Chundles

So, almost through Week 7 of the 2009 NFL campaign, here's what we know about the NFC. The Saints and Vikings? Contenders, by far. If both teams stay healthy, the road to the Super Bowl will likely go through one of those cities.

The Giants, Cardinals and Eagles? Not yet contenders, in my opinion. The Eagles have the offensive prowess to compete with anyone, but will they be able to pick up first downs and grind out the clock in a tough, cold weather, divisional battle or playoff game? I'm not sure. I'm also not sure if they can stop anyone when they really need to. The Giants and Cards, again if both stay healthy, particularly Kurt Warner, will likely make the playoffs, but neither are frontrunners for home field.

Tonight's Eagles game will show a lot. The team got embarrassed by the Raiders last week, which in my mind was made a whole lot worse with the absolute drubbing the Jets put on the Raiders this weekend. The Raiders haven't turned a corner--they still stink, and they're still one of the worst teams in the NFL. They just happened to show up ready to play against the Birds last weekend. I'm getting sick to my stomach just thinking about it.

Anyway, the Skins beat us twice last year. We're not contenders if they beat us tonight. You can take that to the bank.

Here's hoping some Phillies-mania rubs off on the Birds tonight.

It's been a while since I posted, but I couldn't resist now that the NFL is back. I just need to find the time to do this regularly, as I did last year.

Where to begin? With the Birds, of course. The started the season with a dominant performance against an inferior Carolina team who has one of the worst QBs in the league over the past few games (last season included). We we're tested in any phase of the game against Carolina, but all three units performed well. Unfortunately, however, McNabb left the game with a broken rib. I really liked the moves the team made during the offseason, and while I'm thankful that McNabb's injury isn't below the waist, it really does suck that there's always something with the Eagles. Always.

Week 2 brought the Saints to town for our home opener. I knew we'd be tested, but I thought we'd at least make a game of it. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case. Drew Brees, who might be the best QB in the league right now, took us to school and had a monster game. Kevin Kolb did OK in his first NFL start, but we were playing behind most of the afternoon, so he three ~50 passes, and had three INTs to go along with his 2 TDs. Special Teams were miserable, as was our defense. I'm pretty sure that Special Teams will get better. The D will to, but that unit is much more of a question. There's no JJ (Rest In Peace), no Dawk, no Stewart Bradley. The Saints have had our number the last few years, but they really embarrassed yesterday.

I would bet that McNabb is out until after the Bye, which is fine, as long as we get our act together and bounce back next week against an inferior Kansas City team. Kolb will probably start again, and we'll see the regular season debut of Mike Vick. I have no doubt we'll put points on the board and correct some of the mistakes we made. But will Larry Johnson run up and down our throats, or will the D adjust and act like they belong. Let's hope it's the latter, or it's going to be a long season.

Elsewhere in the NFL? I love that calm, cool and collected Eli led his team to a late 4th Quarter victory against the Cowboys on the night Jerry Stadium debuted. Romo's 3 INTs warmed my belly too. If the Eagles play to their potential, I bet we have a two team race on our hands. The Skins are the weakest team in the division.

Seasons aren't made or broken in the first 2 weeks, but there've been some interesting games/events thus far. Jay Cutler's debut as a Bear was miserable, but he rebounded in Week 2 and the team beat the Steelers in Chicago. The Jets are 2-0, coming off an upset win of the Patriots. Impressive, most definitely, but probably more a statement about how Tom Brady is feeling than anything else.

I don't want to say for sure who the contenders and pretenders are, but let's give it a shot. Contenders: Giants, Saints, Vikings, and Ravens, . Too early to tell: Eagles, Cowboys, Bears, Atlanta, Arizona, San Diego, Indy, New England, the Jets and the Titans. Pretenders: Everyone else.

I know it's been more than 3 weeks since the Eagles lost the NFC Championship game to the Cardinals, but it took me a while to feel like talking about it. I was also busy setting up the new home for my Eagles blog--bloggingthebirds.blogspot.com.

In my first-ever blog post on the Eagles, I noted that I would track the highs and lows of the 2008 campaign. Little did I know that the 2008 season would epitomize so well what it means to be an Eagles fan. The season started with some promise, then they ripped my heart out, then they won a couple games in a row, then they ripped by heart out again with the Ravens and Bengals game, they they won a couple more in a row and got themselves back into contention, then they ripped my heart out yet again by losing to the Redskins in Week 16. And then, the NFL Gods sprinkled some pixy dust on the Eagles in Week 17 and they made the playoffs. It was a season of ups and downs, with the team breaking the franchise scoring record, but at times seeming so inept that the Lions could've beaten them.

