Mike and Casey Mahles were attending their first Eagles game as a married couple since their September nuptials.
On Sunday, their idea of wedded bliss would be an Eagles victory over the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC championship game and a trip to the Super Bowl.
“This is better than our honeymoon!” Casey said as they joined thousands engaging in pregame revelry in parking lots surrounding Lincoln Financial Field.
Casey had her face painted green and white, with some gold glitter sprinkled onto the green. Mike donned an eagle mask.
The Yardley, Pennsylvania, couple shared the home fans’ confidence the Eagles would be making their second Super Bowl trip in five years and fourth overall.
“We have a lot of weapons on offense,” Mike said of the source of his optimism. “We got [quarterback] Jalen Hurts.
“Our defense has been stellar all year. I think the fact the 49ers have a rookie at quarterback who was the last person chosen in the draft has nothing against this kind of defense.”
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That’s Brock Purdy, the Iowa State product who hasn’t lost since taking over as San Francisco’s quarterback for the injured Jimmy Garoppolo Dec. 4 against Miami. How he might hold up against that sinister Eagles defense and an equally menacing — and loud — crowd fueled the faith of other Eagles rooters.
“We’re gonna have a golden opportunity against a rookie quarterback who is going to have a really difficult time in this environment,” said Chris McGrath from Macungie, Pennsylvania.
“He’s only played two games outside of San Francisco this year [at Las Vegas and Seattle] and only thrown 23 passes in the fourth quarter this entire season. When it comes to the third and fourth quarter, we’re gonna just be piling it on. And [Eagles receiver] A.J. Brown is gonna go off.”
McGrath was tailgating with fellow University of Delaware graduate Don Gouge, a Wilmington resident who also felt home-field advantage would spell the difference. To him, it was the same challenge foes faced trying to beat the Phillies during their unexpected run to the World Series last fall.
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“Teams came in and said it was a very hostile and intimidating environment going to the Bank, and it’s gonna be the same thing here today,” Gouge said. “Plus the Eagles are so well balanced on both sides of the ball.”
At stake Sunday was a trip to State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, for the Feb. 12 Super Bowl against the winner of Sunday night’s AFC title game between Kansas City, led by former Eagles coach Andy Reid, and Cincinnati.
“That would be the ultimate honeymoon,” Casey Mahles said.
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