Talon_60
11-14-2007, 04:18 AM
Eagles could win battle of NFC mediocrity
By REUBEN FRANK
phillyBurbs.com
If one thing is settled nine games into this 2007 season, it's that the Eagles are average. Painfully, convincingly, consistently average.
They can't compete with the best in the league, but they're quite capable of hanging in there with second-tier teams, those in the same position they're in — scrambling to reach .500, battling for mediocrity, trying to position themselves for a late-season wild-card run.
Not what this year was supposed to be about. It was supposed to be about the triumphant return of Donovan McNabb, a big-time revamped defense, the emergence of a young receiving corps and continued domination of the NFC East.
Not happening. The Cowboys and Packers have distanced themselves from the NFC pack, and everybody else is going to be playing the first weekend of January.
So it's clear that unless you want to start putting together your 2008 mock draft, all you've got to look forward to is a late-season bid for a wild-card berth.
What's equally clear is that once you get past the Cowboys and Packers — a team the Eagles should have beaten on opening day — nobody in the conference is any good.
The thing is, somebody has to get those two wild-card slots.
But who?
Hmmm.
Why not the Eagles?
OK, because they stink. Good answer.
But everybody else stinks. And, granted, back-dooring their way into a road wild-card game isn't anybody's idea of a successful season for a team that played in the Super Bowl three years ago, but it beats a December full of meaningless Sunday afternoons. And right now, it's all the Eagles can aspire to.
So let's see what has to happen for the Eagles to play postseason football for the seventh time in eight years.
First, let's separate the NFC teams into three categories: 1) division winners, 2) wild-card hopefuls and 3) garbage. Let's put the Cowboys, Packers, Buccaneers and Seahawks into Category No. 1 and the Vikings, Falcons, 49ers and Rams into Category No. 3.
That leaves the Eagles and seven other teams vying for two spots.
Right now, the Giants and Lions are the favorites to win those wild-card spots because they're sitting at six wins. But let's take a closer look. The Giants always finish poorly. They're 23-9 the first half of the season under Tom Coughlin and 10-15 the second half. Not impressed with the Giants.
And the Lions? Frauds. Come on, they just lost to Arizona. And take a look at their last seven games: Giants at the Meadowlands Sunday; Packers twice; Cowboys, Chiefs and Vikings home; and Chargers in San Diego. We'll give them the Chiefs and Vikings, but they might lose all the others. That's 8-8 — with a head-to-head loss to the Eagles.
Who else?
The Redskins? They're 5-4, but four of their next six are on the road and then they finish with Dallas.
The Panthers? They're 4-5, but they've lost three in a row, scoring only 27 points in those games. And they head up to Lambeau Sunday.
The Saints? Had been playing better, but they just lost at home to the winless Rams. They do have a fairly easy schedule though.
The Cards? Please.
What about the Bears? A little scary. They're 4-5 but have a light second-half schedule and that head-to-head win over the Eagles. They also have Rex Grossman back at QB.
Even if you give the Giants the first wild card, nobody else is a lock to get to nine wins.
The Eagles are in such lousy tiebreaker shape that they probably wouldn't be able to get through in a 8-8 free-for-all.
Can they get to nine?
Probably not.
If you give them wins against the Dolphins and Bills and losses to the Patriots and Cowboys, that means they'd need to sweep their three other games — the Giants, Seahawks and Saints - to find their way to nine.
Likely? No.
Possible? Yes.
The Eagles didn't have Brian Westbrook in the first Giants game, and they get them home next time. The Seahawks aren't anything special — 1-3 on the road and losers of three of four going into last night's game against the 49ers. The Saints? They barely beat the hapless Falcons and lost at home to the Rams.
Bottom line: There is something to play for, and if the Eagles can just put a little consistent stretch together, the postseason is within their reach. The Eagles are traditionally a very good second-half team — 44-16 in November and later in the regular season since 2000.
The Eagles aren't very good in a season where that just might be enough.
Reuben Frank is a sports writer for the Burlington County Times. E-mail him at rfrank@phillyBurbs.com.