By the time the playoffs rolled around, people were back on the wagon. Reid and McNabb were back in the playoffs, the Defense was dominating, and people were talking about the Eagles being this years version of the NY Giants. After a Wild Card win in Minnesota, and then a win at the Meadowlands against the defending Super Bowl champs, I honestly believed they had a chance.

Which brings me to the NFC Championship game, against the Cardinals. Yes, the Cardinals, who beat the favored Falcons in Phoenix, and then travelled to North Carolina and whooped the Panthers. While they were playing well, so were we, and so I liked our chances. I shouldn't have been so quick to forget the heartburn that this team caused me, as this game was the perfect microcosm of the entire 2008 season. All three units were miserable in the first half, and the Cardinals took a double digit lead into the second half. My heart was ripped out, and I was already planning for 2009. The team woke up during the short halftime break, however, and came out fired up. The defense started shutting down Kurt Warner and his offense, and McNabb lit the place up and pulled the Eagles back on top.

Late in the 4th quarter, the Cards got the ball back, trailing 25-24, and scored a TD and the 2pt conversion. 32-25 Cardinals. Heart palpitations on hold, as the Eagles got the ball back with plenty of time on the clock. Unfortunately, on par with the entire season, the offense couldn't get the job done, and the Cardinals advanced to their first Super Bowl in team history. Heart ripped out, again.

After watching the Cards play a solid game against the Steelers, I feel a little better about losing to them. But still, we were the better team, and we blew it with our crappy first half on all sides of the ball, and we blew it late in the 4th quarter with our shitty WRs and a QB who buckled with the entire offense on his shoulders.

Anyway, the team did have a good run this year. Afterall, we knocked both the Cowboys and the Giants out of the playoffs, and that feels good. But another year goes by with another team that's not the Eagles winning the Super Bowl. That sucks.

I am looking forward to next year, as I think the team did make some great progress this year. Reid and McNabb will be back, we found a star in Desean Jackson, Westbrook should be healthy, and the Defense had a great year. In terms of personnel changes, I would bet that we see some new blood on the O-line, at TE, an RB that Reid trusts and can take some of the load off Westbrook, and likely a pass rushing D-lineman. And of course, if the opportunity comes to land a #1 WR who is not a sociopath, we should take it. The team still lacks a #1. I can guarantee you that either of the Cardinals starting WRs would've made the catch that Kevin Curtis didn't on the Eagles final drive of this season. I guarantee it.

As Rich Hoffman pointed out on philly.com this morning, there are 6 Eagles for whom Sunday will be their 5th NFC Championship with the team. Those 6 are McNabb, Dawkins, Tra Thomas, John Runyan, Correll Buckhalter (injured during two, but still on the team) and David Akers.

None of these men can be considered young any more by NFL standards, but they are hungry, I guarantee it. They've gotten close before, only to have the window slammed shut before either getting to the Super Bowl, or in 2005, after winning the Championship game only to lose a close game in the Super Bowl.

All these guys, with the exception of Buckhalter (not his fault), play important roles on the field and are respected veterans off it. Other guys will have to step up and make plays no doubt, but the experience and leadership of this group could be the difference on Sunday. Or at least it's an assurance that the team will show up and not lay an egg.

We'll see.

As Andy Reid, Donovan McNabb, Brian Dawkins and others prepare for their 5th NFC Championship game, here's my take on what they need to do to win.

1. Protect the QB. Arizona is coming in to the game confident. They won their first game on the East Coast last weekend, their D picked off Jake Delhomme 5 times, and they finally found a running game. Because their playing at home, the only aspect of this that the Eagles need to be especially prepared for is their Defense. They're feeling emboldened and will no doubt attempt a variety of things to get to McNabb. Reid has to gameplan for this, and the O-line has to play well. In all likelihood, that means keeping them off balance with a mix of running and pass plays, and also beating the blitz and converting 3rd downs. Besides TDs, home crowds love sacks and turnovers, so we need to stay cool and balanced, and pick them apart.

2. Defensive status quo. With just a couple exceptions, the D has been playing well all season long. This is especially true since Thankgiving, since which the team has surrendered only 8 TDs and held opponents to 12 points on average in the 6 games. If they play as well as they have been, they should have no problem stopping Arizona's running game, forcing them to pass, and opening up Warner for pressure that he can't handle. If this happens, the rest will take care of itself, no matter how well Boldin and Fitzgerald play.

