Doug Pederson and Philadelphia Eagles have stressed how important it is to play a full 60-minute game against Tom Brady and the New England Patriots...
The New England Patriots know a thing or two about '60 minute football'.
The Brady-Belichick dynasty began with a last-second Adam Vinatieri field goal in Super Bowl XXXVI; a 20-17 win over the St. Louis Rams. Last year, the season ended with another Lombardi Trophy in traditional Pats fashion - a deficit, a comeback, and a walk-off game-winner. Except against Atlanta it was in overtime, as James White's touchdown run secured a 34-28 victory in perhaps the greatest Super Bowl of all time.
The Patriots have won five of the seven title games they've been in under Bill Belichick despite, shockingly, failing to score in the first quarter in every single one. There's no secret here. When you play the Patriots, it's simply not over until it's over.
At the Eagles' facility before the Eagles flew out to Minnesota, defensive tackle Fletcher Cox was asked to reflect back on the the team's 35-28 win over New England in 2015, the last time these two met.
"You have to play 60 minutes against him," Cox stressed. "You can’t just play three quarters. We went out there and they almost came back and won the game. It lets you know you have to go out and play 60 minutes."
In that contest, the Eagles scored five straight touchdowns to secure a 35-14 lead, including on two special team plays and a 99-yard interception from safety Malcolm Jenkins. But that did not stop the Patriots rallying, scoring 14 points in the fourth quarter, and giving themselves a chance to tie it up.
On that occasion Philly pulled out the win, but as we have seen time and time again - and as recently as in the AFC Championship game - teams who do not put games to bed will feel the wrath of 'angry Brady'.
The Jaguars jumped out to a 20-10 lead early in the fourth quarter, and once again, New England came roaring back. A pair of Danny Amendola touchdowns, and they were back in their eighth Super Bowl under Belichick- business as usual.
The theme isn't lost on the Eagles, as outside of Cox, we have continued to hear it from a number of Philadelphia players and their head coach, Doug Pederson about the philosophy of competing until the clock runs out and not letting up.
Defensive end Brandon Graham pointed to a full day's work as a key to Philadelphia's success through the season, and that it will be especially important against Brady and company.
"If we play together as a team, we can't be beat. That's how we go out there and try to play. Every play. It worked out for us today," Graham said after last week's win against Minnesota.
"We've just got to make sure when we go to work, we don't take that for granted, because we're playing the Patriots. They've been there before. And those guys, you've got to play 60 minutes of football."
As the coaches and players were swarmed with media members on Monday night, Pederson delivered the message yet again when answering a question on Brady.
"The biggest thing watching him is that there's no panic. It's just business as usual with him," the coach explained. "When the team has the lead, you’ve just got to make sure you continue to play ball and you've got to play for 60 minutes. He's obviously one of the best quarterbacks at bringing teams back and he's proven it time and time again."
Every Patriots Super Bowl win has been tight right up until the end. The first three victories were by three points each. Against the Seahawks, it came down to a Malcolm Butler interception in the final moments of a 28-24 win. We've already covered last year.
This Eagles team is preparing to go all the way. Cox, again this week, made it clear the team understands Brady will never let up and Philadelphia will have to battle right until the end.
"You've got to play 60 minutes against that guy because at any point in time, man, he can make big plays. Everybody on our defense respects him. It's going to take 11 guys to beat him, not just one guy. Our locker room has so much respect for him."
One final player to drive home the point was running back LeGarrette Blount, who saw the magic first hand as a part of Belichick's group last year. It's two Super Bowls in two years for Blount, who was asked what message he'd deliver to his team-mates on how to beat New England.
He said: "You’ve got to let them know that these guys are going to play all 60 minutes. They are going to play all 60 minutes, they are going to do everything they’ve got to do. Scratch, claw, fight, whatever they’ve got to do to win this game.
"People have seen that last year with the 25-point deficit. We took account of that and we know we have to play the full 60 minutes. We've seen guys that play them close, had them where they could beat them and just didn't quite play 60 minutes and get the [win]. But we are going to play all 60."
Will the Eagles go the distance against Brady and the Patriots on Sunday?
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