Standing at his locker after the Eagles' crushing 20-14 loss to the New Orleans Saints, Eagles receiver Alshon Jeffery didn't mince words.
"That's on me. I'll take that loss. That's on me," Jeffery said. "I let all my teammates down, the city of Philadelphia. That is on me. I'll take that."
In some ways there is no sugar coating that Jeffery is correct. Trailing 20-14 with just two minutes and one second to play, the Eagles had the ball on the Saints' 27-yard line and for the first time since the first quarter, they had the momentum.
Then, on a perfect pass by quarterback Nick Foles, Jeffery let the ball sail through his hands and into the arms of Saints cornerback Marshon Lattimore.
With that interception, the ballgame — and the season — was over.
"It is a play I didn't make. It went through my hands," Jeffery said. "Nick threw me a catchable ball. I have to make that play."
Although Jeffery was correct in taking some of the blame, the reality is that the Eagles' entire roster has nobody to blame but themselves for the season-ending loss to the Saints. The Eagles jumped out to a commanding 14-0 lead after the first quarter, and seemed to be on their way to another win in a game they entered as an underdog.
Instead, the offense didn't score a single point in the final three quarters.
Still, despite the offense disappearing for most of the game, they still seemed primed to pull off another improbable win.
"The confidence level in the huddle was extremely confident, like always," Foles said. "We go in there, we get in the huddle every time and we expect to march right down the field."
After getting the ball on their own 42-yard line, Foles completed a 16-yard pass to tight end Zach Ertz over the middle to move the ball to the Saints' 42-yard line. Then, after an incomplete pass, the Saints were flagged for roughing Foles, moving the Eagles another 15-yards to the Saints' 27-yard line.
Then, two plays later, Foles threw the ball towards Jeffery seven yards down the field — a pass that ended the Eagles' season.
"We were moving the ball, and unfortunately it didn't go our way," Foles said. "That is the tough part of this game."
Jeffery laid on the field for a few minutes after the drop, and then was walked to the sideline by Foles, Ertz and receiver Jordan Matthews. Jeffery said they offered him encouraging words on the trip to the sideline.
Despite being clearly, and understandably, disappointed by the dropped pass, Jeffery did not back down from expressing confidence in his teammates.
"It happens to the best of us. We move on. It hurts right now," Jeffery said. "But I guarantee we'll be back next year for sure."
You can follow Eliot Shorr-Parks on Twitter at @EliotShorrParks or email him at esp@94wip.com!
