NFL Countdown: Green Bay Packers and Philadelphia Eagles' 4th-and-26 playoff moment is etched in league folklore
In the 2003 campaign's playoffs, the Philadelphia Eagles battled the Green Bay Packers in the divisional round. Incredibly, for two franchises with such storied histories, it was only their second ever playoff meeting.
The encounter would go down in history as one of the greatest playoff games ever. One specific play would ensure that this game would be forever etched in league folklore, the fourth and 26.
Believe it or not, offensive play callers have very few plays for fourth and 26 in the book. The selection is even more limited when you have one minute and twelve seconds left in the game with only one timeout remaining. Not to mention that you're camped on your own 26 yard line. With a divisional playoff game on the line, the task suddenly becomes highly improbable.
Improbable yes, impossible no. If you're Andy Reid, one of the greatest offensive minds in the pantheon of NFL greats, it's just another day at the office. On Sunday, January 11th 2004, the Green Bay Packers made the trip to Lincoln Financial Field to face the Reid-led Philadelphia Eagles.
With the opportunity to progress through to the NFC Championship game, the stakes were high. The teams did have some recent history, having met earlier in the season. On that occasion, the Eagles emerged with the win. That was thanks to a Donovan McNabb touchdown pass to Todd Pinkston with less than 30 seconds on the clock.
Green Bay Packers on course for victory
With a 12-4 record and home field advantage, the second-seed Eagles entered the game as the bookmakers' favorites. While the Eagles roster spent the previous week resting up, the Packers where engaged in an intense battle with the Seattle Seahawks.
Green Bay would be taken to overtime before eventually sealing a 33-27 victory, setting up a rematch with the Eagles in Philadelphia. However, the form book and Vegas odds quickly went out the window as Green Bay jumped out to a 14-0 lead in the first quarter.
Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre twice connected with his wide receiver Robert Ferguson for touchdowns. He took advantage of some great work by the Packers defense and a profligate Philadelphia offense. McNabb reduced the arrears in the second stanza, finding Duce Staley with a seven yard pass for his first touchdown.
Then came what many believed to be the real turning point of the game. Directly following Staley's touchdown, Favre marched the Green Bay offense all the way to the Eagles one-yard line. Then on fourth and goal, running back Ahman Green was stuffed by the Philly defense after he tripped on guard Mike Wahle's leg.
McNabb then counjured a magical eight-play, eighty-eight yard drive as they tied the game at 14-14 with the first play of the fourth quarter. Just like their first meeting that season, the defenses were dominating the game, and the Eagles soon produced another heroic stand.
Late in the game, a 44-yard bomb from Favre got Green Bay all the way to the Philadelphia six-yard line. Despite a fresh set of downs, Green Bay was once again repelled by the Eagles defense and had to settle for a field goal. With less than two minutes remaining, perhaps that would be enough? Perhaps that should have been enough.
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Fourth and 26 as the Eagles snatch victory from the jaws of defeat
Staley's twenty-two yard scamper got the drive off to a good start. However, a McNabb incomplete pass, followed by a false start penalty stalled proceedings for the Eagles. When McNabb took an eleven-yard sack and then went incomplete, a Packers victory looked assured.
Check out the down and distance on the Eagles' scoreboard prior to the Packers game: 4th and 26. https://t.co/tCiZTZit6H
Facing fourth and 26, Reid called a 74 Double Go which required wideout Freddie Mitchell to run a deep slant route. McNabb delivered the perfect ball, but the Packers defense, which was playing cover 2 incredibly went AWOL.
This was likely the final play of the game. With the Eagles requiring a first down, the Green Bay secondary took up positions behind the marker looking for an interception. When safety Bhawoh Jue failed to make the play, Mitchell's momentum carried him over the line before the Packers deep cover could get to him.
All @Eagles fans know it…
FOURTH AND 26.
The 2003 NFC Divisional Round. In FULL on NFL.com: bit.ly/3d241y2 @fmitchell84 https://t.co/RXIAsFMIzY
Philly would get into position to tie the game with a David Akers field goal as time expired. The late drama seemed to deflate Green Bay, who appeared beaten before the overtime period commenced.
Despite winning the toss and receiving the ball first, Favre soon threw an interception to Brian Dawkins, and Akers was quickly given the responsibility of kicking Philadelphia to a most unlikely 20-17 win. He duly obliged.