Former Pederson hater calls Super Bowl ‘horrendous matchup' for Pats

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Don't you try to get on our good side now, Lombardi.

As the Eagles gear up to play for the Vince Lombardi trophy on Feb. 4 against the Patriots, it appears they've already won the Mike Lombardi trophy.

On his GM Street podcast Sunday night following the Eagles' win, Lombardi said he's picking the Eagles to win the Super Bowl.

"It's a horrendous matchup for the Patriots," said Lombardi, who spent time with New England's front office and coaching staff from 2014 to 2016.

"I'm gonna pick Philadelphia in the Super Bowl come hell or high water. ... I think it's a horrendous matchup for New England, I do. What Jacksonville did in the first half (of the AFC Championship Game), running Kansas City's style of offense, spread the field, force you to play inside and with power, that's been the kryptonite for New England, and that's what Philly does all the time."

Lombardi even went as far as to say the Eagles could be the toughest NFC team the Patriots have faced during Tom Brady's string of Super Bowl appearances.

"Of all the teams they've played in the playoffs, this will be the most complete type of team they've had to play because they're good in all three areas," Lombardi said.

The Patriots know that all too well. In December 2015, in one of Chip Kelly's final games as Eagles head coach, they went up to Foxboro and beat the Patriots, 35-28, scoring touchdowns on offense, defense and special teams.

This cast of Eagles characters is different, but six key defensive players from that game — Malcolm Jenkins, Fletcher Cox, Brandon Graham, Vinny Curry, Mychal Kendricks and Beau Allen — remain. Don't underestimate the confidence the defense gained in that game.

As for Lombardi, the man is a fountain of knowledge and interesting stories from his decades in the NFL. Week after week, GM Street gives you the kind of insight few other NFL podcasts do. But he took a lot of heat in Philadelphia this season because of his strong preseason criticism of Doug Pederson.

He took all of that back this weekend after watching Pederson call a near-perfect game that constantly put Nick Foles in position to succeed.

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