Eagles fans have had very few reasons to cheer at Lincoln Financial Field lately as the team is in the midst of a franchise worst 9-game home losing streak. Photo Courtesy: ESPN.com
Once upon a time Philadelphia was an intimidating place to play.
However, it appears that the Philadelphia Eagles home-field advantage was imploded along with Veterans Stadium in 2004.
With help from the disastrous 2012 Eagles, the 2013 incarnation of the franchise reached a low water mark in losing it's ninth consecutive home game at Lincoln Financial Field Sunday to the Dallas Cowboys 17-3. It has been since September 30, 2012 that the Eagles managed to earn a victory in front of the home crowd.
How toxic has it become for this team in it's home stadium? The last time the Eagles posted a winning record at Lincoln Financial Field was the 2009 season.
“Sorry,” center Jason Kelce said. “That’s the only thing I can say. The product we’re putting out on the field isn’t good enough for the fans in this city. Packed house, packed every single time. … It’s embarrassing that we can’t win at home."
Kelce and his teammates certainly shoulder the bulk of blame for their futility in South Philly, but the environment of the corporate comfort of the Linc certainly has a polar opposite feel to the concrete jungle that was Veterans Stadium.
It's quite silly to suggest that fans have an impact on the outcome of a game, but it's also worth noting that the Eagles own a 5-7 record away from the recently friendly confines of Lincoln Financial Field.
Teams used to fear the horrid turf at The Vet. The shear noise factor of the Philadelphia fans used to be enough to disrupt offenses and intimidate opposing players from the moment they stepped out of the tunnel.
Whether it's the average fan being priced out of the stadium, a lackluster product on the field, a stale in-game experience or a design flaw that allows crowd noise to escape, those fears of yesteryear are no longer a factor for visiting teams.
The fan base isn't without blame, either.
Two instances Sunday illustrate this fact perfectly.
In the third quarter with the Eagles trailing 10-3 Dallas faced a critical third-and-one at midfield. Rather than standing in unison and making noise, the stadium collectively sat on it's hands. Romo completed an eight yard pass to Dez Bryant for the first down.
Later, the Eagles offense faced a fourth-and-one from the Cowboys 11-yard line. Rather than being quiet and allowing the offense to hear the signals, the fans rose and loudly cheered.
That sort of lack of football knowledge or how to act while at a game never used to be a trait of Philadelphia. Sadly though, it seems as though fans in this city have forgotten how to forge an intimidating atmosphere at the Linc.
With all of that said, the Eagles simply have to play better at home. The Birds nine straight home losses have been by a margin of 10.5 points.
“It’s tough, it’s tough,” DeMeco Ryans said. “Our fans are still behind us, but we know we’re not getting it done at home right now, and it’s disappointing not to win games at home when you have the home-field advantage.
“We have to do a better job of winning the games at home, taking advantage of our home crowd, really making it tough on opposing teams.”
If the Eagles fall to the New York Giants Sunday the losing streak would extend to ten games which has only been done 15 times in NFL history.
Philadelphia was once a tough place to play, but those days-at least for now- are far in the rear-view mirror.
Matt Lombardo is the Editor-In-Chief of Eagledelphia and also an on-air personality on 97.5 FM The Fanatic in Philadelphia. Join the conversation and follow Matt on Twitter.