3. Limit dropped passes. The Eagles offense has not been playing great, but they've been getting the job done by playing better than their opponents--particularly since the Playoffs started. Arizona will likely score some points--their QB is after all a HOF'er who has had an exceptional year--so we're going to need to play better than we did last week to win the game. Conditions should allow for that given the weather in Arizona. Our WRs need to make some of the catches they dropped last week, and as I said above, the team needs to be able to convert 3rd downs like we did last week against the Giants. I think there's the possibility of the offense breaking out and having a big game, but I'm not counting on it.

If these three things happen, the Eagles win the game. The Cards will not fall easily--they only lost 2 games at home all season, and didn't lose at home until Week 12 when the Giants came to town. The Eagles are an experienced group, so I have no doubt they're doing the right amount of prep and aren't taking the Cards lightly. We just need to execute on Sunday and we just might make it back to the Super Bowl. How about that?!?!?!?!

Aside from the pixie dust the NFL Gods blew the Eagles way in Week 17, it's interesting to look at how the Eagles have managed to turn their season around.

First off, when s**t goes bad, the QB, especially our QB, takes the lion share of the blame. Therefore, when things go well, he deserves the lion share of the credit as well, hence the media onslaught of "McNabb is back" stories over the last few weeks. Yes, McNabb has elevated his game since Thanksgiving, but people are overreacting. He's actually been pretty consistent this year. He's part of the reason they're playing so well, but by no means the only one.

First, let's take a quick look at McNabb's season. His 2008 regular season stats are telling, but don't reveal the entire story. 3900+ yards, 23 TDs to 11 INTs, 60.4% completion rate with an 86.4 QB Rating. He had more pass attempts and more yards than he's ever had in his career, and his completion percentage was his 3rd best. All solid numbers, but nothing spectacular.

The low points of the season were Week 4 against the Bears, Week 5 against the Redskins, Week 12 against Baltimore, and Week 16 against the Redskins.

In Week 4, McNabb threw 41 passes in a relatively tight game against the Bears in Chicago. This was the game in which the Eagles could not convert a 1st and 4 from the Bears 4 yard line in the 4th quarter. Earlier in the game, they had to settle for a FG after 2nd and 4 from the Chicago 6. And don't forget, Kyle Orton looked like Tom Brady in this game. A week later against the Redskins, the Eagles jumped out to a 14 point lead in the 1st quarter, but the team attempted only 18 rushes throughout the game, and the Redskins rushed for 189 yards.

The team then went on a run and won 3 of 4, losing only to the Giants in a game where we gave up 200+ rushing yards and 36 points.

Then came the next series of low points. First, the now infamous tie in Cincinnati. McNabb threw 58 passes in that game and even with 5 full quarters of play, the team only attempted 16 rushes. 16. When any NFL defense knows exactly what you're going to do on offense (run v. pass), it's very hard to win. The following week in Baltimore, McNabb was benched after an 8/18 half in which he threw 2 INTs, yet the team was losing only 10-7 at halftime. Baltimore is arguably the team that screws up opposing QBs more than anyone, so only being down 3 points at halftime on the road was not a crises. McNabb was benched though, and the Eagles went on to lose 36-7. They attempted a whopping total of 16 rushing attempts in this game.

Beginning on Thanksgiving, the Birds started yet another run beating the Cardinals, the Browns, and the Giants. The resurgence was no doubt led by the Defense, as they had 4 TOs against the Cardinals and held them to 25 rushing yards. The next week, they held the Plaxico-less Giants to barely more than 200 yards offense and 14 points. The following week, they held the Browns to 10 points.

They were back in the Playoff hunt, ready for a Week 16 game against the out-of-it Redskins. The results? A 10-3 loss in which the only TD came on an 18 yard drive by the Skins after a McNabb fumble. Rushing attempts by the Eagles this game? 16. Seemingly, they were out of the Playoffs.

And then we all remember what happened in week 17. We destroyed the Cowboys, led by 2 defensive touchdowns and 5 turnovers.

Through it all, and even into the playoffs, McNabb hasn't been perfect, but he's been consistent, especially given that he generally does not have the chance to run a balanced offense. When he does--like he has more or less since Thanksgiving--the results are clear. The Eagles are 6-1 since that game. And they are 9-3 since their Week 6 win in San Francisco.

