PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni went to the cliche machine when talking about his team's approach to their unexpected playoff game against Tom Brady and the defending champion Buccaneers on Sunday in Tampa. Sirianni preached process and not changing up the routine just because it's the postseason.
One thing Sirianni can't deny is that Brady and the 13-4 Bucs are less than one year removed from winning the Super Bowl. His 9-8 team, albeit with some players from the Eagles Super Bowl LII championship team, doesn't have the experience the Bucs currently possess, not to mention arguably the greatest quarterback ever to suit up.
Yet that doesn't appear to deter Sirianni's confidence in his players heading into Sunday's 1 p.m. matchup at Raymond James Stadium.
Yes, Jalen Hurts, DeVonta Smith, and the left side of the Eagles' offensive line have not played in an NFL postseason game before. But Sirianni didn't hesitate to mention that players like Hurts, Smith and left guard Landon Dickerson come from the University of Alabama, whose football team regularly plays in massive college football playoff games — usually culminating in a National Championship Game appearance.
"Those games are huge," Sirianni said, "and they have the same type of hoopla that surrounds them. So, you know, I'm confident we have winners on this football team. That's why we're in the position we're in right now. Right? We have winners on this team that know how to win."
Right now, some may roll their eyes at that comment. However, if Sirianni's Eagles can pull off the upset of upsets this weekend, there won't be a soul who disagrees with that statement.