Eagles: experience, pressure

PHILADELPHIA — The Philadelphia Eagles were supposed to be here. The Atlanta Falcons weren't.

Playing in the past three NFC championship games gives the Eagles a significant edge in big-game experience. Losing all three of those games puts all the pressure on Philadelphia to get to the Super Bowl for the first time in 24 years.

"We lost. It's time to move on," Eagles defensive tackle Corey Simon said Thursday. "Thinking about last year and the year before that will get you beat this week. We have to focus on this game."

The Falcons, meanwhile, have far less to lose. A year ago, they were 5-11. Now they're a victory away from the second Super Bowl appearance in franchise history; the other was in 1999.

"We're just going to go up there and play loose and let it roll," Falcons rookie coach Jim Mora said. "We don't feel any pressure. It's house money we're gambling with. So we're just going to go up there and fling it around and see if we can't stay on the field with them for a little while."

The Eagles are all too familiar with this position: playing at home, against an underdog from a city with a warmer climate, an opponent that has trouble winning on the road and in cold weather.

It could be downright freezing when the Eagles host the Falcons on Sunday afternoon, with forecasters calling for snow.

Last year, Carolina came to Philadelphia, ignored the elements and stunned the Eagles 14-3. Two years ago, Tampa Bay closed out Veterans Stadium with a 27-10 win, its first playoff victory in temperatures under 40 degrees. In 2002, the Eagles lost at St. Louis 29-24.

"It's unfortunate what happened to us the last three years, but it's just a different feeling this year," Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb said. "We've had a special season. Things have really been moving in a positive direction. We're a fresher team. We have guys that have been anticipating this opportunity.

"We have a lot of key veterans on this team that have been in tough situations and have suffered through adversity. We know how to prepare going into this particular game. The main thing for us is we just have to be loose and just have fun and that's something that we felt we didn't have in the past couple years."

The Eagles (14-3) can't afford to be uptight this time. They realize another loss would be devastating for a city that is starved for a winner. Philly hasn't celebrated a major championship since the 76ers won the NBA title in 1983, and the city hasn't had an NFL title since 1960.

Fans have pinned their hopes on the beloved football team. But considering how often teams seem to come up short around here, no one is planning a parade down Broad Street just yet.

"I want to win this for myself, but I would love to see those people have a great time after that victory, because they have definitely supported us through some real tough times when we were trying to get to the position we're in," Eagles All-Pro safety Brian Dawkins said.

The Falcons (12-5) still have two players — Pro Bowl linebacker Keith Brooking and backup defensive lineman and ex-BYU Cougar Travis Hall — from the franchise's only NFC title.