Chundles

Zack and Miri Make a Porno
(c) 2008 The Weinstein Company/View Askew Productions
Starring Seth Rogen, Elizabeth Banks, Craig Robinson, Jason Mewes, Jeff Anderson, Traci Lords, Katie Morgan & Ricky Mabe
Written and Directed by Kevin Smith

As I've noted before, I don't get to the movies too often having a 2 year old toddler running around the house. My wife and I are big Kevin Smith fans though, so when he comes out with a movie, we can't wait until it comes out on DVD. Zack and Miri--in which Kevin Smith directs up and coming stoner star Seth Rogen--didn't disappoint. It had all the elements of a classic Kevin Smith film: perverted humor, flawed yet endearing characters, inside jokes, and sharp, witty writing, coupled with a nice story about love and friendship that wasn't sappy at all. Don't let the title of this film, nor the MPAA's attempts to give it an NC-17 rating scare you--this movie is not about pornography. It's about friendship, love, and the comic tragedy that we all call life.

Zack and Miri Make a Porno tells the story of two lifelong friends--Zack and Miri--who find themselves down on their luck in the middle of a Pittsburgh, PA winter. Even though they're broke, you don't get the sense that Zack and Miri are losers. They're just underachievers who haven't found their groove yet. When the electricity and water both get shut off because they are too far behind on their bills, Zack gets the bright idea to make a porno film to make some money. Miri resists at first, but as the two are sitting in their living room (in the dark) warming themselves by an oil drum fire, Miri relents and decides to go through with it.

The story unfolds as the two recruit a motley cast for their film, including porn stars Katie Morgan and Traci Lords, Jason Mewes (who eerily looked like Neal Patrick Harris in the movie), Ricky Mabe, Jeff Anderson (from Clerks), and the guy who stole the show--Craig Robinson (from The Office). As movie production commences, the unspoken tension between Zack and Miri heats up. The two have been friends and roomates forever, but have never consummated their relationship. Naturally, when their scene in the movie finally arrives, it is glorious for both of them. They didn't have sex, they made love, and neither was prepared for what that meant.

Zack and Miri's relationship changes after they shoot their scene together, but the movie has a "happily ever after" ending for everyone involved. Because the characters are so endearing, it doesn't seem sappy at all. It's quite cute, actually. OK, maybe that is sappy, but whatever. It's Kevin Smith sappy, and I loved it.

Rating: 4 stars (out of 4)

Twelve weeks into the Eagles 2008 NFL campaign (which many argue is already over), the results of their Turkey Day outing in Philadelphia should not surprise anyone. Not because they're a good team, but because if there's one word that describes this years version of the Eagles, it's inconsistent.

The Eagles destroyed the visiting Arizona Cardinals on Thursday night 48-20 and improved their record to 6-5-1. McNabb rebounded and threw 4 TD passes, the team ran the ball 40 times (including QB rushes), Westbrook had 2 rushing and 2 receiving TDs, and the D kept the pass-happy Cardinals pretty much in check. The Cardinals have yet to win on the East Coast, but they have one of the best offenses in the league and will win their division, so they're not the same Cardinals we're used to. Regardless, given some of my recent posts about the importance of running the ball, they should not be surprised at the outcome of this game considering that they only ran the ball only 10 times. That's not a typo.

I have no false hopes for the Eagles, despite what was probably their best all around game all season. They've lost too many close games already, and 3 of their last 4 games are against NFC East opponents--all of whom are strong. But I am glad to see that they were able to put a complete game together. What is baffling though is why it took Andy Reid until the 12th game of the season to mix it up a little. It appears that he finally handed over the play calling responsibilities to Marty Morningwhig, and the results were obvious. This is Andy Reid's 10th season as the Head Coach of the Eagles. It shouldn't take this long for someone with his experience to adapt--especially when the results were not as expected (losses instead of wins). I guess he knows more than we do? Maybe?

The Eagles next 4 games are tough: at the Giants, Cleveland, at the Redskins, and then Dallas at home. Again, I have no false hopes that they're going to win out and make the playoffs. Looking at the conference standings should make that obvious to anyone who thinks they still have a shot. But the next 4 games should determine what next year will bring for us. Is the McNabb era really over? Are coaching changes (Reid, or his coordinators) in order? It's too early to say, and Jeff Lurie hasn't showed his hand yet. But it will be interesting. I'm not sure yet what my opinion is, but I'm excited to see how it all plays out. One thing's for sure--it can't be worse than the recent 3 game stretch that flushed the season down the toilet.

