| | McNabb returns home for his biggest game
Associated Press
PHILADELPHIA -- Donovan McNabb remembers the Fog Bowl and
the Super Bowl shuffle. He's ready to make his own memories at
Soldier Field.
McNabb, who grew up in Chicago, is going home to play the
biggest game of his career when the Philadelphia Eagles meet the
Bears in an NFC divisional playoff game on Saturday.
|  | | Donovan McNabb threw 25 touchdown passes and 12 interceptions in the regular season. |
"You couldn't ask for anything more," McNabb said Tuesday.
"To go back home and compete for the second round of the playoffs,
you really can't paint a better picture. To have your family and
friends around, your teammates are excited, you're excited, leading
your team as a quarterback. It's just overwhelming right now. I
definitely have to calm down later in the week. But that's all that
I thought about last week, the opportunity go back home and play at
Soldier Field. I'm just excited."
McNabb, was 9 years old when the Bears went 15-1 in 1985,
stormed through the playoffs and beat New England 46-10 in the
Super Bowl at New Orleans. This year's Super Bowl is in the
Superdome, too.
But McNabb's most vivid memory of that season isn't Chicago's
dominating 46 defense, or quarterback Jim McMahon's headbands, or
even the Supper Bowl shuffle rap song performed by some of the
Bears before they actually won the championship.
"The most memorable was the fact they put William
"Refrigerator" Perry in to run the touchdown and everybody wanted
Walter Payton to run it in," McNabb said. "Nobody ever talked
about the 100 yards or how many he rushed for. They talk about how
many touchdowns he had. It would've been a good thing for Walter to
get the touchdown."
The Fog Bowl came three years later. It was Philadelphia's first
trip to the playoffs in seven years, and the last time the Eagles
won the NFC East until this season.
With heavy fog covering the stadium, making visibility nearly
impossible, the Bears beat Buddy Ryan's Eagles 20-12 on Dec. 31,
1988.
"It was a battle, a dogfight, similar to what this game will
be," McNabb said. "Fortunately, it won't be foggy and you'll be
able to see the game."
McNabb still has many friends and relatives in Chicago, but he's
limiting the ticket requests for Saturday's game to between 25 and
30.
"There's really no reason to go over that," he said. "It's
something you handle early and get it over with. We all grew up as
Bears fans. Some converted to Philadelphia, but you can't expect
them all to. It's crazy out there because of what the Bears have
been doing. It's going to be exciting to have them come out and
give their support."
McNabb did get in for one play -- a designed option that didn't
work -- in Philadelphia's 20-16 victory at Chicago in his rookie
season two years ago. The last time he started at Soldier Field, he
led Mount Carmel High School to a city championship.
Eagles coach Andy Reid isn't worried about the way McNabb will
handle his return home.
"He's mentally strong. He knows what's at stake," Reid said.
"He'll eliminate all those distractions."
The Eagles (12-5) beat Tampa Bay 31-9 to reach the second round
for the second straight year. Chicago (13-3) earned a first-round
bye in its first trip to the postseason since 1994.
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