At Least We Can Laugh At Ourselves

I got a laugh out of this one.

I swear I'll start writing again. Just don't when the mood will strike me.

On the bright side, I have 36 hours until I close on my new place and get some privacy back. Hopefully that will spur the creative juices and get me writing again.

In The Spirit of Today's Coronation...sorry, meant Inauguration

Since everyone has adopted Obama as the universal symbol of hope, I thought I'd jump on the bandwagon and take a cue from him. With the loss to the Cardinals and pitchers & catchers still approximately a month away, the Flyers are all we have to get us through the winter.

Let's go boys. A city turns its lonely eyes to you.

The Ultimate Tease

Yesterday, I was too annoyed to discuss the game that would have gone down as the greatest in Eagles history, but quickly turned to another heart wrenching loss. Christ, we were one stop on defense away from getting to another Super Bowl, but instead we are left with another empty offseason of questioning what this team needs to do to take the next step. The more I think of it, I believe I have the answer.

The core of the team that has been to five NFC Championship Games, coaching staff included, is just not good enough. The lot of some people's lives is to just be a #2. Not a #1. Look at Charlie Weis. He is a phenomenal offensive coordinator, but he is not a head coach. He just doesn't have that it. Think about people you work with. Some people have the make up to be the leader of an organization and others, while fantastic as being a #2 in the company, just don't have what it takes to be the top guy. That's how I feel about Donovan and Andy. (By the way, I have totally borrowed this theory from Colin Cowherd.)

You cannot take anything away from D Mac and Andy. They are very good at what they do, but I just have the feeling that they max out at this level. They will always finish one step short of a title. No matter what happens, they do not have what it takes to come up big in the biggest of spots. All this being said, what can we do? There is no one out there guaranteed to be any better those two. Is there any available QB and coach you'd want to fire Reid and dump Donovan for to get you to this point every year? Absolutely not.

However, I will say this. I do strongly believe this team could win a title with Donovan. It would require Reid to be fired and to bring in a defensive minded head coach that would bring in an offensive coordinator that would focus on running the ball. Remember what happened with John Elway. He did not win the Super Bowl until the team revolved the running game of Terrell Davis. I could see the same thing happening here if a Mike Tomlin type coach was brought in and a big time running back drafted (I truly hope RB is one of our 1st round picks this year.)

In any event, Sunday's game was truly disappointing. I went from the highest of highs (the bomb TD to DeSean) to the lowest of lows (the final Cards TD and our failed final possession). Don't know how long it will take to get over this one, but in terms of comparing the NFC title game losses, this one is second to the loss to the Bucs. Nothing will ever top how bad I felt that day. Sunday's game was there for the taking, but the Birds fell painfully short.

It's easy to place blame on Reid/McNabb, but the real problem was that the defense just couldn't get it done when they had to. For the most part, it looked as though the Cards' offensive brain trust was one or two steps ahead of Jim Johnson's defensive play calling. Sure Quentin Demps was abused on the pitch, throw back, bomb to Fitzgerald, but at this point in his career Demps is no match for Fitzgerald and the Cards were looking for that match up and took advantage of it like any good play caller should.

Overall, that was the key to game. The Birds' defense looked helpless on too many crucial plays. Unfortunately, we now have another offseason to go through all the what ifs. Even more unfortunate is that this is a position we are all to familiar with.

How Much Did The Phils' Title Change Your Thoughts Towards The Birds?

I don't know if you guys are experiencing the same thing, but it sure seems that every Philly Sports Phan I talk to you has the same quiet confidence that the Birds are somehow going to find a way to win on Sunday.

Of course the 48 to 20 win on Thanksgiving Night has something to do with that, but you have to think that if we were still in the title drought, we all would be looking at this game as too good to be true and surely expect the other shoe to drop.

With the heroics of Cole, J Roll, the Big Man, Chase, and Mr. Perfect still fresh in my mind, I feel transformed as a phan. I finally feel confident about my Birds. (Christ, if they win this week, I might even forgive them for breaking my heart when they lost the last game at the Vet in 2003 - aka the NFC Championship Game against the Bucs). I now expect the best to happen. I suppose that's what a title does for you.

