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<p>WILKES-BARRE &#8212; Philadelphia Eagles fans flocked to area restaurants and bars on Sunday, hoping to see one more bit of magic from the team and quarterback Nick Foles.</p><p>Foles became the unlikely hero last season when starting quarterback Carson Wentz was lost for the season to a knee injury, leading the Eagles to a Super Bowl victory and earning MVP honors in the big game.</p><p>The backup quarterback found himself in a similar situation this season when Wentz was once again sidelined with a injury.</p><p>However, Foles&#8217; magic ran out in New Orleans on Sunday as the Eagles fell to the Saints, 20-14, a game short of the NFC Championship Game.</p><p>&#8220;It&#8217;s been a storybook year, going from a 4-6 record to the playoffs,&#8221; said Kevin Kelly, 23 and and lifelong Eagles fan. &#8220;It&#8217;s been a fun ride.&#8221;</p><p>The King&#8217;s College senior, like many other Eagles fans, choose to watch the game with friends at a bar. He went back and forth between Senunas&#8217; Bar and Grill and Beer Boys, both in downtown Wilkes-Barre.</p><p>Nanticoke native Matt Kotulak, 24, was pleased his Eagles made it was far in the playoffs as they did and was already looking forward to next season, shortly after a Foles&#8217; interception sealed the Eagles&#8217; fate.</p><p>&#8220;It&#8217;s amazing, considering all the injuries the team has had to endure this season,&#8221; Kotulak said. &#8220;But it&#8217;s important to not get caught up in the moment. This is still going to be Carson Wentz&#8217;s team next season. I hope this game ended that debate.&#8221;</p><p>Lifelong Eagles fan Victor Vaspoli, of Atlantic City, found himself watching the game at Beer Boys after coming to Wilkes-Barre to visit family.</p><p>&#8220;I knew this was going to be special when (Chicago Bears kicker Cody) Parkey had that double dink off the crossbar in Chicago,&#8221; said Vaspoli, 53, of the Eagles wild-card win over Chicago. &#8220;It&#8217;s truly remarkable how the playoff possibility came down to the final game of the season.&#8221;</p><p>Vaspoli was one of many fans at Beer Boys who erupted with cheers when Foles threw a strike to Jordan Matthews for the first touchdown of the game.</p><p>The cheers only got louder when the Eagles took a 14-0 lead a short time later, but that was the last time Philadelphia would score.</p><p>Still many Eagles fans were in good spirits after the loss.</p><p>&#8220;This was a redemption game, I don&#8217;t care what anyone else says,&#8221; said Kelly, referring to the Eagles 48-7 loss to the Saints earlier this year. &#8220;It wasn&#8217;t the outcome anyone wanted, but it was a competitive game.&#8221;</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Alshon Jeffery lies on the turf in front of New Orleans Saints defensive end Cameron Jordan after the Saints intercepted a pass in the second half of an NFL divisional playoff game in New Orleans on Sunday. The interception, which went right through Jeffery&#8217;s hands, allowed the Saints to hang on for a 20-14 victory. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/web1_AP19014031196585-1.jpg</photo0><caption0>Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Alshon Jeffery lies on the turf in front of New Orleans Saints defensive end Cameron Jordan after the Saints intercepted a pass in the second half of an NFL divisional playoff game in New Orleans on Sunday. The interception, which went right through Jeffery&#8217;s hands, allowed the Saints to hang on for a 20-14 victory. </caption0><photoCredit0>AP photo </photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/web1_Image-19-1.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Victor Vaspoli shows his excitement watching a Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Nick Foles touchdown pass to Jordan Matthews in the Eagles 20-14 loss to the Saints on a Beer Boys television. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/web1_Image-19-1.jpg</photo1><caption1>Victor Vaspoli shows his excitement watching a Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Nick Foles touchdown pass to Jordan Matthews in the Eagles 20-14 loss to the Saints on a Beer Boys television. </caption1><photoCredit1>Dan Stokes | Times Leader </photoCredit1></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><subheadMeta>Rabid Eagles fans enjoyed &#8216;fun ride&#8217;</subheadMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Dan Stokes</p><p>dstokes@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Dan Stokes at 570-991-6389 or on Twitter @ByDanStokes</p></shirttailMeta></div>

End of the road: Loyal Eagles fans enjoyed ‘fun ride’