It's been 13 years since the Falcons visited the Eagles in the playoffs. A lot has changed
Compared to the teams' 2005 playoff game, the quarterbacks are slower, Matt Schaub is the Atlanta Falcons backup again, and injured Eagles QB Carson Wentz will fill Terrell Owens' role.
Thirteen years ago, in the same month, in the same fan-clogged South Philadelphia stadium, the Eagles and Falcons met in another playoff game, that one for the NFC Championship.
Much has changed since the Eagles' 27-10 victory on Jan. 23, 2005 — new coaches, new quarterbacks, a Super Bowl loss for each franchise, and rosters that, except for Atlanta backup QB Matt Schaub, have been completely remodeled.
Here are some random comparisons between Eagles-Falcons 2005 and Saturday afternoon's NFC Divisional matchup at Lincoln Financial Field:
QBs’ 40-yard dash times at NFL combine
2005
Atlanta: Michael Vick — 4.33
Eagles: Donovan McNabb — 4.64
2018
Atlanta: Matt Ryan — 4.89
Eagles: Nick Foles — Hasn't finished yet.
Backup QBs
2005
Atlanta: Matt Schaub
Eagles: Koy Detmer and Jeff Blake
2018
Atlanta: Matt Schaub
Eagles: Nate Sudfeld
Weather conditions
2005: 17 Degrees, winds gusting up to 35 m.p.h.
2018 forecast: 38, winds gusting up to 15 m.p.h.
Big Ten players on rosters
2005
Atlanta: 12
Eagles: 9
2018
Atlanta: 5
Eagles: 8
Penn State players on rosters
2005
Atlanta: 1 (LB Bryan Scott)
Eagles: 1 (RB Eric McCoo)
2018
Atlanta: 0
Eagles: 1 (G Stefen Wisniewski)
TV announcers
2005: Fox's Joe Buck, Troy Aikman and Cris Collinsworth
2018: NBC's Al Michaels and Cris Collinsworth
Key injuries
2005
Atlanta : RB T.J. Duckett (played but only sparingly after in-season knee surgery)
Eagles: WR Terrell Owens (missed game with ankle injury)
2018
Atlanta: WR Julio Jones (hobbled with sprained ankle)
Eagles: QB Carson Wentz (out with torn ACL.)
Highest-paid players
2005
Atlanta: QB Michael Vick — $12.5 million
Eagles: DE Jevon Kearse — $16.5 million
2018
Atlanta: QB Matt Ryan – $20.7 million
Eagles: DT Fletcher Cox — $17.8 million
Best-selling jerseys
2005
Atlanta: Michael Vick – No.2 in league
Eagles: Terrell Owens – No. 3
2018
Atlanta: Julio Jones – No. 20
Eagles: Carson Wentz – No. 10
Final regular-season results
2005
Atlanta – L 28-26 at Seattle
Eagles – L 38-10 to Cincinnati
2018
Atlanta – W 22-10 over Charlotte
Eagles – L 6-0 to Dallas
Coolest names
2005
Atlanta: WR Peerless Price
Eagles: CB Rod Hood
2018
Atlanta: Blidi Wreh-Wilson
Eagles: DT Destiny Vaeao
All-Pro selections
2005
Atlanta – OLB Keith Brookings, DE Patrick Kerney
Eagles – WR Terrell Owens, CB Lito Shepherd, S Brian Dawkins, K David Akers
2018
Atlanta – WR Julio Jones (2nd), C Alex Mack
Eagles – C Jason Kelce, LT Lane Johnson, DT Fletcher Cox, QB Carson Wentz
Impressive NFL ranking
2005
Atlanta: No. 1 in rushing – 117 yards per game
Eagles : No. 2 in sacks – 48
2018
Atlanta: No. 9 in total defense
Eagles: No. 1 in passing TDs (38).
Oldest participants
2005
Atlanta: P Chris Mohr, 38
Eagles: RB Dorsey Levins, 34
2018
Atlanta: K Matt Bryant, 42
Eagles: P Donnie Jones, 37
If Chris Berman were there …
2005
Atlanta: Steven "By All" Means
Eagles: Reno "Mahe" Mahe
2018
Atlanta: Dontari "Quoth the Raven, `Never Score'" Poe
Eagles: Ronald "Upper" Darby