Prior to the Philadelphia Eagles' Week 16 matchup against the Washington Commanders, running back Brian Robinson said during a radio interview, "We feel like we are the better team."
According to several sources, that quote was used as "bulletin board" material by the Eagles' coaching staff for added motivation.
Robinson had a poor performance that day, rushing 10 times for 24 yards and two fumbles, but the Commanders emerged with the win. In the aftermath, Nick Sirianni regretted giving credence to Robinson's comments, and instead wished he would have urged his players to focus on the team's collective mission.
Before the start of the Eagles' playoff run, Sirianni was asked about the elevated intensity of the postseason.
"Same process, same everything," Sirianni said. "Everyone is going to tell you how much bigger this atmosphere is and how much bigger this is.
"But it's really, don't do anything different than what you've been doing. When the stakes get higher, when the game gets bigger, you need to lock down and do the tough, detail, together. You’ve got to lock down and do the preparation that goes throughout the week…
"I want them to stick on their process, I want to stick with what got us here, and not think about anything else other than – again, I don't think it's a winner's mindset to be like, ‘Here is what I'm doing different now,’ or ‘Here is how this game is going to be different.’
"Screw that. It's about what we do all week. It's about us."
On Tuesday it was revealed that the Kansas City Chiefs, who are trying to be the first team in the Super Bowl era to win three consecutive championships, struck a deal with Miami Heat president Pat Riley to market the term "Three-Peat," which Riley owns the rights to.
That act might normally be used as "bulletin board" material. For example, Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk assumed, "The Eagles will surely try to couch their Super Bowl opponent’s advance planning as presumptuous and disrespectful."
Not so. While a few scattered players were aware of the Chiefs' deal with Riley, that was not something the Eagles' staff brought to their attention. The players' focus has been on "us."
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"You can care about that if you want to, but at the end of the day if we win, that 'Three-Peat' s*** is done with," Milton Williams said. "And if they win, they got their 'Three-Peat.' We're not looking at that. We're trying to win the game. We're trying to get us one."
"Once you start worrying about all that other stuff, now you're distracted without even knowing it," Josh Sweat said. "I'm just worried about us, worried about our game, and what we've been doing. Honestly, if you have to use talk as motivation, you're done for. You should already have it."
Sirianni and his assistants are on the same page.
"I think it all starts back in OTAs and training camp," special teams coordinator Michael Clay said. "Nick has been so good at those core values, that connect, and just being us. You've seen us talk about being together, detailed, and tough. So I don't think we've let the outside influence or anybody else saying anything get in our way.
"I think it's more about us, who we have in that building, is the only thing that matters. Being able to come together, regardless of opponent, just us sticking together, and being able to put our best foot forward."
Jalen Hurts' consistent – and similar – messaging permeates from the other players as well.
"It's just keeping the main thing the main thing, as our quarterback says," Jalyx Hunt said.
"You can't really control what's being said or done by the other team, or what's being said from the outside," Avonte Maddox said. "What we can control is what we have in this building and with our team. That's the most important thing. Like Jalen says, 'Keep the main thing the main thing.' We're staying focused on us."
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