Enemy Reaction Special Edition: Super Bowl LII (Part 2)

When we last left the New England Patriots and Philadelphia Eagles at Super Bowl LII, Doug Pederson’s Eagles had humiliated the Pats with an incredible trick play touchdown to Nick Foles, giving the underdogs a 22-12 lead at halftime. Having successfully avoided Justin Timberlake’s halftime concert, here’s the thrilling conclusion to our final Enemy Reaction of the 2017-18 NFL season.

Comments are courtesy of Bleeding Green Nation and Pats Pulpit (again, mostly that “Mindkrak” guy, but still...)

---

Gronk’d (22-19 PHI)

Corey Clement puts the Eagles back up by 10 with a clutch touchdown grab (29-19 PHI)

The call stands! (29-19 PHI)

Tom Brady finds Chris Hogan and the Patriots strike right back (29-26 PHI)

Gronk’d again, Patriots lead for the first time (33-32 NE)

Doug Pederson goes for it on 4th and 1 and Nick Foles converts to Zach Ertz (33-32 NE)

Eagles re-take the lead on a touchdown to Zach Ertz (38-33 PHI)

Despite Cris Collinsworth’s inane reasoning, the call stands! (38-33 PHI)

Steelers fans at Behind the Steel Curtain react to the touchdown being upheld

Brandon Graham strips Tom Brady of the ball, Derek Barnett recovers (38-33 PHI)

Patriots try an awful trick play on kick return, and it backfires (41-33 PHI)

Tom Brady’s Hail Mary is incomplete, and the Eagles win the Super Bowl! (41-33 PHI FINAL)

Video: Eagles radio announcers Merrill Reese and Mike Quick call the final play

Video: Patriots radio announcer Bob Socci calls the final play, while Scott Zolak’s obnoxious self stays silent

Video: Australian commentator Gerard Whateley calls the final play, is obviously better than Al Michaels and Cris Collinsworth

---

Bonus reactions from Giants (Big Blue View), Cowboys (Blogging the Boys), Falcons (The Falcoholic), and Vikings (Daily Norseman) fans to the Eagles hoisting the Lombardi Trophy

Giants

Cowboys

Falcons

Vikings

Steelers, Colts (Stampede Blue), Jets (Gang Green Nation), Dolphins (The Phinsider), and Bills (Buffalo Rumblings) fans react to the Patriots getting denied their repeat

Steelers

Colts

Jets

Dolphins

Bills

---

Post-Game Recap: That win was for all the Eagles (Tommy Lawlor, Iggles Blitz)

The Eagles marched down the field and took a 38-33 lead. That’s when Brandon Graham got loose inside and knocked the ball away from Tom Brady. Derek Barnett recovered it.

That was one of the strangest moments of my life. The best way I can put it is that it felt like an out of body experience. It was as if I was watching myself see that play. I know that sounds weird, maybe even insane. It freaked me out.

That was the moment when it really hit me…they’re going to do this.

I was shaking.

The logical part of me started looking at the clock and thinking about the situation. The fan in me was ready to go nuts.

My phone was going nuts. Texts were flying in, as everyone started to get the feeling the Eagles were going to actually win this game.

Brady had one final drive and made it closer than I would have preferred. I actually was silent on that final play, desperate to make sure there wasn’t going to be some crazy penalty or whatever. When the official said the game was over, I just smiled and tried to soak in the moment.

I teared up as the emotions started to set in.

The 2017 Eagles won the Super Bowl. But that win was for all the Eagles…Harold, Jaws, Reggie, Westy, Dawk, Trent and even Big Red. Vermeil’s guys. Gang Green. The fun 1995 team. The 2002 Eagles, who won with 3 different starting QBs. The 2004 team. The 2008 team. The Michael Vick Experience of 2010. All of those players were like ghosts, sitting on the Eagles sideline and doing anything they could to help the Eagles pull that game out.

Post-Game Recap: It was not meant to be (Mike Dussault, Pats Propaganda)

The 2017 Patriots sure were a unique squad. They overcame devastating injuries to get to the Super Bowl, something they had never really done after being his as hard as they were with the injury bug, but against the Eagles they were exposed. Every fault was magnified by the Eagles perfect attack. Their problems with the RPO, bunch sets, big plays, the neutered short passing attack, the tendency to ignore the run instead of ride it… everything was on clear display as it was for much of the 2017 season.

Against lesser teams on smaller stages the Pats could hide or get away with most of those flaws, but not against a team that was completely on fire. Really, the fact that they still almost won is a huge feather in Tom Brady’s hat in my opinion.

You hate to oversimplify it all but if the difference was one more third down stop. You can’t go 10-16 on third down and 2-2 on fourth down and expect to win. Really there should’ve been at least two more third down stops if we’re just expecting a barely competent 50 percent defense. Then the Patriots win walking away, but oh well, it was not meant to be for the 2017 Patriots.

We’re on to the offseason where the 2018 Patriots will look a lot different. That’s exciting and yes, a bit scary. 2005 was the last time they lost both coordinators like this and it was one of the worst seasons of the dynasty. We’ll see if they can bounce back, because time is running out rapidly.

---

And so concludes another season of Enemy Reaction. I truly appreciate all of the comments, social media shares, occasional appearances on Seahawks Reddit, and I love doing this series. I do have some fun Enemy Reaction specials coming up throughout this offseason, then we go back to normal for the start of the 2018 season in September. Look for the first special in mid-February.

Thanks for reading and go ‘Hawks!