The team, however, has not been as consistent, hence them being out of the playoffs going into Week 17. The won games against good teams, and lost some games they should've won. The D periodically hasn't been able to stop the run. We've gotten almost no production from the TE position. And our WRs have far too many dropped passes. In the games we lost, all these factors came into play. And in the games we won, they didn't.

Last, but certainly not least, is the Offensive Line--the group that is typically the most unsung in the NFL. Without Pro Bowler Shawn Andrews all season, the O-line managed to only give up 23 sacks. By way of comparison, in 10 games in 2006, they gave up 21 sacks, and in 9 games in 2005, they gave up 19. The OL is protecting their QB, and McNabb has learned how to take advantage of that protection..

So there you go. Donovan's is back--he's healthy and confident and playing the way he did before TO and injuries killed a couple years there. But football is a team sport in every sense of the word, and all units of the team (all aspects of the organization, actually) are doing their jobs very well.

Kickoff of the NFC Championship game is just about 72 hours from now. My expectations are low, but I'm excited as heck. No one expected the Eagles to make it back after the year they've had, and they've pulled it off. I love it!

After upsetting the #1 seed Giants, the 2008 Philadelphia Eagles.....the 2008 Eagles... are one win away from the Super Bowl. Who woulda thunk it?

My 3 keys to the game were: 1)stopping the run, 2)not giving away points with big mistakes, and 3)keeping time of possession in balance. The Eagles didn't do all that well in any of these areas, especially during the first half, but they showed up, played like champs, and won every facet of the game.

The Eagles didn't stop the run, but they contained it. They gave up points on the Safety and the Fred Robbins interception, but only 5. And while the 1st half time of possession was way imbalanced in favor of the Giants, it was even at the end of the game.

The Eagles Defense probably deserves the most credit after yesterday's win, as they kept the New York Giants and their high powered offense out of the end-zone. In New Jersey. In bad conditions. They bent a few times during the game, but they didn't break. There's no doubt that if the D wasn't playing the way they are, we would not be in the Championship game.

Offensively, the first half was miserable, at least statistically speaking. They held the ball for a total of 12 minutes, McNabb threw a pick, was tackled in the end zone for a safety and was generally ineffective. But you know what? The Giants were worse, and the Eagles went into the half leading 10-8.

The second half didn't start well, with Fred Robbins catching a batted-down McNabb pass and returning it to the Eagles 33 yard line. The Giants kicked a field goal and took an 11-10 lead. This is when the game turned around. The scoreboard only shows 3 points by the Eagles during this quarter, but they chewed up 10 minutes of the clock with 2 drives, the first was for a FG, the second of which was for a TD shortly after the 4th quarter started. In between, Giants kicker John Carney missed a 47 yard field goal.

The game was still close when the 4th quarter started, even with the 7 points the Eagles put up early in the quarter. The score was 20-11. The D really stepped it up at this point, stopping the Giants on two key 4th down attempts, picking off Manning, and recovering a fumble. Kicker David Akers, who is typically bad in the Meadowlands, came through with another FG--his third of the game. Game over. Eagles 21, Giants 11.

NFC East games, especially those in January, are rarely pretty, and that held true yesterday with the lack of offense, turnovers, missed FGs, and dropped passes. But the Eagles came in cool and confident, the D was awesome, and the team made some big plays on both sides of the ball. We outplayed the defending Super Bowl champions on offense, defense, and special teams. For a change, Andy Reid also out-coached the other guy. So all-told, I'm a happy camper. After-all, it's the 2008 Eagles that are one win away from the Bowl. Woohoo!

As I said in my previous post, I'm keeping my expectations low for this Sunday's Eagles-Giants matchup. Nevertheless, I have strong views on what the Eagles need to do to win the game. 1)Stop the run, 2)Don't give away points with big mistakes, and 3)keep the time of possession in balance. If we do these three things, we will win the game. If we falter on any of them, we will lose. Here's why.

Regarding stopping the run, this one is obvious. This is a January matchup of NFC East rivals. If you can't stop the run, and run the ball yourself (or otherwise keep time of possession in balance), you will lose. When the Eagles gave up 219 yards to the Giants in Week 10, we lost, despite scoring 31 points. When we held the Giants to 88 yards rushing in Week 14, we won the game 20-14. I think any chance the Eagles have to win the game hinges on this. If the Giants can march down the field by running the ball down our throat, we will lose the game. Biggest reason? Because we don't have the capacity to do that back to them. We'll end up having to throw the ball more predominantly than we'd planned, they'll tee off on McNabb, and we'll have a bunch of 3 and outs.

