Why I Love the 1995 Philadelphia Eagles

The call lives in Eagles lore.

They give it to Smith and they stop them again.

They stop them again.

And this time they can’t take it away.

When the Eagles beat the Cowboys on that cold December afternoon, that was it. I was hooked.

And all that was behind it: the rivalry, the fans, the players, coaches, uniforms, stadium, owners, announcers, weather; well, that’s what got me into football.

The 1995 Philadelphia Eagles were the first football team I followed. It was the last year of the classic Kelly Green uniforms. It was the first year of the Ray Rhodes era. It was the last year before Jeffery Lurie and Joe Banner would wipe away the team’s history and pretend everything that came before it didn’t exist and never happened.

So, let’s take a calm little stroll down memory lane and look back at all that transpired during that season.

Week One: vs. Tampa Bay (Sept. 3)

It was a disastrous start to the season as the spelling-challenged Errict Rhett rushed 26 times for 85 yards and one touchdown in a dominating Buccaneers victory. After making his Eagles debut with a less-than-stellar 17 carries for 39 yard effort, Ricky Watters uttered his famous “for who, for what” line when asked why he didn’t try and catch a ball over the middle. Joy.

Result: Loss, 21-3 (Record: 0-1)

Week Two: at Arizona (Sept. 10)

“Willie T” William Thomas started the game with a 37-yard interception return for a touchdown and the Eagles rolled to their first victory of the season.

Result: Win, 31-19 (1-1)

Week Three: vs. San Diego (Sept. 17)

The Eagles blew a 14-0 lead and lost to freakin’ Stan Humphries and the Chargers to lose their second straight home game.

I remember Rhodes cursed in the post-game press conference, something I’m pretty would get Andy Reid kicked out Mormonism.

Result: Loss, 27-21 (1-2)

Week Four: at Oakland (Sept. 24)

The Eagles jumped out to a 17-0 lead at the end of the first quarter. Then, as he’s been known to do, Jeff Hostetler unleashed his furry upon the unworthy opposition.

Or, things just kept getting worse.

Result: Loss, 48-17 (1-3)

Week Five: at New Orleans (Oct. 1)

Peete made his first start as an Eagle and Gary Anderson hit five field goals to get the Birds back in the win column.

Result: Win, 15-10 (2-3)

Week Six: vs. Washington (Oct. 8)

The Redskins battled back from a ten-point fourth quarter deficit, but in overtime, Anderson hit a 35-yard field goal to give the Eagles their second win in a row.

 Result: Win, 37-34 (3-3)

Week Seven: at New York Giants (Oct. 15)

The Eagles took home a big victory in the Meadowlands as Watters ran for a score and my personal, mustachioed hero, Mike Zordich, scooped up a fumble 55 yards for a return touchdown.

Result: Win, 17-14 (4-3)

Week Eight: Bye

Week Nine: vs. St. Louis (Oct. 29)

The Eagles forced four turnovers against Chris Miller (haha) and the Rams, and Peete did the rest.

Result: Win, 20-9 (5-3)

Week 10: at Dallas (Nov. 6)

Michael Irvin caught eight balls (I’ll pause will you figure the joke-in-that out) for 115 yards and score. Emmitt Smith, born without the ability to speak coherently, still rushed 27 times for 158 yards and two scores. A presumably concussed Troy Aikman threw for 202 yards and a score.

Dallas. Sucks.  

Result: Loss, 34-12 (5-4)

Week 11: vs. Denver (Nov. 12)

Watters found the endzone twice, Peete threw for 264 yards and score, the defense knocked This…One’s…For…John Elway out of the game and the Eagles cruised.

Result: Win, 31-13 (6-4)

Week 12: vs. New York Giants (Nov. 19)

It was a game of two’s: The number of Peete touchdowns, Watters touchdowns, Dave Brown interceptions, and the amount of points our gaptoothed friend Michael Strahan got for blocking a punt out of the endzone in garbage time of the fourth quarter.

Result: Win, 31-19 (7-4)

Week 13: at Washington (Nov. 26)

Was it defense or bad offense? Who knows. Either way, two Watters touchdowns were enough to beat the Racists for a second time.

Result: Win, 14-7 (8-4)

Week 14: at Seattle (Dec. 1)

Future Eagle Chris Warren ran for two scores and the legendary Rick Mirer also ran one in as the Eagles barely put up an effort. Insert grunge rock joke here.

Result: Loss, 26-14 (8-5)

Week 15: vs. Dallas (Dec. 8)

This.

Result: Win, 20-17 (9-5)

Week 16: vs. Arizona (Dec. 15)

Down 17-0, the Eagles battled back and won the game on a 37-yard touchdown pass from Peete to Calvin Williams to clinch a playoff berth. And yes, he and Fred Barnett really were still playing.

Result: Win, 21-20 (10-5)

Week 17: at Chicago (Sept. 3)

With the Bears fighting for a playoff spot and the Eagles locked into one, the Birds did the noble thing and took the week off.

Result: Loss, 20-14 (10-6)

Wild Card Round: vs. Detroit (Dec. 30)

Anderson 21-yard field goal. Barnett 22-yard pass from Peete. Barry Wilburn 24-yard interception return. Watters 1-yard run. Rob Carpenter 43-yard pass from Peete.

And that was just the second quarter.

Result: Win, 58-37 (11-6)

Divisional Round: at Dallas (Jan. 7)

Chris Boniol hit three field goals. Deion Sanders had a 21-yard rushing touchdown. Smith, Irvin and Aikman all found the endzone. There was a blizzard going on outside in Philadelphia.

Basically, it couldn’t have been a worse way to end a season.

Result: Loss, 30-13 (11-7)