As you can probably ascertain from my posts, I'm a huge fan of Donovan. He single-handedly brought me back into the fold as an Eagles fan, after the long dark years of Rich Kotite and Ray Rhodes. Despite this, my loyalty is obviously with the Eagles. And on Sunday, when Andy Reid benched him in a 3 pt game, I really was ready to say goodbye to the McNabb era. I'd had enough of the torture--especially this year.

But like any self-deprecating Eagles fan, there's still a glimmer of hope in my heart that maybe it's not over. Maybe they will, in fact, go on an incredible run and make the playoffs this year. Or at least be in contention until the end of the season. Don't hate on me--I know it's a long shot. But before the last two games, the team wasn't that far off from winning a couple of the games they lost.

So, you ask, what's the problem? Me and everyone else who cares has already identified a few main things: playcalling has been questionable, there's no running game, the WRs stink, the D has been inconsistent--especially when it comes to stopping big-time RBs (see Clinton Portis, the Giants trio of Earth/Wind/Fire, and others), we're getting no production from our Tight Ends, and of late, the QB has just been plain awful.

Anyone who has watched McNabb over the years knows that he's not an awful QB. He might not be the second coming of Joe Montana, but for about a 5 year stretch--before the TO debacle--he was pretty darn good. Accurate, not turnover prone, could do damage with both his arms and his legs, and is (still) probably one of the hardest QBs to bring down in NFL history. He was a winner, and the first year he had a Pro Bowler to throw to, he put up amazing numbers and the team went to the Super Bowl. His run of success wasn't a fluke.

The problem this year is not his physical health. It's everything above, and the fact that something has gotten into Donovan's head. Maybe it's the pressure of having to win games all by himself. Maybe it's a lack of confidence in his WRs. Maybe he's just sick of being abused by the Philly media. Honestly, it's probably a bit of everything. Donovan can take some steps clear his head, but the coaching staff can probably have a much bigger impact, but upping the pressure on the rest of the team, committing to the run, and calling better plays.

Specifically, our WRs need to re-earn McNabb's trust by showing up for work, and delivering. The teamwide case of stone-hands has to be cured, DeSean needs to play beyond his years of experience and stop making mistakes, and these guys need to get open. I don't care how, but get open. Pass protection hasn't been the problem. The problem is that if you have a bunch of WRs who are never open, it doesn't matter how much time you have in the pocket. It's very clear to me that McNabb has sincere doubts about throwing the ball to any of these guys, and it's in their control to get their sh*t together and start playing like they belong in the league. The team has consistently dressed 6 guys every week. Their playing time should be threatened if they drop balls. And two of them--any two--need to step up and act like they want to be the starters. All of them need to play with the sense of urgency that if they fail, their careers are on the line. And unfortunately, I haven't seen that from any of our WRs this year. They're all crappy.

Nevertheless, regardless of how dim it is, the glimmer of hope still shines in my heart. It won't be a hard fall for me emotionally if the team doesn't go on a little run, but I'd love to see it happen.

Big Red announced today that Donovan McNabb hasn't lost his position as starting QB and will return to the field on Turkey Day to face the Cardinals at home. All the commentators are saying that McNabb still gives the team a better chance to win, and Reid thinks that "...by stepping back a few inches, you can go forward a mile..." I don't disagree with either philosophy, but the last 6 games are shaping up to be fun and soap-operatic. We can't get worse as a team, but the drama could certainly increase a bit!

The two things that are most clear to me today are:

1) Kevin Kolb ain't ready for prime time. I have a hard time believing he'll ever be until he shaves that mustache. He pretty much looks like a kicker when he has his helmet on; and
2) The Eagles have to run the ball. Like I said in my last post, the worst that can happen is the status quo, which is a regular dose of 3 and outs. Actually, we're much less apt to turn the ball over so much by investing in the run.

Andy will be tempted to keep the same game plan against the Cardinals, but I guarantee that if we do, the results will be the same. Give Don a chance to get his head back on straight.

Allright, I have a few hours distance from the Eagles devastating loss to the Ravens, and here's where my head is at. Basically, the same place it's been for much of the Andy Reid era. In the NFL, if the defense knows you're going to pass every time, they will beat you. And when you do try to run every now and again in a pass-happy offense, it's impossible to develop any sort of rhythm, control the clock, and get the first downs you need. Not only will the defense tee off on you if they know you're going to pass every down, but when you're QB is struggling, the only way to get him out of his funk is to start running the ball.

