on road) |
| INTs | 6 | 11 |
| 1st downs allowed | 15.6 (14.1 at home) | 15.5 (16.3 on road) |
| Rush TDs allowed | 7 (3 at home) | 0 (7 on road) |
| Pass TDs allowed | 8 (6 at home) | 11 (13 on road) |
| Pts per game (last 5 gms) | 18.2 (10 at home) | 10.3 (24 on road) |
| Pts per game (all 2017) | 19 (12.5 at home) | 13 (23.5 on road) |
It doesn’t take a genius to see both teams are substantially better at home.
The number that jumps out is the sack total. That tells you the noise in the dome makes a real difference in those pass rushers getting off the ball quickly. This doesn’t mean Nick Foles will have a clean pocket and all day to throw, but clearly there is a difference.
The Eagles are a game away from the Super Bowl. A big part of that is that the team is so dominant at Lincoln Financial Field.
You can see just how critical it is that this team has HFA. If the Eagles had stumbled during the regular season and were now headed to Minnesota to play the title game, I would have serious concerns. Being at home makes a difference. Maybe just enough of a difference for Foles and Co. to get to the big game.
*****
One big concern.
Is tomorrow’s game against the Vikings a trap game for the Eagles?
— Gym Shorts (@IgglesCoverage) January 20, 2018
_
Home field advantage could be a deciding factor in this game. The Vikings have been a different team away from Minneapolis as those stats attest.
Especially, when you realize that most of their road opponents were not anything special. The only decent teams they played on the road were the Steelers and Carolina. They lost both of those games, giving up 26 points to the Steelers and 31 points to the Panthers.
German is
You’re welcome.
The 1998 NFC Championship Game with that 15-1 Vikings’ offensive juggernaut was kind of a ‘trap game.’
Vikings had crushed the Cardinals 41-21 in a Divisional Round game that wasn’t even really the close and were one of the biggest favorites in NFC Championship history (-10.5 points).
Even before that game, the Vikings were getting a lot of hype about possibility playing the defending champion Broncos in the Super Bowl.
Instead the Falcons won 30-27 in OT in what is still arguably the biggest upset in NFC Championship Game.
Argue that that 1998 Vikings’ team is still one of the best teams to have not won a Super Bowl.
Always seemed like it was a giant tease to Eagles’ fans because it featured a mature and poised Cunningham who became very serious about game prep/watching film, had a decent offensive coordinator & very good line, and what he might have become if damn Bryce Paup didn’t crumble his knee in the season opener in ’91.
98 Cunningham was the best Cunningham.
Actually, the problem goes back before the injury when a guy named Doug Scovil died suddenly of a heart attack. Buddy Ryan was loudly criticized for not providing adequate coaching for Cunningham, but that belief was not totally accurate. When hired, Ryan hired Scovil to be Cunningham’s QB coach at a time when there wasn’t really such a coaching position. Scovil brought Cunningham along quite well up until the time of his death. Ryan wanted to bring in someone else, but the worst owner in Eagles history, Norman Braman, shot the idea down.
One crime, of many, by Braman. There is a dude who I truly hope dies screaming.
Cunningham’s entire career was an exercise in “what might have been”. The classic example of a tremendous talent who didn’t get the coaching he needed to reach his ceiling until it was too late.
Some of it was his fault too, he never did the work to be great here.
Less than 24 hours!
I will be screaming at the top of my lunges, from the bottom of my heart as there ain’t no tomorrow.
But if you can hear my German-wishy-washy-British accent on telly, something must have gone wrong.
Go birds.
GE
Thank me later.
Keep your upper deck lunges to a minimum. .. but let your lungs howl like an underdog
My god, daveH is taking note of typos.
It is definitely a day for underdogs.
Thumbs up emoji .. wow is like you know me!
Was just trying to make a funny. I fight w my Samsung keypad and its lame spellcheck ‘technology’ so much that i don’t care about mistypes .. i am the worst. .i know
Let’s GO Undergods !
Trap game??
How??
Sarcasm may not be your friend my friend.
Actually, sarcasm is my middle name. Now, being gullible is another story.
Looking past the Vikings to the Jaguars and the London game.
I live 60 miles south of Jax. I’ve been waiting for a couple years for the Eagles to play a Florida team down here, and the league ashedules it in F’in London!
That sucks. Don’t we play Tampa next year?
Must admit, I am looking forward to seeing the team play in London as an away game.
Breakfast with the Birds!
Am I reading the Vikings road schedule correctly or are the only two decent teams they played on the road the Steelers and the Panthers? If so, it’s interesting to note that not only did the Vikings lose both of those games, but they gave up 26 points to the Steelers and 31 points to the Panthers.
