Jake Elliott was sprawled on the ground.
He never saw punter and holder Arryn Siposs – aka, The Flash - run down and make a potentially game-saving tackle after Elliott’s field goal try late in the third quarter was rejected by the Vikings’ Patrick Peterson.
“I didn’t have much of a view,” said Elliott in Thursday’s Eagles locker room. “I saw it on the tape after the game.”
Elliott tried to sweep the leg out from Kris Boyd, who had scooped up the block and looked headed for a momentum-changing touchdown in what was a 24-7 Eagles win on Monday night.
Siposs said the sweep attempt, which made Boyd have to do what Siposs called “a toe tap,” may have given him that extra half-second he needed to run the Minnesota cornerback down after he had chugged 27 yards to Philly's 30.
“It was just kind of a spur-of-the-moment thing,” said Siposs. “The adrenaline kicks it when you have to go make a play and it worked out all right.”
Running down a cornerback is one thing for a punter, finding the ball after it's blocked is another.
Siposs said he saw Boyd running hard nearby and realized, “something’s over there.” That something was the bouncing football.
Siposs rose from his holder’s position and took off.
“Had to go make something happen and luckily we did,” he said.
Special teams coordinator Michael Clay did not talk on Thursday to explain how the kick was blocked in the first game.
Siposs gave his version of what happened.
“We looked at it a few times and our operation was pretty solid,” he said. “He just went out there and simply made a great play. A 12-year veteran just timing it up, been doing it for a long time.
"We had three or four field goals/PATs before that, he was probably getting an idea of what we were doing, and that one he jumped it really well and made the play.
“It was a veteran guy making a good move and sometimes you can’t do much about that, unfortunately.”
LEAGUE-LEADING OFFENSE
Granted, it’s only two weeks, but there’s not a better offense in the NFL right now than the Eagles. They are ranked No. 1, with the top-ranked rushing game and second-ranked passing game.
Offensive coordinator Shane Steichen was asked about it on Thursday.
“The biggest message is consistency,” he said. “We have to stay consistent through this thing. We have a lot of football ahead of us.”
He then transitioned into the importance of Sunday’s game against the NFC East Washington Commanders.
“Again, division opponent,” said Steichen. “(If) You want to win, you have to win the division. We know how important division games are. It's all about consistency week-in and week-out and we have to have that approach every single day.”
MADDOX PICK
Avonte Maddox’s interception, on the third play after Siposs’ TD-saving tackle, saw him sky high to nab it.
“I don’t know how high I was, but I was pretty high,” he said at his locker on Thursday. “I had to high-point the football, and that’s pretty high…Adrenaline makes you jump higher, run faster.”
BLAST FROM THE PAST
The Eagles have posted back-to-back games with more than 450 total yards.
The last time they had consecutive weeks like that was in the 2017 NFC Championship Game rout of the Vikings and Super Bowl LII win over the Patriots.
GOEDERT’S START
After two games, tight end Dallas Goedert is fourth in yards after the catch with 103. He’s behind Austin Ekeler (116), Jaylen Waddle, and Tyreek Hill (104 each).
Goedert ranks first among all tight ends in yards per catch at 17.8.
INJURY UPDATE
Nine players were limited in Thursday’s practice but only for rest purposes: A.J. Brown, Fletcher Cox, Landon Dickerson, Brandon Graham, Lane Johnson Jason Kelce, Haason Reddick, Isaac Seumalo, and Josh Sweat.
Also limited were Maddox (back) and Quez Watkins (illness).
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