Yes, we know Brian Westbrook is hurt, but the Eagles have at least one, and probably two, capable backups. One of them, Lorenzo Booker, didn't even dress today b/c Andy Reid dressed 6 WRs. The other, Correll Buckhalter, had 2 carries and left the game hurt, meaning Westbrook had to come in on his bad ankle and knee. Not good.

I know I'm not an NFL coach, but this stuff seems so obvious. A few years back when Jeff Garcia led the Eagles to the division and a playoff victory, they turned their season around by running the ball. I guess Andy Reid's memory is a short one though, because we've seen no willingness to run from him. On 2nd and inches, and 3rd and short, he repeatedly passes the ball. And the team repeatedly fails to convert. The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results, so I guess this means that Andy Reid is insane? Don't take that literally, but come on Andy. Get your friggin head on straight!

Take a look at the below rushing attempt stats from today's games. Yes, I know this is an imperfect analysis, because when teams get ahead, they can afford to run the ball. But even in this imperfect analysis, there's a common theme: winners control the clock by running the ball, and losers don't. Period.

Houston (beat CLE): 36 carries to 20
Dallas (beat SFO): 29 carries to 15
Tampa (beat DET): 32 carries to 22
Jets (beat TEN): 39 carries to 11
Buffalo (beat KC): 38 carries to 13
Bears (beat STL): 32 carries to 19
New England (beat MIA): 25 carries to 19
Minnesota (beat JAX): 35 carries to 14
Oakland (beat DEN): 41 carries to 28
Atlanta (beat CAR): 33 carries to 26
NY Giants (beat ARI): 27 carries to 15
Washington (beat SEA): 41 carries to 20

Baltimore destroyed the pass happy Eagles with 40 carries, while the Eagles mustered only 21. Sure, it's better than last week, but nowhere near enough to establish the run as an important part of your offense. And honestly, even if you don't have confidence in your running game, the worst that can happen is that you go 3 and out, just like you do with the passing game every single week!

So yes, I still believe this season is over for the Eagles, as well as the Donovan McNabb era. But if things are going to change, Andy Reid must reinvent himself, and train is offense to excel at the things necessary to help a QB succeed.

Tomorrow, some thoughts on our miserable crew of Wide Receivers.

As I write this, there're still three minutes left in 4th quarter of the Eagles-Ravens game, and the Eagles are losing 36-7. After throwing 2 INTs and losing a fumble, Andy Reid did the unthinkable and benched Donovan McNabb at halftime. He really had no choice, as McNabb has been playing the worst football of his career over the last few weeks. He was replaced by 2007 2nd Round Draft Pick Kevin Kolb, who unfortunately didn't fare much better, throwing an INT that led to the longest INT return for a TD in NFL History. Sure, it's a rough environment for Kolb to learn the ropes in, but there ain't nothing like game time experience. The game was within reach when Kolb took over, but now it's not. And neither are the playoffs. So, as we bid a likely goodbye to the Donovan McNabb era in Philadelphia, we're also bidding goodbye to the 2008 season. It's time to start thinking about 2009 and beyond.

I'll be back for more as the week continues, but for now, thanks for your service Donovan. I will always be a fan and wish you nothing but the best. You were a great QB for Philly, and you brought us to a level of competitiveness that we hadn't seen in decades. You're a good man, a good football player, and a good teammate, but it's time for the Eagles to move on. The window of opportunity is officially closed.

I've you've been reading my blog, you know that I'm generally a critic of the Philly sports media. They love to pounce on the city's teams, especially the Eagles, and ESPECIALLY Donovan McNabb. So, while it's natural for the media to be beating this year's underachieving team up, they've taken the story about Donovan McNabb not knowing the NFL's overtime rules a little too far--especially John Smallwood, who also wrote a piece this week about how it's time for Reid to go. Here's the McNabb story, and here's the Andy Reid story.

First of all, the rule is stupid. Play the game until someone wins, period. Second of all, who gives a crap whether McNabb knows the rule or not. It didn't affect his play last Sunday (which was miserable, as I've stated), and that's what's most important. The team needs to focus on football and find a way to put a series of complete games together--with the coaching staff, offense, and defense all performing at a high level. None of this other crap matters, so let's get over it and focus on what we need to do to beat the Ravens and try to stay in the hunt for a Wild Card spot.

