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There were a lot of Jacksonville Jaguars fans running around Philadelphia this weekend. Everyone was getting a tad nostalgic about Doug Pederson following a masterful coaching job during his team’s 27-point comeback and victory in the AFC Wild Card Round on Sunday night.
Pederson pushed all the right buttons, especially on a gutsy 4th-and-1 call with 1:28 remaining in the fourth quarter. The championship-winning head coach called a timeout before the snap and changed the play to an outside sweep. That move essentially ended the game and completed the third-largest comeback in NFL postseason history.
After the game, Pederson put the Jaguars’ 31-30 win in perspective and mentioned his 2017 Super Bowl title with the Philadelphia Eagles.
“My hats off to our guys, our team,” Pederson said, via the Jaguars website. “I told them after the game that other than obviously winning the Super Bowl a few years ago, greatest coaching victory as a team, this one is right up there with it. My hats off to our guys for just battling. As deep a hole as we dug in the first half, there was no quit in our guys.”
Then, the Jaguars released footage from the locker room where Pederson delivered a powerful victory speech. His comments gave everyone the chills, whether you are a card-carrying Eagles fan or Jaguars lifer. All the feels.
“I’m proud of you for this reason. You have faith in yourselves. You have faith in each other,” Pederson said, via USA Today’s For The Win. “You keep encouraging each other, like we talk about all the time. And you believe. Belief is about understanding that you can get it done, and then, it gets done. It just can’t happen, and then you have belief. That’s what faith is about, and you guys have it.”
Eagles Fans, Players React to Jaguars Epic Comeback
Pederson’s aggressive coaching allowed Jacksonville to become the first NFL franchise to win a playoff game after finishing with the worst record in football. The Jaguars finished at 3-14 last season and earned the No. 1 overall pick in the 2022 NFL draft where they selected defensive end Travon Walker. The rookie pass rusher recorded half a sack in their improbable wild card upset of the Los Angeles Chargers.
Meanwhile, Eagles fans and players flocked to social media to send congratulations and well wishes to Pederson. The Eagles’ organization may have pulled the plug on him after five incredibly successful seasons. Why? Their philosophies were no longer jiving. The Philly front office wanted a younger, more progressive approach and the franchise found it in Nick Sirianni. That doesn’t mean Pederson didn’t leave a lasting legacy.
Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie – the guy who ultimately made the decision to fire Pederson – was watching the Jaguars-Chargers game, too. He has been “rooting hard” for the only coach to secure a Lombardi Trophy for the franchise all year.
Jaguars Likely to Face Kansas City Chiefs Next
Jacksonville’s next opponent hasn’t been finalized yet as they await Sunday’s results. They are most likely headed for a road showdown against Andy Reid and the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Divisional Round. Reid, of course, was a mentor to Pederson early on in his coaching career. Reid brought Pederson on as an offensive quality control coach in Philly, then followed him to Kansas City where he served as offensive coordinator.
The Jaguars could wind up facing the Cincinnati Bengals or Buffalo Bills if the Baltimore Ravens or Miami Dolphins lose in Sunday’s AFC Wild Card Round. But, assuming all the higher seeds prevail, it’ll be Jaguars vs. Chiefs for the right to advance to the AFC Championship Game. Stay tuned.
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