That’s a really good point. They also beat the Browns in Cleveland, um, I mean the Falcons in Atlanta.
I forgot about the Falcons game. Chalk that one up as a good road win in which they only gave up 9 points, however they followed that game up by giving up 31 points in their loss to Carolina and ruining their chance of getting the number one seed.
Falcons play in a dome, so it doesn’t quite compare to a road game at the Linc.
You’re not reading that wrong at all. Carolina’s d line ins’t as good as ours, yet the Vikings gave up 6 sacks and a lost fumble. Carolina’s DBs aren’t as good as ours, yet the Vikings gave up two INTs.
Sure hope Foles puts on his big boy pants for this game
I predict lots of traps tomorrow
https://vangogh.teespring.com/v3/image/jPeKdwsfFn9eSBnjUjK1Lsx0QU4/480/560.jpg
The trap game comment made me laugh out loud
Me too.
Me also
I think I’m missing the joke… Maybe I’m sleep deprived ..
For most of the season as the Eagles continued to win games, every week fans would raise the concern that they were worried the next game was a “trap game” in which the Eagles would overlook that opponent and lose. It got ridiculous, with every game being called a potential trap game.
Im thinking Dion Lewis is going to be the difference for the Pats tomorrow
Have to think the national media is rooting for Pats vs. Vikes. Brady vs. #1 D. Vikings at home. Higher interest in superbowl across the country with that outcome. I’m rooting for the opposite. Blake vs. Nick in defensive snoozefest, oh yeah!
Id like to take on the Pats while they are still who they are
Never had a Superbowl home team. Conspiracy theory alert.
Absolutely. And eagles are getting little if any love out there. Given that, I would be VERY concerned about the officiating. I’m not suggesting a conspiracy, per se, but we’ll know early on if the crew and the League is going to make this an uphill battle for the birds.
Ed Hochuli could easily be bribed with gift cards to GNC…
Either way, unfortunately, we know he likes to get involved in the game.
F the national media. It’s Eagles vs. Jags.
Win or lose, it’s been one heck of a ride this year. Unless we lose in some terribly embarrassing fashion, I’ll be fine regardless of the outcome. I know the future is bright with Wentz, Dougie P, and a slew of other guys who will be back.
When you breakdown Minnesota like that, it sure makes them seem like a really thorough team. Studs all-around on defense. And not just good play-makers, but outstanding play-makers. Of course we knew this already. Their offense features a pretty solid QB’s who’s confidence is building week by week. 2 dominant WR’s and a legit TE. I just sincerely hope we can obliterate their OL. We need to smother Keenum and force him to make errant throws. God, I’d love to see a defense TD tomorrow.
So I had the thought: “I wonder if the Vikings could be the away team in the SB.” I found a whole article about how they would be. Except the article was completely wrong, because they aren’t making it to the SB.
BIRDGANG!!!
https://youtu.be/3Q_ROPC-X8o
I love that with Carson out nick is rocking the Dutch destroyer bracelet. Good Karma.
The amazing philly draft experience, Chris Long’s awesomeness, Dutch destroyer….it feels special on and off the field this year
A trap game? What is he talking about? Overlooking the Vikes because of who they may play in the SB??
It’s a joke. Pretty much every game since Week 5 has been designated a “trap game”.
Ohhhh….
转眼又是新一年，博主万事如意不差钱！
I don’t know if it’s a “Trap Game.”
But I hope we see plenty of the “Trap Play!”
Go Eagles!
First glance at my comcast box clock this morning showed a time of 7:11. Moreover, Pete Prisco picks the Vikes. Book it!!! Well, not really. I don’t go with my gut anymore. Too much reflux over time.
But, I will say this: it’s a great time to root for the midnight green.
Wawa instead of 7 eleven
That would be my preference, but no Wawas in Maine, unfortunately. I miss my hoagies.
I have Stewarts around here
I never understood the infatuation with Wawa.
Its local, they have Tastykakes & great hoagies … i was never even in a 7.11 until well after college .they sell great chips., soda and nail clippers..
Update NY had the Short Stop ..the local places are great
…no one at siete once gives a schit
It’s also fun to say
They’re coming to North Florida. There’s one about 35 miles from me, but that’s too far for a hoagie.
I should clarify my comment. I never understood buying coffee, snacks, lunch, etc. at a convenience store.
Clean bathrooms on the road.