After all, we've seen the Birds win two straight road playoff games (the last one against the defending champion Giants) after miraculously making the playoffs. Why can't they continue this run? It's not like they are playing a fire breathing monster of a team like last year's Pats. All of the 4 remaining teams are beatable.

They have as good a chance as anyone else to win the Super Bowl. As I said a couple weeks ago, "Why Not Us?"

How Friggin Cool Is This?

Yo Capt, you have enough space in your yard. Why don't you do something like this?

The Improbable Becomes Probable

In the wonderful world of professional sports, the hungry and the hunted can change before your very eyes.

Just a year ago, the Giants were the team that overcame a rough midseason to rally late in the year and went on a ridiculous hot streak that they rode all the way to the title. This year, to our astonishment, the Birds could be very well following in their footsteps.

I had an inkling pretty early on Sunday that the Birds could be moving to the next round. After a non descript run play in the first quarter, Derek Ward went after B Dawk after a borderline hit. Stew Bradley quickly interceded and pushed Ward away from Dawk and a couple other Birds got into his face. Shockingly, none of the G Men came to the rescue of one of their guys. It sure looked like the Gints were not as hyped up to play as the Birds, which was absolutely stunning considering the stakes.

While that play was the key to demonstrating the emotions each team was playing with, the other key plays were made by D Mac on the drive that gave the Birds the lead for good. On the 3rd and 20 and 3rd and 10 first down conversions, it sure looked like Donovan turned the clock back about 5 or 6 years as he moved around in the pocket to let the open man uncover and then delivered a perfect strike that allowed Avant and Buck, respectively, run for the first down. Other than the bomb to D Jax late in the game, these two plays were the lonely highlights by the offense as today's game was won by the guys on the other side of the ball.

Seriously, what more can you say about the defense? This is the best group of Eagles defenders since the stellar '91 defense of Reggie White, Jerome Brown and Crew. They keep making play after play and the surprising thing is that everyone contributes. You see B Dawk make a play in the run game, then you see Stew Bradley stuff a running play, or you'll see Juqua Parker string out a run to the outside, and then you'll see Trent Cole pressure the QB into making a bad thrown. The two fourth down and short stops were brilliant examples of gang tackling and team defense.

Today, they set the tone with big play after big play, highlighted by another Asante Samuel pick and huge return. Plus, as my buddy the Captain said, "I'm not getting nervous until we give up a TD." The Giants never scored a TD, so I guess he never got nervous. Sure, the offense is sporadic as hell, but the way the defense is playing right now, can you honestly not see this team advancing to Tampa?

I'm just going to enjoy the ride because if this Eagles team is to continue to mirror the '07 Giants, then we have two phenomenal games left!

IT'S ON!

Game day has finally arrived! And not a minute too soon. Frankly, I'm completely bored by all the stories about the Giants late season slide, B West's various injuries and how the State of New Jersey is split between Giants and Eagles fans. Seriously, I've had enough. Let's get to the game and end all the talk.

Here are a couple things to watch for today:

1) Can the Birds get off the field on 3rd down? To me, that is the single biggest determining factor as to when this defense is playing well. If the Giants are consistently picking up third downs, we're in trouble.

2) Do Andy and Marty stay with the running game long enough to keep the Giants honest? If the Birds pass it at a 65% clip, we're in trouble. Plus, after last week, I'm not sure if our o-line will hold up pass blocking that many times.

3) Do the elements effect our kickers? Sure, Akers and Rocca have looked good the last couple weeks, but remember Rocca is flat out brutal in the cold and Giants Stadium is Akers' own personal grave yard. I see the G Men having a substantial edge in the kicking game.

4) Will Andy lose the coaching battle? This is the single biggest thing that scares me about this game. Andy never wins big games against coaches that have Super Bowl rings and unfortunately, we don't have Brad Childress on the other side of the field again today.

Despite the above factors, you have to admit that last night's games didn't really help out the Birds today. Sure, nothing that happened yesterday has a direct effect today. The players and coaches decide what happens today, but how many times do more than 2 road teams win in one divisional playoff round? How many times do both top seeds get knocked out in this round? I can't remember it ever happening. Therefore, the odds are against us today. Big time.