Regarding #2, in the regular season, you can win games even if you allow pick-6's or other game changing mistakes. In the Eagles Week 14 win against the Giants, a blocked FG was returned for a TD, yet we still won that game. I guarantee you that if either team on Sunday has a game changing play like this in their favor, they will win the game. Plays like that are rare, but they happen. And if they happen in the playoffs, they are fatal.

And finally, on offense, the Eagles must find a way to stay on the field by picking up first downs and keeping the time of possession in balance. Our typical flurry of 3-and-outs after 3 incomplete passes isn't going to cut it against the defending Super Bowl champs on their home turf, because the Giants can wear you down with their running game. We need to keep our defense fresh and stay competitive in the field position battle. Logic says that we'll need to run the ball to be able to do so, but in all actuality, a balanced approach is our best bet at getting it done. McNabb's gonna make some plays, but Westbrook and the O-line need to do so as well.

Maybe all this is obvious, but barring something unforeseen, if the Eagles do the above 3 things, I think they will win the game. If they fail with even one, they will lose.

Don't forget. The Giants are the defending Super Bowl champions and this year's #1 seed. They will not fall easily on their home turf.

Regardless of the outcome, here's hoping that Mr. Hyde has been terminated.

PS--The Giants have failed to sack Donovan McNabb thus far this year. I'm sure they're hungry--especially after losing 3 of their last 4 games--so the Birds will have to be ready for an onslaught of blitzes and QB pressure.

As I did for Week 17, I kept my expectations very low going into last weekend's Wild Card game in Minnesota. Of course I rooted my heart out for the Birds, but if you have low expectations, you cannot be disappointed. And given the crazy world of bad news we're all surrounded by these days, I don't think I can handle any more disappointment--especially not from the 2008 Philadelphia Eagles.

Fortunately, when you have low expectations, it's also not hard to end up feeling elated, as I did with the Eagle's very solid win against the Vikings. The Defense played fantastic, shutting out the Vikes in the second half. And #5 kept his cool throughout and guided the Eagles to victory. Everyone did their part--the players played well and the coaches game-planned and coached well. Some people are upset about the lack of TDs by the offense, but this is the playoffs, where shootouts are rare. Winning in the playoffs means good field position, avoiding big mistakes, converting key 3rd downs on offense, getting stops on key 3rd downs and stopping the run. The Eagles did all of this, Akers had a great game, and we broke a big play in the second half. We did everything it takes to win in the playoffs.

While I'm happy with the effort and results from the Vikings game, I don't think that'll be good enough to beat the Giants. Don't get me wrong--I have no complaints about our performance against the Vikings--but we'll need to play our best game to beat the G-men.

Nevertheless, just a few weeks ago, I had no expectations that the Eagles would even be in the playoffs, so I'm a happy fan.

Come on Troy. "Many people still believe the Cowboys are the most talented team in the league." For real? Please, enlighten us as to who, besides you, thinks that. First of all, it's not true. Second of all, talent means jack. This is the NFL we're talking about. Winning playoff games is what matters. It is what you're judged on. And at least until next December, both Tony Romo and Wade Phillips' 0-for-the-Playoffs streaks will continue. That means that to this point in both their careers, they've been failures. Oh, and guess when the last time was that TO won a Playoff game? When he was on the Eagles.

Unfortunately, depending on how the Eagles play, I may have to suffer through one or more games with you and Joe Buck this year. That blows, but I'll deal. So please, take some tissue, wipe away your tears, and go home. At least until you get your assignment for next week.

P.S. With 14:44 remaining in the 4th quarter, the Eagles are up 44-3.

Thankfully, the NFL Gods blew some pixie dust the Eagles way during the early games (Raiders and Bears lost), and Dr. Jekyll decided to keep Mr. Hyde under wraps through the first half of the Eagles/Cowboys game. Through the first two quarters, the Eagles are dominating the Cowboys 27-3. The Birds are making plays on all sides of the ball, and it feels like the Cowboys are on the brink of complete emotional self-destruction. It's utter joy from a game I completely expected to mean nothing for the Eagles.

I also have to mention how much I hate when Troy Aikman commentates Eagles/Cowboys games. I don't blame him for being a homer--the Cowboys were the only team he played for in the NFL, and they won 3 Super Bowls. But he doesn't have to commentate every meaningful Eagles/Cowboys game. It makes me sick and he says the dumbest things. Today, so far, he said he expected DeMarcus Ware to have a shot at 4 sacks in their loss last week against the Ravens, he blamed Roy Williams and not Tony Romo for that terrible chuck that was intercepted by Sheldon Brown, and he said that Pacman Jones stinks because no one in his life has ever wanted to "coach him up." You're brilliant Troy--keep it up.

