Following the overwhelming joy and excitement necessary for the Eagles to top the Lions in the Snow Bowl last Sunday, one has to wonder if a letdown is in the making against the Vikings this week. Image courtesy of NJ.com
First came the Eagles dashing past the Detroit Lions in the snow at Lincoln Financial Field, then came their showdown with fellow division leaders the Chicago Bears in two weeks being flexed to Sunday night football, finally Nick Foles will grace the cover of this week's Sports Illustrated and one has to wonder if a letdown is coming for a group that is beginning to garner serious national attention.
Nearly since day one of the Chip Kelly era this team has adopted a one-game at a time, one-day at a time mantra that seems to have a tangible feel to it as the days grow colder and each game takes on more meaning.
Still, following the excitement, drama and downright joy of burying the Lions with eight inches of snow coating Lincoln Financial Field and bookended by a matchup against the Bears, it's not hard to envision this team suffering from a possible letdown against a Vikings team that is just 3-9 on the year and likely without all-world running back Adrian Peterson this week.
Just don't suggest that notion to Kelly.
"We are just a one-week operation," Kelly told reporters Wednesday at the Novacare Complex. "I literally was thinking of the Vikings game coming off the field on Sunday. What's our next opportunity to go out and see where we are as a team and that's what this deal is all about.
"I think the teams that are mentally tough can work their way through it and I think we have a mentally tough group."
That message has been pounded into the minds of this group that has already doubled it's win total from a season ago and transformed the culture in which it operates in the span of less than one full season.
“We've been doing it all along,” offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur said. “In our minds, the only thing we've done is win five in a row. There's a lot out there still, and it all starts with staying focused on playing the Vikings and doing whatever we can, and I think I kind of go that direction every time we visit here on Tuesday, and that's really the message to the team.
“You know, there's nothing really in our sights other than playing Minnesota, and our guys have done it and displayed to us in the last few weeks that they can do it, so it's just hit the reset button and let's go.”
It's only natural to think that the Eagles could slip into the trap of taking this Vikings team lightly, but that simply hasn't been the temperament of this group.
"We're preparing just like any other week," Cary Williams said Wednesday. "That doesn't change for us. It doesn't matter who we play, our goal is to go out and continue to get better each and every day. We go out and practice like an elite team is supposed to practice, with great enthusiasm, great effort, running to the football and playing hard every play."
Through the course of this team's five-game winning streak, it's first since 2009, the Eagles have toppled in order the Oakland Raiders, the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field, the Washington Redskins, Arizona Cardinals and the Lions.
Clearly the Redskins and Lions games were prime spots for letdowns, especially considering the cardiac kid nature of the Arizona victory.
The veterans have not only heard the message, but they've taken it to heart.
"You never get caught up in standings in the middle of the season," said center Jason Kelce. "What we do get caught up in is, we're playing really good football right now, and we want to continue doing that. That starts with Minnesota this week.
"I've been asked, 'Do you feel any differently, now that you're in first place in the division?' You can't focus on that. All you can focus on is that we have three games left and as long as we take care of business in those three games, it doesn't matter what Dallas does."
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.