Warpath time:
HEY EVERYBODY AT ESPN, except Graziano, FUCKING GO FUCK YOURSELF WITH A RUSTY METAL FENCE POST AND DIE
https://twitter.com/Barnold1993/status/955066320097247233
Well good morning Mike! Thanks for the Sunday morning chuckle.
How can one person not have picks in? How hard is it?
He got big headed now that he has his own show. He is a Eagles/ Wentz hater if I remember. Just assume that tool is going NE/Min
He’s getting his pedicure and waxing.
When that many ESPN “experts” pick the Vikes, I am more confident tthat we will win.
On NFL network I think 6 of 8 picked the eagles.
How many picked the Falcons last week?
Bring on the doubt. The team can prove them all wrong.
Everyone but Graziano also picked the Falcons last week.
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/38059a240845b3b4459db1fe49a7e1d903e186052b335855548ffcd43c1ea26a.png
Of all people to be riding the Eagles………….
That’s actually a good sign for us. The game is not that one-sided a pick. They’re missing something again!
Even Golic picking against us, what a s-hole
It’s good to see that the military overseas will now be able to watch the games.
https://twitter.com/NFLprguy/status/955075548782432257
Sheil knocked it out of the park with this Tweet this morning.
I’m very nervous about whether we see good Nick or bad Nick today. But I feel quite confident the Pederson and Reich will put him in the best situations throughout the game to succeed.
https://twitter.com/SheilKapadia/status/955062339048493057
Foles is the kind of QB who thrives with good coaching and flounders with bad coaching.. we luckily have a good coach.
What is everyone doing between now and 6:40 PM to pass the time and contain the impulse to run around the neighborhood screaming with anticipation anxiety?
Need suggestions 🙂
To much snow and ice to go running around the neighborhood here. Been on e-bay and amazon buying stupid stuff I don’t really need. Almost bought a sewing machine, cause it was a good deal. My wife brought me back to reality, she said like “whose going to use it….you”. Do this every winter when I’m sort of stuck inside.
Then come back here to see if there are any posts.
I started a business last week made $500 so far. Probably of that for a while and then work on being blackout drunk. today could be a great day or awful.
I will let u know how I remember tomorrow, lol
Yoga class! Chicks in spandex.
I love yoga class.
Scouting the enemy at 3:00.
Really? Or is this another post where you mess with the mojo of our foes?
I seriously like yoga, don’t get to class nearly as often as I’d like, despite that fact that Bert & Steve’s points about the class are nice additional incentives.
Cool. I wear my Eagles gear to class.
The cool thing about yoga pants is you don’t have to go to yoga class to get the experience. I remember it was about… 5? Years ago they became a go to thing to wear for all the women at college at the time. I will admit it was difficult to focus on psych coursework when the chick sitting in front of you is wearing see through pink yoga pants with a thong.
I’m a yoga teacher by profession. You can envy me any time.
Yoga pants are truly gods work.
Sometimes sweat pants or a tent would be more appropriate.
Hitting the gym and a beer run.
Doing chores around the apartment.. however I am doing them wearing my old school kelly green sweatshirt.
Playing kick ball with the kids, taking them to Zaxbys (for people that don’t know it’s a much better version of Chic-Fil-a in the southeast), and watching the AFCCG.
Wouldn’t Zaxbys would be up against Popeyes?
No it’s chicken strips not fried chicken.
Also Bojangles is better than Popeyes
I’ve yet to make it into one when visiting Charleston, but have enjoyed the F out of some Kick ‘n Chicken down there.
Better than Chic-Fil-a you say? Must be pretty damn good.
There are always lines there.
It’s fantastic. They are also open on Sundays.
I spent the last hour trying to think of something. 0/10 would not recommend as a time killing exercise.
I’ve decided to make a large pot of vegetarian chili for the game later. Should have it simmering for about 6 hours.
then, we’ll see if I can get a workout in before opening some IPAs.
But I am envying Bert’s Bells form of distraction.
Veggie chili, IPAs, Bert’s Bell… my man.
I made a large pot of very non-vegetarian chili! I have a lot of work that I want to get done today before the game, but I am already too excited to focus.
Going for a long walk with the wife, kid & dog. Working on firewood. Take a long shower. Root against the Patriots. Check Iggles Blitz every few minutes.
I deliberately stayed up late last night so I’d wake up closer to the start of the game. The advantages of not having any kids.
I’ll probably watch a movie with the girlfriend, try and take my mind off football completely.
What’s going to be torture is the Pats-Jags game, because it will be football, just not our team.
Personally, watching the Pats lose would hype me up even more 🙂
Oh don’t get me wrong the Patriots losing is delectable, but it’s still going to be football that’s not the Eagles damnit.
