By Carrie Teti || Staff Writer
Last Sunday, I went to my first-ever NFL game I would be seeing my Philadelphia Eagles take on the New York Jets. Yes, the undefeated Eagles and … the Jets. This should be a blowout, I thought. The Eagles would crush the Jets, maybe with a score of 42-0. This game would be hilarious. All the Eagles fans would cheer and laugh, and the Jets fans would leave in tears.
As I prepared for my trip up to New Jersey, my parents acted like I was going to the Arctic. My mom put a winter hat and gloves in my bag, and my dad gave me his Eagles scarf. I bundled up enough to survive a January game in Green Bay, and I was ready to cheer on the Birds.
The parking lot outside of Metlife Stadium was filled with tailgating fans, mostly Jets fans but with a good amount of Eagles fans sprinkled in. Two Jets fans walked across the lot holding a speaker, which blared “Philly Sucks! Philly Sucks!” I looked at them and laughed. They’re only saying we suck because they can’t stand how much better we are, I thought. Just wait until after the game when we absolutely obliterate you.
Then, it was time for the game, and things started off with the Eagles looking pretty good. On a fourth and goal, the Eagles went for it. Quarterback Jalen Hurts ran the ball, and while he was initially ruled down short of the end zone, the play was overturned. This touchdown put the Eagles up 7-0 in the first quarter.
The Jets fans in front of me cheered wildly whenever their team managed to get a first down. “It’s always exciting when they get a first down,” one said, laughing. “Because they hardly ever do it!”
The Jets did get enough first downs to get into field goal range on three drives, but there was still no reason for Eagles fans to worry. The Eagles scored another touchdown later on in the second, and they led 14-9 at the end of the first half.
After halftime though, I started to get nervous. The Eagles already had a couple of scary turnovers in the first half, including a fumble by D’Andre Swift that resulted in a Jets field goal and a pass to tight end Dallas Goedert that bounced off his knee and was intercepted. The Jets had not yet scored a touchdown, but they kicked another field goal in the third quarter, cutting the Eagles’ lead down to only two points. This game was getting way too close. Could the Eagles really lose their first game of the season, and to the Jets of all teams?
In the fourth quarter, the Eagles got in field goal range with a chance to extend their lead, but kicker Jake Elliott missed the 37-yard field goal.
“He never misses!” the Jets fans surrounding me cheered.
“He never misses!” the Eagles fans yelled, angry and in disbelief.
Still, on top 14-12, the Eagles had the ball at the two-minute warning. They really should have run the ball and just let the clock run out, but instead Hurts attempted a pass and gave up another interception, giving the Jets the ball at the 8-yard line. That was the fourth turnover of the game. As I watched in horror, the Jets easily scored a touchdown and successfully converted for two extra points. The final score was 20-14.
I witnessed history that day. It definitely wasn’t the kind of history I wanted to see, but it was history, nonetheless. It was the first time in history that the Jets ever beat the Eagles. And I was there. And no, Taylor Swift was not.
As we left the stadium, our emotions were the opposite of what I had expected to see. The Jets fans cheered, and Eagles fans like me left shocked, angry, and in tears.
Sophomore Carrie Teti is a staff writer. Her email is cteti@fandm.edu.