PHILADELPHIA -- Motivated by silencing their doubters in the run-up to Saturday's 15-10 NFC Divisional Playoff victory over the Atlanta Falcons, the underdog mask-wearing Eagles say they it doesn't matter who they face in the NFC Championship Game next Sunday at Lincoln Financial Field.
The New Orleans Saints travel to Minnesota to take on the Vikings Sunday afternoon for the right to play the Eagles in the NFC Championship Game and the George Halas Trophy.
Several Eagles players said they'll be watching Sunday's NFC Divisional Playoff game, but they don't care who lines up across from them next week.
"Honestly, we don't even care [who we play,]" Eagles linebacker Nigel Bradham said when asked whether he'd rather face the Minnesota Vikings or New Orleans Saints in the NFC Championship Game. "We'll watch, hope we see a good game, and prepare for whoever we play next."
Whether it's the Saints or the Vikings, the Eagles' opponent in the conference championship game is going to be running into an angry team at the doorstep of a Super Bowl berth.
"Just keep on disrespecting us and we're going to keep proving people wrong," Eagles wide receiver Alshon Jeffery said. "We just believe in one another, we don't care what anybody else says. We're just going to keep believing in one another and just keep fighting."
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Eagles tight end Zach Ertz tipped his hat to the remaining NFC opponents, but says he and his teammates will be ready for whoever survives Sunday's divisional game.
"I don't really care," Ertz said. "Whoever wins, wins. It's going to be a great game. Everyone's good this time of year, I don't really care ... Every team has their pros and cons but the cons list for every team is going to be short this time of year."
The Eagles were the first No. 1 seed to begin their playoff run as a home underdog on Saturday, and made to secret throughout the week that they were using that distinction as motivation.
One victory shy of the third Super Bowl berth in franchise history, the Eagles have adopted an "us against the world" mentality.
"No doubt," Bradham said, when asked if the Eagles felt disrespected this week. "You work all year to put yourself in the situation that we've done to get the home-field advantage, you get that first-round bye, and the whole week before people say we're the underdogs. We were the home-team. Especially against a team that we thought we were better than. We knew were better than them. We felt like we were just the better team all week."
Matt Lombardo may be reached at MLombardo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MattLombardoPHL.