Here's hoping Mr. Hyde stays away and the Eagles close this one out.

I said after the Eagles-Cowboys met on Monday night during Week 2 that it was likely that the Week 17 rematch in Philadelphia very well could be for a playoff spot. Believe me, I didn't predict that the season would play out like it did. But with Tampa and Chicago both losing today, this game is a Playoff game for all intents and purposes. Whoever wins is in. It doesn't get any better than this. I expect the Eagles to lose, but I'll be rooting for them like there's no tomorrow.

Here we go!

I have no one to blame for this situation other than myself. A few weeks ago, after the Eagles tied the Bengals, I wrote this year, and potentially the entire Reid/McNabb era, off. I was done with the disappointment and was ready to move on...at least for this year. And then, I let my guard down and they sucked me back in with consecutive wins against the Cardinals (terrible team), the Giants (pretty darn good team), and the Browns (terrible team). So even though I had no expectations for their game against the Redskins yesterday, I was a believer again. I started fantasizing about them making the Playoffs, and heck, maybe even making the Super Bowl with a late season run comparable to what the Giants did last year.

Even though 2 of the 3 wins they had were against bad teams at home, the Eagles did some things offensively during their little winning streak that they weren't doing previously. People on all sides of the ball were making plays. Far fewer passes were dropped, when a few extra yards were needed for a first down, someone picked them up, when they needed to run the ball, they could. The protected the ball, created turnovers, and kept penalties to a minimum. You don't need to be an expert to know that those are the ingredients for success in the NFL. It's obvious.

So, WTF happened yesterday? First of all, we should all give credit to the Redskins. They had nothing to play for, and they came out prepared and executed well throughout the entire game. It honestly seemed like they were the ones playing for the playoffs, not the Eagles.

The Eagles, in losing 10-3, had one of their worst offensive games of the last 10 years. They did not score a touchdown. There were 7 dropped passes (2 by LJ Smith, 4 by DeSean Jackson), many of which would've been for first downs, or big gains. They had no commitment to the running game, and it showed with only 16 attempts. The Defense played a great game and held the 'Skins to fewer than 250 total yards, but Asante Samuel didn't make a play he needed to when he dropped an interception late in the game.

The day's only touchdown came on a 16 yard drive by the Redskins after McNabb lost a fumble. And when the Redskins went into a Prevent Defense, the Eagles moved the ball late in the game, only to fall inches short after a 17 yard completion from McNabb to Reggie Brown fell just shy of the goal line as time expired. As the clock expired yesterday, so did the Eagles season, most likely. If you don't make plays, you don't win in the NFL. Period.

Sure, the Eagles still have a mathematical chance to make the post season. With the Falcons playing like a Playoff team and beating Minnesota on the road yesterday, there's only one Wild Card spot left. For the Eagles to win that spot, they of course have to beat Dallas next week at home. Coincidentally, even though I hate the Cowboys, their fans might be the only other fans in the NFL right now who can relate to us. Talk about disappointment. But that's a story for another day. In addition to beating Dallas, Tampa has to lose to the Raiders, and Chicago has to lose one of their final two games (tonight against Green Bay, next week at Houston). It's not improbable, but I'm not holding my breath, and I certainly won't be disappointed if it doesn't happen. I'm at the depths of my disappointment with this team right now.

I have a lot to say, particularly about what this team should look like next year, but I'll save that for sometime after next week, when the season is officially over.

This, my friends, is the essence of being an Eagles fan. I said this at the beginning of the year, and it continues to be true. They rip your heart out, they suck you back in, and then they rip it out again just for fun. It honestly does feel like the team treats its fans like a bunch of suckers. Or maybe it has nothing to do with them, and we're just suckers for having hope.

Over the course of his 10 year career in Philadelphia, there's always something with Donovan. It could be the fans booing his selection by the Eagles in the draft (good job Eagles fans), the controversy with Rush Limbaugh, the TO situation, feeling under-appreciated, this year's benching, etc. I love that Donovan is the face of the franchise, and I want both him and Ried back next year. But in analyzing his situation as the franchise QB in the City of Brotherly Love, Donovan would do well to take some advice from the Michael Jordan School of Media Training. Don't say anything. Be bland, give stock answers to questions, end press conferences as frequently as possible, and never, ever, talk about your feelings.

