The Moment of Victory

I had "watched" the first three+ quarters of the Super Bowl on ESPN's Gamecast while watching Grace's gymnastics meet. Play by play text updates were better than nothing, but...

The Patriots took their first lead of the game, 33-32, while they were doing the awards ceremony (Grace didn't have a very good meet but tied for second for score on Vault, getting 4th place because of overall score tiebreakers). I will have to admit that my reaction was probably similar to most other Eagles fans: "uh oh...please don't do this to me again..."

We finished up and got in the car to head home, going west on 22 to get to the Northeast Extension south. Thankfully all in range of WIP, the Eagles flagship radio station. Merrill Reese and Mike Quick. Familiar voices. Friends to all Eagles fans.

We were somewhere between the Lehigh Valley exit and the Quakertown exit when Nick Foles threw a TD pass to Zach Ertz to put us back up 38-33. The Patriots had taken the lead and then we responded. We came back. Foles playing like Brady. A minor whoop and a fist bump with Grace. But still a lot of time on the clock. Only a five point lead...

Ertz touchdown, 38-33

Then nearing the Quakertown exit when the Patriots got the ball back, had Brandon Graham strip-sack Tom Brady, and the fumble was recovered by rookie Derek Barnett. A big whoop and several fist bumps. A touchdown would seal the deal. But it wouldn't be that easy.

Passing Quakertown when rookie Jake Elliott hit his third field goal of the day, a 46-yarder, breaking his own 42-yarder rookie Super Bowl record for a kicker, set earlier in the game.

Elliott from 46 yards. Eagles 41-33.

Eagles up 8. A one-score game to tie (a TD and a two point conversion), but no chance of losing the game short of overtime. Feeling pretty good, but this is Brady and the Deflatriots. So anything is possible. Cris Collinsworth and Al Michaels on NBC rooting HARD for Brady and the miracle finish...

With the score 41-33, Brady and the Patriots got the ball back, gained some yards, and were near mid-field with 9 seconds to go.

Only 9 seconds. Maybe 2 plays. Probably only one.

This can't happen. But every Eagles fan knows it can. We're bred with that gene that says if it can go wrong it will go wrong... And often has.

We were just north of the Lansdale exit.

Brady dropped back. Was rushed and almost sacked again by Graham. Stumbled. Rolled to the right. Longtime Eagles play-by-play man Merrill Reese called the Hail Mary. Ball in the air. Deflected. Batted again. Hung in the air. And fell harmlessly to the ground. There was a moment of silence before Merrill announced that time had expired and that the Eagles were Super Bowl champions. Color guy and ex-Eagles great wide receiver Mike Quick went nuts in the background.

I looked over at Grace, unsure of what had just happened. She gave me a big (tired) smile. I let out a big whoop. Or two or three. Super Bowl champions. For the first time in my life (or anyone's life, for that matter). Super. Bowl. Champions.

Super Bowl LII MVP Nick Foles

The last 10+ miles of the Northeast Extension were surreal. Fireworks to the right. Then ahead to the left. Then behind to the left. Then ahead to the right. All over the place. Fourth of July in February.

Justifiably happy Eagles fans everywhere. First championship since 1960. First ever championship in the Super Bowl era.

A few words stuck in my head. "You can't beat Brady in a shoot out".

Well, guess what. Nick Foles and the improbable Eagles just beat Brady in a shoot out.

In the immortal words of 2008 Phillies world champion Chase Utley: World F#$*ing Champions!