The City of Brotherly Love earned a hard rep among American sports fan, known to be among the rowdiest and ruthless bunch in the United States. Cheering along with Philly is often impossible, as the fans haven’t changed since they booed Santa Claus off the field while pelting him with snowballs in 1968. They prefer cheering against you instead of accepting support from a foreign city.

Be a Better Bettor believes this version of the Philadelphia Eagles provide a different vibe, endearing themselves across the U.S. by playing an exciting, enterprising style of gridiron during the regular season, and clutching out gutsy underdog wins in the playoffs while wearing dog masks on-field.

Just this once, is it OK to root for Philly in Super Bowl LII, including Detroit sports fans who appreciate blue-collar football excellence? They also happen to offer superb value as underdogs against the loathed New England Patriots.

Eagles Soar In The Trenches

Every sport features underappreciated positional players who support highly visible stars. During the Philadelphia Eagles run to the Super Bowl, it was role players directing the team to success, before and after the injury to Carson Wentz.

Their defensive line, featuring Pro Bowl tackle Fletcher Cox, creates the most pressure out of any pass rush in the NFL. This lead to the shutdown of the Atlanta Falcons, one of the best offensive groups in the NFC, along with the complete decimation of the Vikings.

Casey Keenum was pressured into critical interceptions which completely swung the momentum back in Philadelphia’s favor. Pressuring Tom Brady’s one of the most important aspects of beating the Patriots, and the Eagles have the hustle and talent needed to disrupt the G.O.A.T.

On the other side of the football, offensive tackle Lane Johnson and guard Brandon Brooks – both Pro Bowlers – have helped their offensive line emerge victorious against elite defenses, including the Minnesota Vikings. They win space in the trenches, creating the opportunity for Nick Foles to rediscover his touch, Jay Ajayi’s consistent gains and LeGarrette Blount’s rumbling TD runs.

Johnson and ex-Patriot Chris Long started the dog mask trend, even shaming the NFL into donating proceeds from related shirt sales to charity. Long not only protects his quarterback and runners, but he also sticks up for underdogs off the field.

Nick Foles Is The Classic Prodigal Son

Some men hold grudges against old teams and missed opportunities, while others stay humble, ready to contribute when the moment arrives again. Nick Foles falls into the latter category, regaining his Pro Bowl form despite backing up Carson Wentz for most of the season.

Nick’s made the most of his latest chance in the NFL, completing 77.8% of his passes for three TDs and no interceptions, posting an amazing 122.1 passer rating. Instead of letting this get to his head, Foles stays humble. After his great performance against Minnesota, he immediately said that he’s “blessed to have amazing teammates, amazing coaches”.

Foles is one of the most humble, down-to-earth starting quarterbacks in recent Super Bowl history, a David against the goliath franchise of the NFL. He’s the anti-Brady, performing at an elite level without much press coverage, on the precipice of fulfilling a classic redemption story as the prodigal son of Philadelphia.

Rooting For The Patriots Is Like Cheering For The Yankees

Similar to the New York Yankees, the New England Patriots have become the evil empire that the rest of the league aims to fell every year. No self-respecting sports fan roots for the Patriots, unless born in the New England region.

Hence, a Lions fan rooting for the Patriots would be akin to a Pistons fan rooting for the Golden State Warriors – a traitorous bandwagon hopper, unworthy of the eventual glory which will return to Detroit someday.