Update: According to this story, a bi-partisan agreement has been reached on a bailout bill for the auto industry. Let's hope it's filled with preconditions.*****

With apologies for resurrecting one of the Presidential campaign buzzwords, the only way the US Government should consider bailing out the ailing auto industry is if there are serious preconditions to such a bailout.

As of this writing, it doesn't look like the bailout is going to happen, but in the event it does, the stalwarts of Detroit need to have some change forced on them since it's seems they're incapable of doing it themselves:

--Backbreaking union contracts must be renegotiated. If the union doesn't like that, then they can start lightening their coffers by paying unemployment benefits to their members.
--Fuel efficiency standards must be upped dramatically. If that means no more obnoxious, gigantic gas guzzling trucks and SUVs, then so be it. Tough.
--They must allocate a significant portion of their operating budget to clean tech. I read recently that Toyota spends more than the entire US government on hydrogen research. Let's force that on the Big 3. That's the only way they'll survive.
--Aging workers who do not have the technical skills to help make these companies in the modern world must be let go. Yes, pay them off for their service, but they need to be replaced with people who have the skills to innovate.
--Close factories abroad. That will mean decreased revenue, but we need to focus whatever resources the industry will have on our own country. These companies want the government to save them? Then they need to work for us, the American people.
--Kill all executive bonus programs and perks, unless X% profit margins are met.
--New Board Members, elected jointly by shareholders and congress, should take control of at least 51% of the Board of each company.
--In exchange for some tax credits, we need to figure out a way to get Toyota to retrain American auto workers. Perhaps all factories could be co-operated (like NUMMI in Northern California is) by one Japanese company and its American counterpart.

It's enough already. The US Auto Industry has been producing subpar products for years. Sure, they're cheap. But you get what you pay for, and it's no wonder their businesses are in shambles. Their cars are ugly, not designed well, many aren't fuel efficient, and they're not durable. The taxpayers should not foot the bill for their fumbles. If they want our money, we get some control over how it's spent. While some of my ideas might not be feasible, if they don't agree to a comprehensive and measurable list of changes they must make, they should go out of business.

Here's a conversation I had with my friend Jared Sunday afternoon at the Eagles game. Normally, we watch together--he on the East Coast, and me on the West Coast. He moved yesterday though, so I had to fill him in.

Jared: Did the Eagles win?
Alex: No.
Jared: The Eagles lost?
Alex: No.
Jared: So they won then, right?
Alex: No.
Jared: Come on Alex. Tell me what happened.
Alex: If you don't win, and you don't lose, what do you think happened?
Jared: They tied?
Alex: Yes, they tied.

Against one of the worst teams in the NFL, a tie doesn't feel particularly good. Sure, it's not a loss. But it's also not a win. You could see on the players faces after the game they didn't quite know how to feel.

Exasperation is the best way to sum up my feelings. This team has potential, but they're just so inconsistent. Last week against the Giants, the offense put up 31 points, but the Defense got steamrolled. On Sunday against the Bengals, McNabb threw 3 INTs, lost a fumble, and the offense only put up 13 points. McNabb attempted 58 passes, which was a career high, and the team only ran the ball 18 times for 68 yards. The Defense, on the other hand, played great, holding the Bengals to under 300 yards, and less than 60 yards rushing. Special teams joined the offense in ineptitude, with Sav Rocca punting 10 times for a 36 yard average, and no damage being done in the return game.

Is the coaching staff? Is is the players lack of a will to win? Has McNabb quit? Is Westbrook hurt? I honestly don't know the answer. But what I do know is that the team is better than this, and Andy Reid needs to figure it out. Fortunately, they're only 1/2 game out of a wild card spot (yes, they would be tied if not for the tie), but this team just doesn't act like it's hungry to win. Maybe this is what the NFL is about these days--parity--where it's very difficult for most every team to be consistent week in and week out. If that's the case, the NFL needs to address that, b/c that sucks for the fans. I don't know, but being an Eagles fan is just plain exasperating. But like a lover-scorned, I keep coming back for more, as I will next weekend when the team travels to Baltimore to play the Ravens (whose D also got steamrolled by the Giants).

There's no doubt that the Andy Reid era has been the best ever in the history of the Philadelphia Eagles. He runs a great organization, has generally drafted well, makes good financial decisions, and wins football games--lots of them. He has not, however, won the one that matters most, and many fans, including myself, wonder if he can.