Walked dog. Son to playground / grocery store. Gathering with other maniacs at usual spot for 3 PM game. Much chicken being consumed.
Drinking
I’m watching The Good, the Bad and the Ugly to get pumped up. It’s 10 a.m. on the west coast so a little too early for drinks yet…Just have to bide my time!
My favorite Western. Awesome movie.
It’s been too long since I’ve watched it — figured today would be a good day.
Thoughts before the game:
*Jernigan and Cox will be going up against a rookie , a back up and an old light (300#) RG
* Brandon Graham is going up against a back up RT
* Vikings fans I know expect to lose because it’s on grass and they’re the Vikings
*Agz is going to have an actual ancient CB in Terrance Newman
8 1/2 Hours to go! God help us.
I’m seriously insulted that people are “analyzing” Mike Remmers as anything other than the football equivalent of a turnstile. He was beaten like a drum in the Super Bowl vs. the Broncos and was mocked so badly in the process that his brother tried to fight everybody on Twitter about it. Yeah, that guy is blocking Cox or Jernigan; sure.
Receiver Adam Thielen said the game situation also played a role in the O-line’s struggles – namely that playing from behind benefitted the Panthers.
”When you have to pass it, the defense knows and they are teeing off,” Thielen said. “We have to put those guys in a better position by scoring fast and early, then the defense will not know if we are running or passing the ball.
From an ESPN article in December. Looks like they can copy and paste this one after the game. lol
Interesting context. Especially after their D allowed fantasy draft bust and scumbag thief Jonathan Stewart to run all over them
I want Ajayi to have at least 10 first half carries. Go tempo if we need to to catch them off guard , they like to rotate.
With our team I have learned it’s all about the second half adjustments if things aren’t working.
PFT says they are greasing the light poles in Philly. National media scum bags are just waiting to destroy Philly fans. Win or lose, keep it classy out there tonight IBnation.
I truly do hope Philly handles the victory well.
I 100% do not understand the destruction of property element some people enjoy as a “celebration” of a win. I also don’t understand trying to do something physical against a fan of another team.
If a couple drunks want to fight each other over wearing different team jerseys, I can wish them well that they beat each other silly. But violence directed at random people is, to use a phrase, despicable. Using a sports victory as an excuse for destruction of property is bullsh*t.
Yeah; I think and non-cursing / non-vulgar / non-violent razzing of unwelcome visiting team fans is fine; but why take it beyond that?
Unless that fan is Emily Blunt…
speaking of “people who look great in yoga pants” from the other part of today’s discussion.
We just hosted the greatest NFL draft ever. I’m confident we will handle it well win or lose.
Good point and I hope you are right. The draft was an enormous success.
True. Cheer, drink, cigars, a firework or two; but don’t break stuff!
And keep the firearms in the gun safe.
AMEN. Shooting off firearms in “celebration” is about as low class / scumbag as you can get.
Exactly. This aint Dallas.
Correct!
I’m not sure if it still continues, but there used to be a tradition in Philly of shooting off firearms at midnight on New Year’s Eve. Inevitably a stray or falling bullet would hit someone.
I don’t think it was a universal “Philly” thing, I think it was more of a tradition from some developing nations that was inappropriately continued as they entered the US.
Midnight on December 31st around me is 5 minutes of gun blasts into the sky.
In the mental health field, they say that everything everyone does makes sense to them. Imagine how that makes sense to someone. Be careful out there.
Thx. The hillbilly hunters around me love their right to bear arms.
Win or lose we burn it all down.
According to Mort, Vrabel is looking to hire Ryan Day as offensive coordinator for the Titans. Looks like Chip’s offense is coming back to the NFL and Mariota.
How to ruin the development of a great young talent and doom him to a crap career in a gimmick system…………………..
AFC South
Mariota or Luck?
If McDaniels can stop acting like a hard ass and/or stays out of the draft room; Luck.
Now sure how you can rely on him to be healthy when he missed 25 games over 3 years.
Luck is the poster boy for why teams with franchise QBs should invest heavily in their offensive line before RBs and WRs.
Killing time:
Over the last three centuries, the average size of the wine glass has increased sevenfold.
Nice. Further killing time; favorite wine varietal…………
Mine is Carmenere
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carm%C3%A9n%C3%A8re
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dureza
Dureza, though I’m not a sommelier by any means. I just like killing time and learning things.
Sadly there isn’t a single bottle of that available at total wine, but I’ll keep an eye out.
Revealing how little I know about wine, I like the Riojas from Spain.
