Inside the Iggles
FanSided

Philadelphia Eagles, Doug Pederson embracing the role of ‘the hunted’

By Geoffrey Knox

PHILADELPHIA, PA - JANUARY 21: Beau Allen #94 and Chris Long #56 of the Philadelphia Eagles celebrates their teams win while wearing a dog masks over the Minnesota Vikings in the NFC Championship game at Lincoln Financial Field on January 21, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA - JANUARY 21: Beau Allen #94 and Chris Long #56 of the Philadelphia Eagles celebrates their teams win while wearing a dog masks over the Minnesota Vikings in the NFC Championship game at Lincoln Financial Field on January 21, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

Throw the dog masks away. The Philadelphia Eagles and head coach Doug Pederson are embracing the role of being ‘the hunted’.

It’s a story that’s been written for as long as football’s been played. When you’re the Super Bowl Champions, you get everybody’s best shot. In the case of the Philadelphia Eagles, last year’s top-seeded playoff team in the NFC, the underdog theme is now one of the past, and their head coach, Doug Pederson, couldn’t be any more excited bout the upcoming season.

The story is one you know well. After losing their starting quarterback, Carson Wentz, the Eagles go on to be the most disrespected top-seeded team in NFL playoff history. Right tackle Lane Johnson and defensive end Chris Long are seen in dog masks following a 15-10 win over the Atlanta Falcons, and a phenomenon is started.

Dog masks become the rage, and Philly’s fan base, somehow, manages to deplete the entire world’s online supply of them. The Eagles, then, dispose of the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LII, and the underdogs become the top dogs overnight.

The hunters have become the hunted. They’ll get everybody’s best shot during the 2018.

Eagles head coach Doug Pederson couldn’t be more excited.

Winning the Super Bowl hasn’t lessened the Eagles’ appetite for winning. The champs are back to work, and they’re certain every team they face will use them as a litmus test.

Their coach is in love with the idea. Take a look:

"I want those guys to remember it. I want those guys to embrace it. It’s a great motivating factor for us to sort of rip off the dog masks and no longer be the underdog, but be the hunted, have the target on our back… Honestly, after the ring ceremony, to me, we’ve put that to bed, we’ve put that to rest, and we move onto 2018"

Just in case you’re keeping score, ‘the new norm’ is underway.

Home/Eagles News