Eagles Look To Put Minnesota Loss Behind Them
By Ed Benkin
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- It's hard to find positives from a loss in the NFL. The Eagles are finding a way.
No one in the Eagles locker room is happy about the team's 48-30 loss in Minnesota last Sunday, but many players such as Conrerback Cary Williams are looking at the defeat as a learning experience.
"I don't think it was a hit to the confidence at all," said Williams. "I think that it definitely helped us as a team. especially when you think about us coming off a five-game winning streak. It helped humble us. It helped us understand the importance of each and every week and each and every snap."
A loss like the one last Sunday could be an aberration or a sign of trouble ahead. Wide Receiver DeSean Jackson believes it was simply a week in which the players didn't execute. The result was the first loss for the Eagles since the end of October.
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"It was a game we let slip," Jackson said. "It was a game I felt we should have won. Going in, we felt we had a great game plan. We weren't able to get it going."
All of the players took responsibility for their mistakes against the Vikings. While the defense gave up 48 points, Quarterback Nick Foles took his share of the blame for what went wrong despite throwing for 428 yards and three touchdowns.
"I wish I could say I'd be perfect every time," said Foles. "But that's not reality, and I missed a few. I was a little high on a few. You can count on me to bounce back and deliver a strike somewhere. I'm going to keep fighting through it."
The pressure is on teams like the Eagles at this point of the season. They still control their own destiny in their quest for the NFC East crown. Safety Nate Allen says the lesson learned from Sunday is to stay focused when momentum shifts to the opponent.
"Keeping your composure is always big," Allen said. "Being on this level, you've got to be a pro about things. Things aren't always going to go your way. You've just to have a short memory and move onto the next play."
Safety Earl Wolff returned to practice Tuesday and is hoping to return for Sunday's game. Wolff has been battling a knee injury.
