Eagles only playoff-bound team from Week 18 to win with backup QB
A handful of NFL teams already locked into the playoffs, including the Philadelphia Eagles, chose to rest their starting quarterback and several other key players in Week 18. However, the Eagles were the only one of four playoff-bound teams to pull off a victory with their backup quarterback in the game. The other three teams […]
A handful of NFL teams already locked into the playoffs, including the Philadelphia Eagles, chose to rest their starting quarterback and several other key players in Week 18.
However, the Eagles were the only one of four playoff-bound teams to pull off a victory with their backup quarterback in the game.
The other three teams headed to the postseason that sat their starting QB, but didn't win their season finale, were the Los Angeles Rams, Buffalo Bills, and Kansas City Chiefs.
It gets even better knowing that the Eagles beat the New York Giants with their third-string quarterback Tanner McKee playing the entire game.
McKee completed 27 of 41 passes for 269 yards with two touchdowns and zero interceptions in Sunday's 20-13 win over the Giants.
To no surprise, head coach Nick Sirianni was very pleased with the outcome.
"I thought he was in complete control of the game today. Making good decisions," Sirianni said. "I felt like he got to his check down a couple times, that was really impressive, to [RB] Will Shipley a couple times. Really impressive. Strung together a couple good quarters last game and then a full good game today. Every time he gets an opportunity in practice, he does a really good job. We’re excited about Tanner and the player he is."
In the last two weeks, Eagles fans and the rest of the league have really come to learn just how good their quarterback room really is.
"I love our quarterback room, obviously starting with Jalen [Hurts] and all the great things Jalen has done this year to help us get to where we are right now," Sirianni added. "Kenny [Pickett] has had really good minutes and played a good game last week. Played a good game against Washington. Then Tanner doing what he did today and at the end of the Dallas week last week. Love that room.
"Awesome job by Howie and his staff to get these guys. Great job by the players themselves by helping themselves develop into what they can be. And then you got to give a lot of credit to [Quarterbacks Coach] Doug [Nussmeier] and [Offensive Coordinator] Kellen [Moore] and [Passing Game Coordinator/Associate Head Coach] Kevin Patullo for all the things they’ve done to help develop those guys."
While watching McKee and Kenny Pickett take over has been fun, the Eagles are expected to have Hurts cleared from concussion protocol for their playoff run.
Eagles HC Nick Sirianni joins only Bill Belichick, Andy Reid in reaching historic NFL benchmark
Where are the hates now?
