2017 NFC Championship Game

Lore & Background

For decades, the Eagles' history was defined by near-misses and crushing defeats in the postseason. Yet, the team refused to crumble. Under the steady hand of Nick Foles and the tactical genius of head coach Doug Pederson, the Eagles surged through the playoffs with an electric offense and a suffocating defense led by veterans like Fletcher Cox and Brandon Graham. The NFC Championship was the ultimate test of their mettle. Facing a Minnesota Vikings team that had just stunned the Saints in overtime to reach this stage, the Eagles delivered a 38-7 demolition. The game is etched in lore not just for the scoreline, but for the moment Brandon Graham sacked Case Keenum and stripped the ball, sealing the victory and silencing any doubt about Philadelphia's ability to win on their home turf when the stakes were highest.

In Their Own Story

The air inside Lincoln Financial Field was thick with a tension that only comes once in a lifetime. The chill of January still bit at the players' skin as they huddled under the bright stadium lights, the crowd a deafening roar demanding justice for fifty years of waiting. Nick Foles adjusted his grip on the ball, his eyes locked on the Minnesota sideline where Case Keenum paced nervously. Then came the play that would define an era. Graham exploded off the edge, crashing into Keenum as the quarterback tried to scramble. The ball popped loose, rolling uselessly toward the sideline as the Eagles defense swarmed. In that split second, the weight of history lifted from Philadelphia's shoulders. The roar that followed wasn't just for a sack; it was the sound of a city finally believing they could fly.

Reader's Guide

The Philadelphia Eagles hosted the Minnesota Vikings at Lincoln Financial Field in a clash between two teams with contrasting paths to this stage: the defending NFC champs and the home favorites seeking redemption.

Did You Know?

• This was the Eagles' first NFC Championship victory since the 2004 season, ending a 13-year drought in conference title games.
• Nick Foles became the first player in NFL history to win both the Super Bowl MVP and the NFC Championship Game MVP in the same postseason.
• The Vikings entered the game as slight favorites but were held scoreless until late in the fourth quarter, a rare feat for their high-powered offense that season.
• Brandon Graham's strip-sack of Case Keenum is widely considered one of the most iconic defensive plays in Eagles franchise history.