Add some juice, triple sec and some brandy to that and you have some tasty Sangria!
I’ve never done that but, seriously, you just gave me a great idea for Valentine’s Day.
It can be lethal – but man is it tasty! There are a million recipes online, but going with some Riojas is the way to go.
Also tasty.
I don’t drink wine and reading these replies I suddenly feel very unclassy.
Had a bottle of 1959 Chateau Cheval Blanc for the Eagles game that year .. we drank something else because the ’59 was too fresh … figured we’d get a Chace in the next few years …. its got alot of dusty on it now
Wow very cool.
Nah. .. just Killin time also
I’m going crazy. This shit can’t get here soon enough.
I’ll find some more facts to kill time, don’t worry almost there
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aurelia_aurita
Moon jellyfish are the most popular jellyfish kept as pets. They thrive in temperatures near 27 degrees Celsius (80 °F), which is typical for heated home aquariums. They are fed frozen or freeze-dried brine shrimp, copepods, phytoplankton, and minced seafood. Some enthusiasts not only keep them as pets but also breed them.
I’m gonna get one as a pet!
The human head weighs eight pounds.
The way it extends out makes it weigh closer to 20# putting stress on discs and stuff
Did you know bees and dogs can smell fear?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9r6PtVxjTqo
Never seen it
Going to Rocky Mountain Pizza in midtown Atlanta. One of the best Eagles sports bars outside the northeast. That place will be bedlam. Last Saturday night was incredible.
Good to know! Is it good for Sixers games as well? Flyers? Phillies?
Almost exclusive to Eagles. You can see some YouTube videos. No one wearing anything with a Falcons logo got served during the game last Saturday night. That’s team loyalty.
I used to go there most football Sundays for a few years when I lived in Atlanta. The atmosphere was great. There may be more die hard Eagles fans in that building than die hard Falcons fans in all of Atlanta.
There are Falcons fans?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AFqTSPZT8dc
LeSean McCoy doesn’t sound bitter at all…
http://www.phillyvoice.com/lesean-mccoy-destroys-chip-kelly-nfl-network/
I don’t like him calling college kids boys. .but
Do u blame him, he could be a part of this splitting carries with Ajayi and he knows it
He’d be so good on this team
Not in the least. McCoy was the offensive key in year 1 under Chip and Chip threw it all the way by being a dickhead.
Game day, and all I keep hearing about on national radio is how the eagles org has greased the light poles at the Linc in order to keep us low lifes from climbing them after the game. Nice… Way to feed the stereotype
Fuck em; we’re going to win and they can bitch about us for another 2 weeks while hopefully all choking to death from the crow they’ve eaten.
No it’s because birds like to get high, bro
WE all we need, destruction is coming and those vikings can Skol their way home.
Reposting, abridged version. Apologies to those who had to read it before.
Dear Minnesota,
Fuck you!
You heard about Philly fans, have you? Snowballs, jail at the stadium, tasers on the field, fighting in the penalty box, booing the VEEP, beating mascots, cheering crippling injuries, drinking eighteen brewery’s worth of beer before halftime, winning the GQ worst fans award (which we display proudly), intentionally vomiting on police, punching horses, harassing fans of other teams, harassing fans of our own teams, invading Belgium multiple times, instigating a zombie apocalypse, seeing dead people, employing the Death Star against New York, making horcruxes, dropping meteors on DC, bombing Pearl Harbor, sinking the Titanic, bubonic plague, attempting to sell Texas to Cuba, laying waste to Middle Earth, burning Atlanta to the ground, and booing Santa Claus.
Its true. All of it.
Our town. Our team. Our house. You have been warned.
Go Eagles!
Love, Philly XXOO
City of Brotherly Love
Well done, bro… Hope it goes viral
[…] Maybe some of that was rust. Regardless, the team needs to play a cleaner game this time out. Home-field advantage does make a difference. There is no question that the Eagles are better at home and the Vikings aren’t as good on […]
I think Fletch Cox has a career day today .. 8 tackles, 2 sacks, serval pressures. . Instigates a ton of confusion today … is his time to rise
I’ll see if I can get Mike Remmers’s brother to have another melt down on Twitter.
Yout are funny. . Call me: 646 two seven Niner 4650
So this is how ur killing time drinking Carmenere and trolling other teams brothers.
Troll Travis Kelce while ur at it.
I don’t see a scenario where the line doesn’t feast. I think we match up better than most pundits want to believe.
We have ended other teams season all year, today will be no different.
http://igglesblitz.com/2018/01/game-preview-min-phi/