The Eagles are still playing like Super Bowl champions

PHILADELPHIA – It ended like it began, with the Atlanta Falcons offense strolling toward the Philadelphia Eagles end zone but, once close, denied, just like in their playoff matchup last season. Atlanta here on Thursday night in the game’s opening drive was bold but was stuffed at the Philadelphia 1. The game’s final drive ended with Atlanta taking five shots to win it – three from the Philadelphia 10-yard-line and the last from the Philadelphia 5. But the Falcons were strangled. Incomplete, incomplete, incomplete, incomplete (Eagles pass interference) and one more incomplete as time expired.

Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan was in a continual, vicious red zone chokehold.

Or Ryan was just choking again.

Yes, he will hear that again. Because this 18-12 Eagles victory, where real lightning delayed the start and manufactured Eagles thunder sealed it, was a celebration of Philadelphia’s fresh Super Bowl championship, a reminder that they retain the players and swagger to repeat and that the Falcons are still searching for poise and finishing grit.

Ryan tried to breathe.

“I did not play well enough,” he said. “At the end of the night, it comes down to when you have the chances and you have the guys you have to hit them and I did not do as good a job of that tonight.”

About his Falcons’ red zone debacles?

“It’s one game and that’s the sample size we have right now,” said Ryan of his team’s four trips but only one conversion. “It’s disappointing we did not make them tonight but it hasn’t been a whole season of not scoring touchdowns. Tonight it didn’t go our way but I’m still confident.”

They have been working all offseason on their red zone follies, said Falcons head coach Dan Quinn — especially since it happened a lot last year, too.

“That’s part of our game that we have to get right if we’re going to really be good,” Quinn said. “The results did not show that tonight, for sure. We’ve got work to do, for sure.”

And a lot of it was the Eagles defense, for sure.

Atlanta’s red zone woes might lighten the quicker they exit this place. This Philadelphia defense spooked them. It’s a fast and imposing defense.

On Atlanta’s last pass attempt to win it, Ryan threw a 50-50 ball high and arching into the end zone toward star receiver Julio Jones. Eagles cornerback Ronald Dary was matched on-on-one with Jones.

Most NFL fans know Jones.

Few know Darby.

Darby used his eyes, hands, feet, coordination, competitiveness and courage to win that battle with Jones and win the game. Darby is quintessential Eagles — big talent with bold personality and confidence.

“Hey, ‘Jenk’ told us to calm down, get ready, go play and he got me calm” Darby said of teammate and safety Malcolm Jenkins direction in the huddle before the final play. “I knew how to handle that moment. I respect Julio. But we are all professionals here. Maybe more people know my name now, huh?”

They should, Jenkins said.

“I was encouraging him not to play scared because, look, he has some of the most special gifts you are going to find in a cornerback and we see it every day the way he prances around makes plays in practice,” Jenkins said. “He was either going to catch the ball, knock it away or knock Julio out of bounds before he could plant after a catch. Ronald had all of that covered because that was the technique, the plan and he executes. He knew they were coming his way, to Julio. We all knew. You can implode under adversity and under pressure if you are not prepared and confident. He was. We are.”

Philadelphia possess dominance on both their offensive and defensive lines. Their line play is formidable and game-changing. It was here on Thursday night.

Defensive tackle Fletcher Cox often was pushing his opponent 3- and 4-yards into the Falcons backfield. End Brandon Graham was a beast to block. End Chris Long made his mark. And the Eagles linebackers were fast and effective.

For most of the game, Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz and Falcons defensive coordinator Marquand Manuel and their schemes and players controlled the lumbering way the game was played. Atlanta led 3-0 after the first quarter. It led 6-3 at halftime.

And then the third quarter happened.

Eagles head coach Doug Pederson served more fancy tricks.

Pederson captured the last Super Bowl with a creative tight end pass to the quarterback and this time he rolled out a third-quarter double-reverse receiver pass to the quarterback. The end result was receiver Nelson Agholor to quarterback Nick Foles for 15 yards.

That third-down trick play changed the game, loosened the game, sparked the Eagles toward a scoring drive; they led 10-6 by the end of the third quarter.

In Philadelphia’s final, winning, fourth-quarter drive, the Eagles converted two third-down plays. The beauty was a third-and-2 from the Atlanta 35, a trap-run play acutely called by Pederson that running back Corey Clement busted for 21 yards.

Pederson was hired for this, his knack for creating flirty offenses and then calling plays in similar style. It is clear how much he enjoys it.

It is clear it is one of his primary gifts.

Pederson is the head coach. Jenkins is the soul of the team.

His teammates offer him deep respect and he speaks to and about them in measured, intelligent, mature tones. Jenkins is a 10-year player who connects with rookies, veterans, coaches and ownership and the Eagles’ fan base.

He is a crucial part of the Eagles’ poise.

He is central to their repeat bid.

“I don’t know, maybe one day if I ever get bored, maybe I would coach in the NFL,” Jenkins said, laughing. “I’ve always thought about playing football and being and doing more. I know I love the game. And I know what it takes to be special. You can’t play scared. You’ve got to be willing to play together. You’ve got to endure adversity.”

All traits the Eagles mastered over the Falcons.

Maybe they are on a collision course to meet again in the playoffs. Long said he wouldn’t be surprised. He said that character is built through each NFL week.

That’s the scary part for the rest of the NFL – the Eagles are already displaying an inordinate supply.