Post by TheShadow on Feb 2, 2006 20:10:00 GMT -5
www.insidebayarea.com
By Art Spander
SURE, JIM PLUNKETT thinks about it. The Philadelphia Eagles are going to the
Super Bowl. "It's been a long time," said Plunkett who knows exactly how
long. He was there. Beating the Eagles.
We're going to hear a lot about failures in Philadelphia, if we already
haven't heard enough.
Heard how the city hasn't had a champion since the NBA 76ers in 1983. Heard
how the Eagles have been to the Super Bowl only that once, nearly a
quarter-century ago, Super Bowl XV in New Orleans.
Heard how the Eagles lost that game to Plunkett and the Oakland Raiders,
27-10.
"When Philadelphia beat Atlanta (for the NFC championship), one of my
friends reminded me the last time they were in the Super Bowl, we beat
them," said Plunkett.
As if Plunkett, who was 57 in December, needed reminding.
He was the MVP of that Super Bowl. Threw three touchdown passes. But maybe
the offensive line was the collective MVP. Plunkett was sacked only once.
After having gone down eight times in a regular-season game against
Philadelphia in October, a game the Eagles won 10-7.
The earlier game was one of the reasons Philadelphia was favored. That, and
the fact Eagles coach Dick Vermeil, an assistant coach at Stanford when
Plunkett was winning the Heisman Trophy there, took pains to keep his
players from the sins of Bourbon Street.
The Raiders also remained resolute. For the most part, excluding John
Matuszak. "Tooz" was fined by Raiders coach Tom Flores for his adventures.
Vermeil said he would have sent him home.
"It didn't matter that much," said Plunkett. "I had been out of football
for a while. Now I had a chance to play in the Super Bowl. I wasn't going to
let anything get in the way, if possible. We all felt the same way.
"We didn't have videotape those days. I stayed in my room, taped a sheet on
the wall and watched game films every night."
Eight sacks by the Eagles three months earlier. Plunkett wasn't worried.
"Our line, Gene Upshaw, Art Shell, Dave Dalby, Mickey Marvin, those guys
were embarrassed by what happened," said the quarterback. "They had too much
pride to let it happen again."
Asked if the linemen gave him Super Bowl advice, Plunkett chuckled. "They
told me, 'Don't hold on to the ball.'"
The journey had been difficult. The San Diego Chargers were division
champions. The Raiders had to win the wild-card game against Houston. That
one was at home. The conference semifinal was in Cleveland. On an icy field.
Yes, the Mike Davis interception of Brian Sipe in the final seconds. The
Mistake by the Lake. The Raiders, 14-12.
"It was freezing there," said Plunkett. "Besides, it's tough playing that
extra game as a wild card. You never know what will happen."
Next week what did happen was the Raiders won 34-21 at San Diego to become
the first wild-card team to make a Super Bowl. A wild-card team that would
be the best team.
"We were confident," Plunkett remembered. "We had worked two weeks on the
game plan. That earlier game, Raymond Chester lost a fumble on their 5-yard
line. We could have won that one."
The underdog was the top dog. This year the Eagles, properly, are not
favored. The New England Patriots are supposed to win. But as Plunkett
pointed out, that doesn't mean the Patriots will win.
"I give Philadelphia a chance," said Plunkett, who still resides in Menlo
Park.
"I really do. Little things take place. Pride slips in. The Eagles had lost
three straight conference championship games, and this time they won. Last
year I thought Carolina could put pressure on Tom Brady. I think
Philadelphia could do it this time, but I'm not sure."
The Raiders led Super Bowl XV 7-0 when Plunkett dropped back to throw to Bob
Chandler. But Chandler was covered by Eagles defensive back Herm Edwards. "I
drifted to my left," said Plunkett.
Halfback Kenny King had a reputation for bad hands, but the hands looked
good this time, and the legs looked great. The 80-yard touchdown was the
longest pass play in Super Bowl history at the time.
Plunkett was a star. King was a star. Rod Martin, with three interceptions
of Ron Jaworski, was a star. "Nice thinking about it," said Plunkett.
Unless you were the Eagles.
