NFL: 25 Most Disappointing 1 Seeds In NFL Playoff History

25 Most Disappointing 1 Seeds In NFL Playoff History: 23. 2003 Philadelphia Eagles

In the early 2000s, the Philadelphia Eagles were one of the best teams in the NFC, but they just couldn’t make it work to be the best team in the NFC. They kept making it close but falling short at the last minute. It’s the poor man’s version of the early 90s Buffalo Bills. Coming into the 2003 season, the Eagles won the NFC East two times in a row. They made the NFC Championship two years in a row. This was their year.

It was business as usual in the regular season. The Eagles won 12 games and once again won the NFC East. This time, they beat out the St. Louis Rams for the number one seed in the conference. There was no other team who could get in the way of the Super Bowl. Every game would have to come through Philadelphia until they made it to Houston for the Big Game.

The Eagles rode a miracle against the Green Bay Packers to win in the Divisional Round. They were facing a 4th and 26 on their side of the field and the game on the line. Donovan McNabb sent a rocket to Freddie Mitchell, who still hadn’t thanked his hands in a news conference just yet. They converted the down, and they ended up kicking a game-tying field goal. They kicked another field goal after a Brett Favre interception, and the Eagles were off to the NFC Championship Game for the third year in a row.

They were facing the Carolina Panthers. It was a cold day in Philadelphia. One because it was 35 degrees outside and two because the Eagles’ offense put up the most disappointing performance of the year. In their biggest game, McNabb led the Eagles to three points. Ricky Manning Jr. had two huge interceptions, and McNabb couldn’t handle the Panthers’ pass rush. McNabb finished with four interceptions and five sacks as the Panthers celebrated in Philly. They were off to the Super Bowl.