Flashback Friday: Philadelphia Eagles destroy Chicago at Soldier Field
A little over 14 years after the ‘Fog Bowl’, the Philadelphia Eagles get a small measure of revenge over the Chicago Bears in 2002.
Some of you younger Philadelphia Eagles fans won’t remember this, but prior to last season’s Super Bowl run, the NFL Playoffs weren’t always kind to ‘The Birds’. There were tough moments to watch, three-straight losses in the NFC Championship Game, and, of course, the day a fog descended on Soldier Field.
Donovan McNabb shattered the Eagles’ record books throughout his career. In some people’s minds, he was supposed to be the conquering hero. McNabb, the second-overall selection of the 1999 NFL Draft was, hopefully, the guy who was supposed to bring postseason success to the ‘City of Brotherly Love’.
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More often that not, he failed, but on one day, January 19th of 2002 to be exact, McNabb delivered in a huge way. He took an underdog team into his hometown of Chicago, Illinois, and for three hours, Bears fans all over the country and at Soldier Field had little to cheer about.
McNabb threw for 262 yards and two touchdowns, ran for another, and added one slam dunk over the goal post as Philly laid the smack down on a very game Bears team by a score of 33-19.
They’d lose the following week in the NFC Championship Game, but no Eagles fan will ever forget this one. Philly erased some of the pain of the ‘Fog Bowl’ and gave their fans reason to smile.
Sunday marks the fourth time these two franchises will have met in the playoffs. The Eagles lead the all time series 2-1. How might this one turn out? You can trust and believe the entire nation plus two of the league’s most loyal fan bases will tune in to find out.