Dick Vermeil and Prior Days
Posted: Sun Mar 19, 2023 2:27 pm
Thirty years after leading the Eagles to the Super Bowl, Dick Vermeil remains a Philadelphia Icon. He brought energy and enthusiasm to a team that had been a loser for almost 20 years. Vermeil's can do attitude was a major part of his success. Unfortunately this did not come close to a dynasty. The Eagles and Vermeil were burned at mid season the following year. That four game losing streak brought the Eagles from 9-2 to 9-6. A 38 to 0 victory at Veterans Stadium over the St. Louis Cardinals in the final game gave hope that thee team would return to form. It didn't. Philadelphia, at the Vet, lost to the New York Giants 27 to 21 in the Wild Card Game. This was their second home loss to the Giants within a month. The Eagles would do likewise to the New York Giants in 2008.
As I look back at that 10-6 team, three of those six losses should have been victories-17 to 14 vs Dallas at the Vet and road loses, 13 to 10 to Miami and 15 to 13 to Washington. A Philadelphia team, without the burnout, would have been 13-3. Nevertheless Philadelphia did steadily improve with Dick Vermeil until 1980, which I will talk about later.
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As I look back at that 10-6 team, three of those six losses should have been victories-17 to 14 vs Dallas at the Vet and road loses, 13 to 10 to Miami and 15 to 13 to Washington. A Philadelphia team, without the burnout, would have been 13-3. Nevertheless Philadelphia did steadily improve with Dick Vermeil until 1980, which I will talk about later.
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