Twenty Years Ago Jeremiah Trotter Helped the Eagles Chop To A Super Bowl Appearance. Now His Son May Be A Key To Returning to It.
Twenty years ago in 2005 — Any Reid’s Eagles Finally Broke Through the NFC Championship Game bottleneck— and advanced to their first Super Bowl since 1981. That Eagles defense — who made a run through the NFC Playoffs possible and would bring Philadelphia just one possession away from a Lombardi Trophy — was anchored one of its most popular middle linebackers who returned just one year earlier.
Jeremiah Trotter — who had returned to the Eagles to help to bring a Super Bowl victory after spending his first four seasons here after being drafted by the team in 1998— and helped to anchor a Jim Johnson defense that would prove to be one of the best ever in Philadelphia. The Eagles would begin their Super Bowl run at home at two-year old Lincoln Financial Field against the visiting Vikings — a team that they would have had to face this weekend had Minnesota beaten the Rams.
The NFC Divisional Round game against Daunte Culpepper and Randy Moss would prove to be a 27–14 route — bookended by Jim Johnson’s smothering defense and the force in the middle of that defense — the Ax-Man.
This season — the Eagles impressive run has been complimented by excellent linebacker play from Philadelphia’s defense. The Eagles will need continued consistency from the linebacking unit to stop the likes of the St. Louis Rams, and Washington Commanders— and perhaps if the stars align the Buffalo Bills, Chiefs, or Ravens.
One key to making that Super Bowl date in New Orleans may be the play of Jeremiah Trotter, Jr. The rookie from Clemson is going to need to help to replace a huge void left with the injury to Nakobi Dean last week against the Green Bay Packers. Stopping Kyren Williams and the Rams rushing attack may depend on it.
The Eagles would win the NFC Championship in 2005. They did so with the help of ingeniously flipping defensive ends Javon Kearse and Derrick Burgess against the Falcons and Michael Vick and the play of a great linebacker known as the Ax-Man. Like his father, Trotter Jr. may be a key to beating the Rams on Sunday.
And beyond.
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