Using a cane to walk on his surgically repaired left knee
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that many thought the Philadelphia Eagles couldn’t secure without him.
Wentz led them to a division title. Nick Foles is taking them to the Super Bowl.
Losing Wentz in Week 14 after the second-year quarterback had an MVP-caliber season was supposed to be a crippling blow to a team that had already lost
nine-time Pro Bowl left tackle Jason Peters, playmaking linebacker Jordan Hicks,
versatile returner/running back Darren Sproles and special teams ace Chris
Maragos.
But the Eagles are one victory away from the franchise’s first NFL title since 1960 thanks to key contributions from several backups.
”It’s the next-man-up mentality,” coach Doug Pederson said Monday. ”It also means that you have some veteran players that keep things together, and good
coaching staffs. I think it’s a tribute to the players and everyone involved
that they can keep things going even through that adversity.”
Foles led the way with a spectacular performance in a 38-7 victory over the Minnesota Vikings in the NFC championship game . He threw for 352 yards and
three touchdowns while joining Joe Montana as the only quarterbacks in NFL
history to complete 75 percent of their passes in consecutive playoff games.
”We lean on each other and we play for each other and that’s what’s special about this team,” Foles said. ”There’s never going to be a time when we’re going
to turn on each other. We’re always going to be there to support each other and
that’s the beautiful thing about the Philadelphia Eagles.”
Even team owner Jeffery Lurie couldn’t have predicted this success.
”It surprised me because of all the injuries,” Lurie said. ”The resiliency among this group is phenomenal.”
Sproles, one of the best returners in league history and a major part of the offense, tore his left ACL and broke his right forearm on the same play against
the Giants in the home opener on Sept. 24.
The team signed Kenjon Barner to replace him on punts and rookie Corey Clement has stepped up to fill Sproles’ role as a third down specialist.
Maragos tore his right PCL at Carolina on Oct. 12. The unit struggled without him until Bryan Braman re-signed with the team in December.
Peters tore his right ACL and MCL in a Monday night game against the Redskins on Oct. 23. Halapoulivaati Vaitai replaced him in the starting lineup and has
improved with more playing time.
Vaitai gained valuable experience as a rookie last year filling in for Pro Bowl right tackle Lane Johnson when he was suspended 10 games.
”Had a lot of confidence in (Vaitai),” Pederson said. ”These are obviously the things we’ve seen in him: his maturity, his growth as a left tackle.”
Hicks ruptured his right Achilles in the same game Peters went down. It was a big loss because Hicks calls the defensive signals and is a playmaker. He has
seven interceptions and five fumble recoveries in 31 games.
Joe Walker and Najee Goode replaced him initially before the Eagles signed former Ravens starter Dannell Ellerbe to take his spot. Ellerbe missed the
victory over Minnesota because of a hamstring injury and Goode was beat on a
touchdown pass in the first quarter.
”I think that’s what makes it more special with these guys,” Pederson said. ”You start losing some of your top players to injury. You just kind of see the
fight in the guys and the resiliency in the guys. The guys just keep battling.
For us to believe in one another and to be now in this spot, I’m just so happy
for those guys, and hat’s off to them.”
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AP NFL website: Despite having a fastball that doesn’t reach 90 miles an hour, Wade LeBlanc effectively shut down one of the best lineups in the American
League.
LeBlanc pitched into the eighth inning and Nelson Cruz had an RBI single as the Seattle Mariners beat the Boston Red Sox 1-0 Saturday night.
LeBlanc gave up just two hits and struck out nine over 7 2/3 innings. After a single by Mookie Betts on the opening at-bat of the
game
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singled with two outs in the eighth.
”What a changeup he had today. That has been his bread and butter his whole career, but today was probably the best one we’ve seen all year,” Mariners
manager Scott Servais said. ”He knows his craft very well and when he gets on a
roll like that, he just keeps riding it.”
LeBlanc (3-0) wasn’t a part of the Mariners starting rotation until the first week of May. But since replacing an injured Erasmo Ramirez in the rotation,
LeBlanc has shined for the Mariners. He’s posted a 2.06 ERA in nine starts and
Saturday’s gem was the best of the lot.
A near-capacity crowd at Safeco Field saluted LeBlanc with a standing ovation as he left the field after Nunez’s single.
”That’s a really neat moment. Guys that throw 86 (mph) don’t really get standing ovations really often,” LeBlanc said chuckling. ”I definitely wanted to
kind of take them in and show my appreciation for it.”
Alex Colome got pinch-hitter Mitch Moreland to pop out to end the eighth, and Edwin Diaz struck out the side in the ninth for his 27th save.
It was LeBlanc’s first start of more than seven innings pitched since his first outing of the 2011 season with the San Diego Padres. His nine strikeouts
were also his most since striking out 10 against the Los Angeles Dodgers that
same season.
”He reminds me of that guy on the wall over there,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said gesturing toward a photo of Jamie Moyer. ”LeBlanc was outstanding.
Back-door cutters, front-door sinkers and mixed up his breaking ball halfway
through the game, all on the edge of the strike zone.”
LeBlanc had a little help from Dee Gordon at second base with diving stops to rob Rafael Devers and Xander Bogaerts of base hits.
The Mariners needed LeBlanc’s stellar outing as they struggled to get a lot going against knuckleballer Steven Wright.
Wright (2-1) held Seattle to just one run and five hits with two walks and four strikeouts over seven innings.
Three singles – all to left field – off Wright in the third inning gave the Mariners their early advantage. Gordon reached with one out while Mitch Haniger
and Cruz each singled with two down.
”We got just enough off of a really tough knuckleballer,” Servais said. ”Our guys are not used to seeing that and he was really good. The ball was dancing
everywhere. He threw a lot of strikes with it.
”Our guy was just a little bit better.”
It snapped Wright’s string of 25 1/3 scoreless innings, which topped the stretch of 25 scoreless innings by Oakland’s Daniel Mengden for the longest in
the majors this season.
GILBERT SIGNED
The Mariners signed first-round pick Logan Gilbert earlier in the day. The right-handed pitcher from Stetson University posted a 2.52 ERA while going 11-1
with 157 strikeouts and 23 walks in 15 starts. His 157 strikeouts lead NCAA
Division-I baseball this season.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Red Sox: LHP Drew Pomeranz played catch in the outfield on Friday and is expected to do so again on Sunday. Manager Alex Cora said Pomeranz still felt
stiff from his left biceps tendinitis but that they didn’t feel it was anything
serious. ”He was moving around better today,” Cora said.
Mariners: RHP Juan Nicasio threw a live bullpen session prior to Saturday’s game. Nicasio is expected to be activated from the disabled list during
Seattle’s upcoming series in New York. He’s eligible to come off the disabled
list on Sunday after having fluid buildup in his right knee.
UP NEXT
Red Sox: LHP Eduardo Rodriguez (8-1) has won each of his last five starts and hasn’t allowed more than two runs in a start since May 15. He’s posted a 2.15
ERA over 29 1/3 innings with 30 strikeouts over his last five outings.
Mariners: RHP Mike Leake (7-3) has pitched at least six innings in each of his last five starts, posting a 3-0 record with a 1.77 ERA over that span.
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