Eagles Fail To Channel Super Bowl 'Philly Special' Magic, Fall To 49ers In Week 2 Battle

PHILADLEPHIA, PA — The past is never really past, William Faulkner said, but that's not always a good thing.

The 2021 Eagles may have come into their home opener with some of the same underdog energy that propelled the 2018 Super Bowl champions, but by the time the Birds left the field after a frustrating 17-11 Week 2 loss, one thing was clear: if this team is to win, it will need to forge its own identity.

The Eagles put themselves in a position to win on multiple occasions Sunday afternoon,, but saw several opportunities slip away into a red and gold event horizon. None was more noticeable, of course, than the resurrection of the Philly Special, the defining play of that 2018 Super Bowl that is immortalized in bronze statue form in South Philadelphia.

This is what rookie head coach Nick Sirianni, second year quarterback Jalen Hurts, rookie wide receiver Devonta Smith, and Greg Ward Jr. tried to do Sunday:

Here's a glance at the original, for reference, crafted by Doug Pederson, Nick Foles, Corey Clement, and Trey Burton:

Looking Back At An Iconic Moment: The Day The Eagles Made Philly History

On Sunday, the Birds had a chance to go up 10-0 on that play as the first half wound down. The 49ers defense, which had seemed plenty vulnerable at points throughout the game saw right through it. Hurts had other opportunities too, in part thanks to a strong offensive line.

Then there were painful moments, like another potential Eagles touchdown which was called back when Jalen Reagor stepped out of bounds.

Still, there were good signs. For one, the defense limited Jimmy Garoppolo and the Niners to 189 yards in the air. Though Hurts had a similar line — 12 for 23 for 190 yards — he did damage on the ground again, running for 82 yards and the lone Eagles touchdown on the day. And through most of the first half, the Eagles significantly outplayed the Niners: San Francisco had gained a net of just 50 yards heading into the final drive of the second quarter.

The new Birds are learning, but they won't learn overnight. They'll head into Week 3 in a three way tie with Washington and Dallas at 1-1 atop the NFC East. They face the Cowboys in Dallas for Monday Night Football next week.