Donovan's a good natured guy, and I think he probably would prefer to not make the media's job any harder then it is, so he talks. But everytime he opens his mouth, something comes out that the media then spins and turns into a story. The same thing happened after last Monday's game against the Browns, in which the Eagles took care of business by beating the hapless Browns 30-10. For much of the second half of the game, the commentators had nothing to talk about. The game was over, the Browns QB and coaching situations only take a few minutes to dissect, so they talked about a "fissure" between Andy Reid and Donovan. And they talked and speculated, and kept on doing so, endlessly, through the post-game interviews. Most notably, the one with Donovan.

Donovan really didn't say anything controversial, but the fact that he said anything at all gave the media something to spin. There's a fissure, there's going to be an off-season chat, are Eagles fans really ready for the Kevin Kolb era, why is Donovan so underappreciated, etc. All of this could have been avoided, and the media would've had to gone back to the drawing board for the next day's stories if McNabb said this: "Andy is my coach, I respect him, I believe we can win a Super Bowl together, and I want to finish my career in Philadelphia." Period, end of story. But instead, he let the post game commentators egg him on, and he ended up saying some things that were better left for intimate, soul-bearing conversations with his family, not with the rabid media.

So Don, I know your focus is on Football. But do yourself a favor. Go watch a few press conferences from Michael Jordan's career. He never said sh*t, and the media still loved him.

The Birds have yet to play this week--they host Cleveland tonight--but they got no help from yesterday's games, mathematically making it a little harder for them to make the playoffs. Without going into all the possibilities, here's the jist of it:

SUMMARY: The current Wild Card participants are the Buccaneers (9-5) and the Cowboys (9-5). The Bucs lost in OT to Atlanta (also 9-5) in a game they should've won. The Cowboys overcame their dysfunction to beat the suddenly vulnerable Giants pretty handily in Dallas. Both these teams have an opportunity to win 11 games, unlike the Eagles, so if they both win-out, the Eagles will not make the playoffs.

THE BUCS: Their final two games are at home. Next week against the inconsistent and underachieving Chargers, and then the Raiders in the final week of the season. On an unrelated note, isn't it curious that the Eagles last two games are against division rivals, and the Bucs get to finish up against two AFC teams? Anyway, the Chargers are still playing for something, but who knows what team will show up. And then in Week 17, the Bucs should destroy the Raiders, who forced Gruden out of town earlier this decade. I would not be at all surprised if the Bucs win their next two games and hold their Wild Card spot.

THE COWBOYS: Next week, they face a tough Ravens D in Dallas, and then finish against the Eagles in Philly. Romo is beat up, so that should work in our favor, but don't expect Dallas to fall easily next weekend. They played very well last night against the Giants, despite the alleged distractions from last week. No matter what happens, Week 17 in Philly will be a battle. So, if they win-out, they too hold their Wild Card spot. In terms of the Eagles chances, however, which rely on them winning out, I'm counting Week 17 as a loss for the Cowboys.

THE FALCONS: The Falcons are definitely the real-deal, holding on to beat a tough Tampa team in OT yesterday. Next weekend, they travel to Minnesota to play the division leading Vikings, who need to win to hold off the Bears. I don't expect the Falcons to win this game on the road, but you never know. They've played like winners all year. And then they're lucky enough to finish the season against the Rams at home. They won't lose this game. Because the Falcons still sit a half game ahead of the Eagles, we need them to lose one of their final two games or we don't have a chance, even if we win-out.

OTHER SCENARIOS: Chicago is quietly only a game behind the Vikings, and they finish against Green Bay at home, and then Houston on the road. Chances are, if the Bears end up winning the division, it will not affect the Wild Card, but who knows. If Atlanta wins-out, and Tampa doesn't win again, the Eagles still have a shot, but I don't expect that to happen. Who knows though. It's great for fans and the league that there are so many different outcomes this late in the season. That's why the NFL is king.

Tonight's game against the Browns should be fun. Here's hoping that the good Eagles show up.

Yes, I know I said a few weeks back that the Birds were not going to make the Playoffs. In the spirit of a season of highs and lows (i.e. inconsistency), I'm proud to say I was wrong. Or rather, that the door is not closed. They have a shot. Here's my take on what may happen, done without the aid of any of playoff scenario calculators or any of that nonsense.

First things first, the Eagles must win their final 3 games. Monday night against Cleveland, the following week in Washington, and closing out the season against the Cowboys at home. While it might not be a mathematical certainty, I cannot see them making the playoffs if they lose even one of those games, as that would put them at 9 wins and open up the field to teams like the Bears, Saints and Redskins. As it is, if they win out, they're still only going to be 10-5-1. The tie very well could either get them in, or keep them out.