I would personally support Andy Reid returning as head coach next year, whether they make the playoffs this year or not. (And I think his soulmate Donovan should return as well). What I would like to see, however, is some change on the coordinator front. Yes, Jim Johnson has been one of the great defensive minds in the NFL over the last 10 years, but I think he's past his prime. The Eagles haven't been able to stop the run in a long time. The Giants embarrassed us last week and so did Clinton Portis. If you can't stop the run when you have to, you can't win in the NFC East, let alone the NFL. A few years ago, when TO was on the team, Pittsburgh destroyed us by running the ball down our throats. And that was generally a common theme that year. I said then that it was time for Jim Johnson to go, and I still believe that now. He has the personnel and everyone is healthy, so there's no reason other than the fact that people have figured out the weakness in his scheme and are exploiting it.

On the offensive front, it's unclear who's been calling the plays this year, but I also think it's time to bring in some new blood. Marty Morningwhig is not a winner, and our pass-happy scheme has also been figured out to a certain extent. Again, the personnel exists here too, but we can't get yards when we need them, we can't sustain drives to chew up clock, clock management is terrible, and our WRs drop too many balls. Reid is no doubt a great offensive mind, but I think the team needs a yin to his yang. We need to try something different if we want to regain our seat at the top of the NFC.

So, bye bye JJ, and bye bye Marty. Thanks for your service, and best of luck to you in the future. We voted for change on November 4, and now it's time for some change in Philly.

First, let me say that I, in no way, espouse the views of Pastor Manning. I am a Barack Obama supporter, plain and simple. So don't go and take anything this guy says seriously. But thanks to the comedic genius of Howard Stern, I was made aware of the comedic genius of this video. It's definitely good for a few good laughs, so enjoy.

I'm officially nominating "Heartache Tonight" by the Eagles (as in Don Henley Eagles) as the theme song of the 2008 Eagles. Every game, without fail, the team causes themselves and all the fans out there far too much heartache than is healthy. Last night was no different.

The game started great, for a change, and within the first minute, the Eagles had an INT, which led to a quick rushing TD by DeSean Jackson. We typically spot the other team points, but last night, the Giants spotted us a TD. In typical fashion, however, the lead didn't stand long as Eli Manning marched his team down the field with a series of completions and 7-10 yard runs by Brandon Jacobs. That would be the theme of the night.

Because the Eagles either go 3 and out, or score quickly, the D was on the field for much of the 1st quarter--in fact, for much of the game, as the Giants held the ball for almost 40 minutes. Every time they got the ball, it seems like they scored. I only remember 2 punts. We couldn't stop the run, we didn't get to Manning, and their wideouts were open far too frequently. On the other side of the ball, despite a paltry 15 carries by the RBs all night, the Birds did put up 4 TDs and a field goal. A very very respectable performance that would win most weeks in the NFL. But not on this night. The D was terrible for the entire game, and when it mattered most, we couldn't get a couple yards to keep a drive alive.

Some people would say that we hung tough with the defending Super Bowl champs (just like we hung tough with the hot Cowboys in Week 2) and we should be happy. You know what I say? FUCK that. There's no consolation prize in the NFL, and last night's loss basically removes any chance we had to win the division--especially with our 0-3 record against NFC East opponents. There's nothing to feel good about.

What I don't understand is why the Eagles continue to be so reluctant to run the ball. If you haven't run the ball all game, do you honestly think the O-line is going to have the rhythm and confidence to get those crucial yards in the 4th quarter? OF COURSE NOT. Sure, the defense couldn't stop the Giants all night, but the real reason they were on the field for 40 minutes is that the Eagles either score quickly or go 3 and out. Why? Because we don't run the ball. We have one of the most talented RBs in the league, yet he only had 13 carries last night. It's insane! We did, however, run a reverse to Desean 3 times.

On top of this heartache, on a key Giants drive we gave them 30 yards as a result of two penalties. In a close game, shit like that matters. And it's not supposed to happen at home.

The curse of being an Eagles fan is this exact heartache. 4 TDs by the offense on a week the D gives up 36 points; not being able to run the ball when we need to; short offensive drives; stupid mistakes on special teams; bad playcalling. On that last point, actually, whoever has been calling the Eagles plays needs to stop, and turn the responsibility over to someone more capable. We had some success with Marty Morningwhig doing it, so if it's been Andy Reid this year, give it back to Marty. Enough already.

