Can the Eagles stand up to the Patriots?

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- There's something curious about these Philadelphia Eagles.

They are supposed to be Super Bowl underdogs, fraught with first-time jitters and wide-eyed wonder. Instead, they are loose and talkative, witty and confident.

They play the mighty New England Patriots, the defending champions on the verge of a dynasty.

But it's the Eagles who walk with a swagger, even though they last won an NFL title when Eisenhower was starting his final year in the White House.

"You turn on the TV and all you hear about is how great the dynasty of the New England Patriots is," defensive tackle Corey Simon said. "This team has some credentials of its own, being able to go to four NFC championship games, which takes work. That doesn't just happen.

"We're not getting any respect by being out here. Nobody expects us to win. It's kind of like the David-and-Goliath thing. The only thing is, David won that battle. We come out here with that same mentality."

After losing three straight NFC title games, the Eagles finally reached the Super Bowl for the first time in 24 years. Standing in the way of Philadelphia's first NFL championship since 1960 -- and the city's first major sports title in 22 years -- are the Patriots, who have won two of the last three Super Bowls and are seven-point favorites on Sunday.

While New England took a more businesslike approach this week, bordering on being a little uptight, the Eagles enjoyed their trip. Players whipped out their camcorders on the plane ride from Philadelphia and brought them again on media day, making sure to capture the atmosphere that surrounds such a big game.

Donovan McNabb joked with reporters.

Terrell Owens mixed in several one-liners.

Dhani Jones hawked his bow ties.

Freddie Mitchell was his typical chatty self, talking about any subject with every person who stuck a microphone, tape recorder or camera in his face.

"We're a loose team naturally because of the guys we have on the team," running back Brian Westbrook said. "We're a team that has fun, but also gets the job done at the same time. We're a level-headed type team. We're a team that has a workman-type attitude. We've played in big games before."

The Eagles (15-3) dominated the NFC this season, winning nine games by double-digit margins, five of them by at least 21 points. Even without Owens, the injured All-Pro receiver, they outscored Minnesota and Atlanta 54-24 in the playoffs.

The Patriots (16-2) again shut down league MVP Peyton Manning and the rest of the Indianapolis Colts in the playoffs, then overwhelmed rookie quarterback Ben Roethlisberger in beating the Steelers in Pittsburgh in the AFC Championship game.

"It is a slap in the face, but they are the champions," McNabb said of the point spread. "In order for you to become the champion, you have to beat the champion. There is a reason why they are the top dogs in this game. It is well-deserved. We've been underdogs even on PlayStation games. We just can't win anything right now and the game hasn't even been played yet."

Eleven underdogs have won the Super Bowl, but only four of those teams faced bigger odds than the Eagles.

New England was a 14-point underdog against St. Louis when it won its first championship three years ago. In 1998, Denver was a 12-point underdog against Green Bay.

The New York Jets pulled off the biggest upset, beating 18-point favorite Baltimore in 1969 in the infamous game where Joe Namath guaranteed a victory. The next year, Kansas City was a 12 1/2-point underdog when it beat Minnesota.

"We are here to win that game, not just give a good effort," safety Brian Dawkins said. "We haven't been to the Super Bowl, but we are battle-tested because we went through those championship games. We know what it feels like year after year to have a lot of pressure dumped on you, and a lot of expectations upon you."

The Eagles' easygoing attitude is a reflection of McNabb, Owens and defensive end Hugh Douglas, who accepted a reserve role to return to Philadelphia after one miserable season with the Jaguars.

McNabb maintains his lighthearted spirit on and off the field. He keeps his teammates loose by cracking jokes, even when the game is on the line and he's in the huddle.

Owens brought his strut from San Francisco, invigorating the Eagles with his enthusiasm and instilling cockiness to a team that desperately needed a personality.

Douglas is the ring leader. Before games, he never stops yapping, walks around the locker room, yells encouragement, acts silly and plays loud music to make sure none of the players are tense.

"Hugh is really the only one that says anything before the game. We look at Hugh for entertainment," right tackle Jon Runyan said. "I think that is the good thing about this team. Everybody knows what they have to do."

Soon after beating Atlanta to win the NFC championship, the Eagles shifted their focus to the Super Bowl. While fans celebrated like their team had already won the big game, players relished their achievement but insisted they won't be satisfied until they bring home another trophy, the one with Vince Lombardi's name on it.

The Eagles vowed not to be one of those teams -- such as San Diego, Atlanta and Cincinnati -- that have let down once they got to the Super Bowl.

"We came here to win it and remembering how sweet it felt as we met a lot of goals along the way, and this is the end of it," Owens said.

Or, it could be the end of Philly's dream.