For purposes of this analysis, I'm only considering the teams that are currently ahead of the Eagles in the Wild Card race because, like I said above, they need to win out to really have a shot. As of today, there are 3 teams ahead of them: Tampa at 9-4, Dallas at 8-5, and Atlanta at 8-5. If the season ended today, Tampa and Dallas would be the NFC's Wild Card teams.

Of the 3 teams being considered, I think Tampa has the easiest schedule. @ Atlanta, and then the Chargers and Raiders at home. While I'd love to see them implode after losing to Carolina on Monday night, the team is coached by Jon Gruden, so that's unlikely. I think there's a reasonable chance they win all 3 of their remaining games, especially with no games in cold weather over the last 3 weeks of the season. At worst, they probably win 2 of the 3 games, putting them at 11-5.

Dallas has the toughest schedule. They host the Giants and Baltimore, and then travel to Philly for a Week 17 showdown that very well might determine the second Wild Card spot. If both the Birds and the 'Boys win their next two, that would put the Eagles at 9-5-1, and the Cowboys at 10-5 headed into their matchup in Philly. In that scenario, if the Eagles win-out, the tie gets them in the Playoffs. More likely, however, is that Dallas will at least lose one of their next 2 games, putting them at 9-6 before the Eagles game. The tie has no impact on this scenario if the Eagles beat the Cowboys. Dallas is on shaky ground right now, so there's a chance they lose their next 2 games, which would effectively take them out of the hunt, and continue the winless playoff record for Romo and Wade Phillips. That would make me happy.

Last but not least is the Falcons, who have had an incredible year led by rookie QB Matt Ryan. Their final 3 games are Tampa, @ Minnesota, and then St. Louis. Again, no cold weather games for this team. I think there's a good chance they only beat St. Louis, putting their record at 9-7. A great year for a team that no one expected anything from, but not enough to get them into the playoffs in the tight NFC.

It's all clear now, right? Seriously, in a way, I think the Eagles control their destiny--if and only if they win out. Atlanta isn't going to win all of their remaining games, and we have the extra half game to help us with the Cowboys even if they pull out a miracle and win their next 2 before closing the season with a loss in Philly.

One thing that's interesting is that all of the Eagles remaining games are in cold weather. Because cold weather games are often lower scoring, closer affairs, it probably means that the margin of error for the Eagles is very, very small. They have to play superb football and not make mistakes to win the next 3. Here's to hoping that they don't lay an egg against Cleveland on Monday night and throw all of this to shit. I don't expect it to happen, but I tell you this. I won't be the slightest bit surprised if it does.

I don't think there's a team in the NFL that epitomizes Dr. Jeckyl and Mr. Hyde more so than the Philadelphia Eagles. The latest example comes after they dominated arguably the best team in the NFL on their home turf. The game was not nearly as close as the final score of 20-14 indicated. One of the TDs came on a blocked FG, and the other came late in the 4th Quarter when the Eagles were in a Prevent D. Preventing what, I'm not sure. Maybe preventing them from stopping the Giants. But whatever--every NFL does that.

D Mac completed almost 2/3 of his passes, Westbrook carried the ball 33 times (not a typo), and the D held the Giants dominant running game to 88 yards. The offense had long, sustained drives, and the D was shut-down. Aside from the running game, one big difference in Sunday's version of the Eagles is that people made plays--particularly Donovan's receivers. They didn't drop balls and they fought for the extra yards, picking up first downs and keeping drives alive. The Eagles were clearly the better team on Sunday.

So, why the Jeckyl and Hyde? The biggest reason is the health of Brian Westbrook, arguably the most well-rounded RB in the league when he's healthy. Andy Reid never let on how hurt Westbrook must've been earlier in the year, hence the heavy reliance on the passing game. The lesson here is that if Reid doesn't trust the RB backups he currently has, he better upgrade them next year. RBs get hurt, and you need a viable alternative if you don't want one injury to tank your whole season.

With every other team in the division losing Sunday, the Eagles are still in the thick of the NFC playoff race. It is very likely that the tie on their record will make a difference at the end of the season. Let's just hope that the extra half win gets us in the Playoffs, as opposed to the other way around.

Next up is a Monday night game against the hapless Browns. My expectations are still low, but I'm hopeful that the Birds are finally finding their stride and will win this game in convincing fashion.

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.