Next week, we play the lowly Bengals, who are without their star QB. Yes, it should be a win, but I'm not holding my breath. There will definitely be some heartache.

PS--When I was in college, we used to say that if PSU lost, so would the Eagles. And vice versa. Obviously there's no real correlation between the two, but we believed it anyway. It certainly was the truth last weekend. The Eagles likely lost their shot at winning the division, and PSU certainly lost their shot for a national title by being upset in Iowa.

Today, my wife and I voted for Barack Obama to become the 44th President of the United States. So did more than 65,000,000 Americans. And today, Barack Obama became President-Elect in as close to a landslide as you can get in this day and age. He won the entire Northeast, Virginia, North Carolina, Florida, Indiana, Ohio, Minnesota, IOWA, Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois, the entire West Coast, Hawaii, Nevada, Colorado, and New Mexico.

America gets a bad rap--particularly over these last 8 years. We're bullies, we're ignorant, we're arrogant, we're fat, we're wasteful, we're racist, we're war mongers, etc., etc., etc. Some of that stuff is true for our national identity, but today, we did something that most nations have never done. We elected a minority to become our next President. For the first time since the latter years of Bill Clinton's Presidency, I'm proud to be an American, and I'm optimistic about the future. For myself, and my family.

In the primary, I voted for Hilary Clinton. Not because I liked her more, but because I didn't believe that Obama could win--based on his race, based on his experience, based on the mudslinging tactics of the GOP, and based on the fact that the Democrats screw everything up. I'm proud to say I was wrong. I'm glad I was wrong. All the red states on CNN's 2008 Election map (http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2008/) concern me (based on my assumptions about why they voted the way they did), but Obama ran a masterful campaign and won more than 100 Electoral College votes than he needed.

Despite the masterful campaign Obama ran, and the good feeling that has engulfed much of our country and much of the world, Obama inherits a giant mess. We are in the middle of the worst financial crises since the Great Depression. Our national deficit is huge, banks have failed, people are losing their homes, millions of jobs have been shipped overseas, and our national savings rate has gone to shit. And don't forget that we're in 2 wars, our reputation abroad has been hammered, Russia is resurgent, Iran is on their way to obtaining weapons of mass destruction, Al-Qaeda is still...everywhere, China owns a huge portion of our national debt, we are too dependent on foreign oil, and climate change threatens the entire planet. Among other things.

We are facing a series of challenges that will not only require strong leadership, but also a national commitment to buckle down and see this through. Americans will have to make sacrifices and understand that many of the challenges we face cannot be fixed quickly--no matter who is in power. This is, in many ways, the most important time in the history of America. The stakes couldn't be higher--will we lead the world into a new era of prosperity, technological advancement and freedom, or will our power and influence slowly whither away, like that of our friends and allies across the Atlantic.

To my point above, during this crucial time, we made the risky choice and voted for change--change in terms of our national identity, our priorities, and our reputation and position of leadership around the world. I have no doubt that we elected the right man, who will assemble the right team and set the right priorities--to lead America. Only time will tell of course, but Barack Obama has my attention and support in a way that no President has in my lifetime, and I feel much better raising a child in this world than I did on November 3 and than I would have if John McCain won.

I'm honored to be part of this great country, I'm proud to have been a part of history, and I'm excited for the first truly 21st century President to assume his position.

Week 9 in Seattle was another game that was marked with a "W" as the Eagles and their fans reviewed the schedule before the season. As the season progressed, this became even more true with Seattle struggling mightily without their starting QB Matt Hassleback.

But, we're talking about the 2008 Philadelphia Eagles here, and the game started off accordingly. Eagles elect to receive, go 3 and out, and Seattle scores on their first play with the longest play from scrimmage in team history.

Fortunately, despite the slow start, the Eagles D got it together and dominated the rest of the game. And McNabb, who needs to figure out how to start faster, played a masterful 2nd, 3rd, and 4th quarter and finished with 349 yards passing and 2 TDs. And for a change, we got some great play from the TE position, with Brent Celek have a career day . A win is a win in the NFL, so that's what important. But this season's Eagles just cause me too much heartache.

Next week, we have the Giants at home in a game that matters. If we win, we'll be 6-3 and in the hunt for the division. If we lose, we'll be 0-3 in the division and barely in the hunt for a wildcard spot. I'll be rooting for my boys to win, but I don't have a lot of confidence that they won't lay an egg in this important game.

We shall see...