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Lane Johnson embraces underdog role in Eagles win, terrifies everyone in the process

This is the stuff of nightmares.

That’s Philadelphia Eagles right tackle Lane Johnson posted up at his locker after Saturday’s playoff win over the Atlanta Falcons.

In this matchup of birds of prey, what’s a dog got to do with it?

Well, the Eagles, thanks to losing QB Carson Wentz to injury at the end of the regular season, entered Saturday’s home game as the No. 1 seed in the NFC playoffs as a home underdog. They opened as a 2.5-point dog in Las Vegas with the line moving to Falcons -3 on game day.

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It was the first time a No. 1 seed has played as an underdog in the divisional round against a No. 6 seed in NFL playoff history.

This is what Lane Johnson looks like without a German shepherd’s head in place of his own. (AP)
This is what Lane Johnson looks like without a German shepherd’s head in place of his own. (AP)

Johnson was evidently keenly aware of that fact and arrived prepared to terrify everyone with his rendition of a horror-show character complete with body armor, a protruding belly and head of a wild-eyed, teeth-baring dog better fit for a “Mad Max” movie than a locker room.

It’s a role he embraced before the game.

“I think everybody perceives us as being the weakest and that is fine,” Johnson told ESPN leading up to the game. “I think that is good. I think if teams want to overlook us, that is good.”

He didn’t wait for the locker to show off his new look, debuting it on the field post-game in front of a still-packed Lincoln Financial Field and TV cameras.

He also appeared to have shared his mask with defensive end Chris Long. Or maybe Long had one of his own. Either way, here he is.

Way to get your point across, guys.

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