One other thing I have to add....is it me or is there some juice missing from this game? I really think the Phils really dismissed so much angst from this town. I was out last night and the band played "Fly Eagles Fly". Usually, if this happened the eve of a big playoff game, the crowd would go bonkers. Last night, the crowd greeted it with half hearted enthusiasm. I really think this city lost a little something...or maybe it's just me.

All this being said, I suppose I should make a pick. I think this city has some karma going on. Between the Phils' title and how the Birds got a ton of help to make the playoffs, combined with the good fortune of playing a team that had no shot to beat us last week and now playing a team missing it's biggest weapon against us due a self inflicted GSW, how can you not see that things are rolling in our direction? Yup, I really don't have much to hang my hat on, but I'm going with the karma factor and picking a 23 to 16 win by the Birds. I see B Dawk factoring in somewhere on the play of the game.

Oh F&*k

Did anyone else's heart sink when they saw the above picture on the cover of SI this week.

I know mine did.

The Stars Stepped It Up

Games like today's are when you need your stars to come up big and lead the way. Thankfully, D Mac, B West, B Dawk (Lord, NFL nicknames are boring), and Asante Samuel stepped up and showed why they are paid the big bucks.

For three and a half quarters, the Birds were locked in a life and death struggle against the Vikes and then like a bolt of lightning, the game was broke wide friggin' open as a result of one of the best executed plays I think I've seen the Eagles run in my life time. The 71 yard screen pass touchdown was a perfect call and also run to perfection by the entire offense. Sure, D Mac sucked the defense in and threw a great screen pass, and B West was the guy that caught the pass and took it to the house, but Buckhalter, Nick Cole, and Kevin Curtis, among others, all had great blocks to spring the play.

As I was driving home from watching the game tonight, I was able to figure out what the screen pass to B West reminded me of...it had the feel of Ryan Howard's game 4 three run homer which cracked open the game and titled the series in the Phils' favor.

The funny thing about that play was before it occurred, my buddies and I were all ripping Westbrook for looking old and slow and wondering when Buckhalter would be given the ball. After the game changing play, I joked that it seemed like B West looked as if he had been cryogenically frozen like Austin Powers during the first three quarters and had been reanimated right before the touchdown screen pass.

In addition to the big plays from Donovan and B West, Asante Samuel showed why the Birds lavished him with a 6 year, $57 million contract when he jumped a pattern, picked off the pass and took it in for a seemingly game changing TD. To me, Asante had been kind of a disappointment this year, despite his Pro Bowl nod. It was great to see him step up and make a huge play at such a crucial time of year.

D Mac was efficient all day completing several big passes to Jason Avant, Kevin Curtis and Brent Celek (who is quickly making us forget L.J. Smith). If he continues to play like this, we have a great shot at continuing our post season run. The defense was a little spotty in the first half and had trouble early in the game getting off the field on third down, but returned to their stingy ways in the second half.

Overall, it was a strong performance by the team and coaching staff. Now, the question becomes....can they keep it up against a very strong Giants team that is looking for revenge after the thrashing the Birds gave them last month? However, that is a question for another day. Let's enjoy this victory for at least a day. Just think, you could be a Cowboys' fan and have gone more than 12 years without a playoff victory.

PSP's EAGLES' PICK

After a night of watching the Wild Card round of the NFL's playoffs, I'm even more convinced that this year is wide friggin' open. An argument can be made for any of the remaining 10 teams to win the title. There are no juggernauts this year. Everyone has holes. That being the case, I have to ask the question....Why not us?

Sure, Andy Reid still scares me to death and god forbid if we have a situation where we need a 2 minute drill to win the game, but the remaining teams aren't all that different from us. I can see us winning against the Vikes, beating the G Men and then beating whoever is left standing in the NFC Championship Game.

All this being said, I've pretty much given away my pick, but I really have a hard time seeing a team that had such a hard time beating David Carr and the Giants' 2nd team giving us a hard time. Accordingly, I see the Birds in sort of a mini route.

I expect the Birds to win 28 to 13 over the Vikes to set off a bit of mass hysteria in this town, the likes of which we haven't seen in....well, three months. (Sorry, I'm still giddy over that World Series victory.)