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1997 Philadelphia Eagles season

NFL team season


NFL team season

FieldValue
teamPhiladelphia Eagles
year1997
record6–9–1
division_place3rd NFC East
coachRay Rhodes
off_coachJon Gruden
def_coachEmmitt Thomas
ownerJeffrey Lurie
stadiumVeterans Stadium
playoffs*Did not qualify*
pro_bowlersWR Irving Fryar
shortnavlinkEagles seasons

The 1997 Philadelphia Eagles season was the franchise's 65th season in the National Football League. The team failed to improve on their previous output of 10–6, going only 6–9–1 and failing to reach the playoffs for the first time in three seasons. This was the season where the team was sponsored by the "Starters" brand.

Lowlights of the 1997 campaign include a disheartening one-point loss at Dallas in week 3, where starter Ty Detmer led the Birds on a potential game-winning drive late in regulation, only to see holder Tommy Hutton botch the hold on what would have been the deciding field goal from ex-Cowboys kicker Chris Boniol. In Week 7, the Eagles lost their first-ever game against the three-season-old Jacksonville Jaguars, and on November 10, in a Monday Night Football 24–12 home loss against San Francisco, a fan was spotted firing a flare gun in the upper deck. Six days later, at Memorial Stadium, the Eagles and Ravens engaged in a 10–10 tie. This was Eagles' first tie since 1986 against the Cardinals.

One bright spot during the year came on the Sunday after Thanksgiving, when second-year Bobby Hoying stepped in under center and threw for a career-high 313 yards and four touchdowns in a 44–42 win against the Cincinnati Bengals.

The 1997 campaign was notable in that it ended a 13-year radio partnership between broadcasters Merrill Reese and former Eagle Stan Walters on 94 WIP. Mike Quick became the color commentator the following season.

Offseason

NFL draft

Main article: 1997 NFL draft

Philadelphia Eaglesyear=1997border=2}}"1997 Philadelphia Eagles draftRoundSelectionPlayerPositionCollege1252573714119515215561901987207225227
Jon HarrisDEVirginia
James DarlingLBWashington State
Duce StaleyRBSouth Carolina
Damien RobinsonFSIowa
N. D. KaluDERice
Luther BroughtonTEFurman
Antwuan WyattWRBethune-Cookman
Ed JasperDTTexas A&M
Koy DetmerQBColorado
Byron CapersDBFlorida State
Deauntae BrownDBCentral State (OH)

Staff

  • Owner/chief executive officer – Jeffrey Lurie

  • Executive vice-president – Joe Banner

  • Director of football operations – Dick Daniels

  • Head coach – Ray Rhodes

  • Offensive coordinator – Jon Gruden

  • Quarterbacks – Sean Payton

  • Running backs – Ted Williams

  • Wide receivers – Gerald Carr

  • Tight ends – Juan Castillo

  • Offensive line – Bill Callahan

  • Quality control – David Shaw

  • Defensive coordinator – Emmitt Thomas

  • Defensive line – Mike Trgovac

  • Linebackers – Joe Vitt

  • Defensive backs – Danny Smith

  • Defensive assistant – Chuck Knox Jr.

  • Special teams – Joe Wessel

  • Strength and conditioning – Mike Wolf

  • Assistant strength and conditioning – Tom Kanavy

  • Volunteer strength and conditioning – Kevin Tolbert

Roster

53 active, 9 inactive, 2 practice squad

Regular season

Schedule

Philadelphia Eaglesyear=1997border=2}}"WeekPhiladelphia Eaglesyear=1997border=2}}"DatePhiladelphia Eaglesyear=1997border=2}}"OpponentPhiladelphia Eaglesyear=1997border=2}}"ResultPhiladelphia Eaglesyear=1997border=2}}"RecordPhiladelphia Eaglesyear=1997border=2}}"Attendance1234567891011121314151617
August 31, 1997at **[New York Giants](1997-new-york-giants-season)****L** 31–170–177,344
September 7, 1997[Green Bay Packers](1997-green-bay-packers-season)**W** 10–91–166,803
September 15, 1997at **[Dallas Cowboys](1997-dallas-cowboys-season)****L** 21–201–263,942
*Bye*
September 28, 1997at [Minnesota Vikings](1997-minnesota-vikings-season)**L** 28–191–355,149
October 5, 1997**[Washington Redskins](1997-washington-redskins-season)****W** 24–102–367,008
October 12, 1997at [Jacksonville Jaguars](1997-jacksonville-jaguars-season)**L** 38–212–469,150
October 19, 1997**[Arizona Cardinals](1997-arizona-cardinals-season)****W** 13–10 (OT)3–466,860
October 26, 1997**[Dallas Cowboys](1997-dallas-cowboys-season)****W** 13–124–467,106
November 2, 1997at **[Arizona Cardinals](1997-arizona-cardinals-season)****L** 31–214–539,549
November 10, 1997[San Francisco 49ers](1997-san-francisco-49ers-season)**L** 24–124–667,133
November 16, 1997at [Baltimore Ravens](1997-baltimore-ravens-season)**T** 10–10 (OT)4–6–163,546
November 23, 1997[Pittsburgh Steelers](1997-pittsburgh-steelers-season)**W** 23–205–6–167,166
November 30, 1997[Cincinnati Bengals](1997-cincinnati-bengals-season)**W** 44–426–6–166,623
December 7, 1997**[New York Giants](1997-new-york-giants-season)****L** 31–216–7–167,084
December 14, 1997at [Atlanta Falcons](1997-atlanta-falcons-season)**L** 20–176–8–142,866
December 21, 1997at **[Washington Redskins](1997-washington-redskins-season)****L** 35–326–9–175,939

Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

Standings

References

Info: Wikipedia Source

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