“We just couldn’t get rolling,” Minshew said. “It is one of those things that you try and get that first, first down and we kept shooting ourselves in the foot and getting in our own way. They are a good defense, too. There is not much room for error when you play a team like that. We didn’t do enough to win.”
Minshew eventually put some points on the board – a 9-play, 53-yard drive to open the third quarter yielded a field goal and a 78-yard catch-and-run connection to Brown that brought the Eagles to within 13-10 late in the third quarter sparked some hope that the Eagles could rally and do just enough in the fourth quarter to win the game, but it was not to be.
Philadelphia had its best chance in the fourth quarter when it took possession at its 41-yard line with 10 minutes, one second remaining. Sanders gained a yard on a first-down run and then Minshew threw to Smith for 5 yards on second down. On third-and-4, Sanders gained 3 yards to the 50-yard line on a run to the left side, and the Eagles went for it on fourth down.
A Minshew quarterback sneak was stuffed and New Orleans took possession.
“There was a mess of bodies in there that is pretty typical on that play,” Head Coach Nick Sirianni said. “We have been pretty darn successful on that play this year, and it didn’t work out on that particular one. I’m going to have to look at that, because there were just so many guys in the box. But give them credit. They stopped it and they made a play, and we didn’t.”
The Eagles’ defense held after the exchange of possessions and the offense had control of the football again at its 9-yard line a few minutes later. But a second down throw from Minshew intended for Brown on the left side was intercepted and returned 12 yards for a score by Saints cornerback Marshon Lattimore and that quieted the crowd and gave New Orleans a 20-10 advantage.
“We ran that same play earlier and it was the same coverage and they made a great adjustment to jump the route,” Minshew said. “I should have seen that leverage when we made the motion. I assumed since it was the same coverage, (Lattimore) was going to play it the same, but he made a great adjustment and made the play to beat us.”
Now it’s on to Week 18 and another chance to clinch the No. 1 seed in the postseason, a bye during Super Wild Card Weekend and the chance to host the NFC postseason at Lincoln Financial Field. It was difficult for some to think of the positives after such a tough loss, but defensive end Brandon…
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