By REUBEN FRANK
phillyBurbs.com
If one thing is settled nine games into this 2007 season, it's that the Eagles are average. Painfully, convincingly, consistently average.
They can't compete with the best in the league, but they're quite capable of hanging in there with second-tier teams, those in the same position they're in — scrambling to reach .500, battling for mediocrity, trying to position themselves for a late-season wild-card run.
Not what this year was supposed to be about. It was supposed to be about the triumphant return of Donovan McNabb, a big-time revamped defense, the emergence of a young receiving corps and continued domination of the NFC East.
Not happening. The Cowboys and Packers have distanced themselves from the NFC pack, and everybody else is going to be playing the first weekend of January.
So it's clear that unless you want to start putting together your 2008 mock draft, all you've got to look forward to is a late-season bid for a wild-card berth.
What's equally clear is that once you get past the Cowboys and Packers — a team the Eagles should have beaten on opening day — nobody in the conference is any good.
The thing is, somebody has to get those two wild-card slots.
But who?
Hmmm.
Why not the Eagles?
OK, because they stink. Good answer.
But everybody else stinks. And, granted, back-dooring their way into a road wild-card game isn't anybody's idea of a successful season for a team that played in the Super Bowl three years ago, but it beats a December full of meaningless Sunday afternoons. And right now, it's all the Eagles can aspire to.
So let's see what has to happen for the Eagles to play postseason football for the seventh time in eight years.
First, let's separate the NFC teams into three categories: 1) division winners, 2) wild-card hopefuls and 3) garbage. Let's put the Cowboys, Packers, Buccaneers and Seahawks into Category No. 1 and the Vikings, Falcons, 49ers and Rams into Category No. 3.
That leaves the Eagles and seven other teams vying for two spots.
Right now, the Giants and Lions are the favorites to win those wild-card spots because they're sitting at six wins. But let's take a closer look. The Giants always finish poorly. They're 23-9 the first half of the season under Tom Coughlin and 10-15 the second half. Not impressed with the Giants.
And the Lions? Frauds. Come on, they just lost to Arizona. And take a look at their last seven games: Giants at the Meadowlands Sunday; Packers twice; Cowboys, Chiefs and Vikings home; and Chargers in San Diego. We'll give them the Chiefs and Vikings, but they might lose all the others. That's 8-8 — with a head-to-head loss to the Eagles.
Who else?
The Redskins? They're 5-4, but four of their next six are on the road and then they finish with Dallas.
The Panthers? They're 4-5, but they've lost three in a row, scoring only 27 points in those games. And they head up to Lambeau Sunday.
The Saints? Had been playing better, but they just lost at home to the winless Rams. They do have a fairly easy schedule though.
The Cards? Please.
What about the Bears? A little scary. They're 4-5 but have a light second-half schedule and that head-to-head win over the Eagles. They also have Rex Grossman back at QB.
Even if you give the Giants the first wild card, nobody else is a lock to get to nine wins.
The Eagles are in such lousy tiebreaker shape that they probably wouldn't be able to get through in a 8-8 free-for-all.
Can they get to nine?
Probably not.
If you give them wins against the Dolphins and Bills and losses to the Patriots and Cowboys, that means they'd need to sweep their three other games — the Giants, Seahawks and Saints - to find their way to nine.
Likely? No.
Possible? Yes.
The Eagles didn't have Brian Westbrook in the first Giants game, and they get them home next time. The Seahawks aren't anything special — 1-3 on the road and losers of three of four going into last night's game against the 49ers. The Saints? They barely beat the hapless Falcons and lost at home to the Rams.
Bottom line: There is something to play for, and if the Eagles can just put a little consistent stretch together, the postseason is within their reach. The Eagles are traditionally a very good second-half team — 44-16 in November and later in the regular season since 2000.
The Eagles aren't very good in a season where that just might be enough.
Reuben Frank is a sports writer for the Burlington County Times. E-mail him at rfrank@phillyBurbs.com.