(ThatKidInTheCorner :: Guess Who I Think Is Going To The You Know What)

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January 6, 2007

Guess Who I Think Is Going To The You Know What

One can't accuse me of waffling on this one (okay, maybe a little)

You know, it might sound a little crazy, but I actually think that the Eagles can make it to the Super Bowl.

Surprise, surprise.

Per lo usual, I can say "I told you so" in re: the Eagles making it to the Super Bowl. Of course, I can admit that the precision of these predictions is compromised somewhat by the fact that, well, I kind of say this every year (2005 edition, 2006 edition). So be it. I think my favorite team is going to win every year. So what of it?

At the same time, I can admit that things felt pretty dark for this team in the middle of November -- even before the McNabb injury. After an outstanding start which had the Birds not only atop the NFC standings (following a most satisfying vanquishing of T.O. and the Cowboys) but also near the top of the Football Outsiders footballnerd rankings, the Birds stumbled a bit. The defense was tentative, the playcalling was stubborn, and it really looked like we were going to have another 2005. The annoying thing was that the nerd stats said that the Eagles should have had a better record -- they just kept screwing up when it mattered. Calamitous turnovers, missed tackles, and dumb penalties all doomed the Eagles to a middling record at best.

I was pretty over it. I was sick of trekking to the bar every week in my goofy jersey, getting genuinely upset when they lost, and stumbling back to my apartment to fume. Sure, I was probably just rerouting other frustrations into my sports feelings, but hey, it felt real. I was down on Andy Reid (thought he was stubborn about the playcalling and that the players weren't really trying for him anymore) and essentially had come to terms with the fact that this wasn't the 2004 Eagles anymore. They had turned a bunch of the roster over, and it really wasn't the same team (new defensive line, new interior offensive line, new receivers, shuffled linebackers, etc). The Eagles had gotten a lot younger, and at least I could look to a mostly positive future (both lines were young, none of the receivers was older than 26, the secondary save for Dawk was still young). I had made my peace with 2007.

And then, in the words of Andy Reid, they got this thing turned around. Five games/ wins later, they're the NFC East champs and they're hosting a playoff game. And I think they have a pretty good shot at making the Super Bowl. What I'm thinking (following a brief interlude so you can watch the video of Randall throwing that 96-yard pass against the Bills from 1990):

The NFC stinks: have you seen the sort of warmed-over crap that's in the NFC playoffs? The Eagles have distinguished themselves over the past month just by not self-destructing every week. The Bears are a mess on offense, and their defense -- especially the secondary -- is suddenly suspect. The Nerdbirds haven't won a game that matters in over a year, and signed a couple guys off the street to play DB this week. The Cowboys lost to 3-13 Detroit AT HOME in a game that mattered and Tony Romo has tiny little hands. And the Giants are openly discussing replacements for their confused middle-manager of a coach. These teams are not good. The only one that looks like they might have some mojo is the Saints. Just a little too much NFL/ America-F*ck-Yeah energy behind them. And they're less inconsistent than the rest of these assclowns. This concerns me.

Why I'm also a little scared of the Giants: okay, I can't pretend that the Giants couldn't beat the Eagles. Las Vegas doesn't think they will, but it's a divisional game, the Giants have some weapons, and you really never know with these things. I feel like the pointspread is based mostly on the inconsistency of the Giants, and that's fair. But if the Birds turn it over early, the Giants get a couple bogus PI calls (which will undoubtedly involve Plaxico Burress pushing off), Tiki starts smiling for the cameras...and suddenly we're gushing about what a leader Eli Manning is. My blood pressure is rising already.

All hail Andy Reid and Brian Dawkins: a month ago I was saying things like "I'd like to see McNabb play for another coach and not just spend his entire career under Andy Reid" in a sort of John Elway Reeves-to-Shanahan sort of way. And I didn't think this meant that McNabb should change addresses. Andy Reid, I take it all back. You absolutely know what you are doing. You are a much better coach than all the other jokers who've come and gone (and will come and go this offseason) in the NFC East. Also, Brian Dawkins has been playing like a complete superhero over the past month. I thought he was supposed to be old? Really doesn't look like it.

The McNabb Thing (told you so): dude, the imaginary quarterback controversy needs to stop. Should the Eagles win the Super Bowl, I will be more than happy to address this topic. Until then, enough! Remember that guy at the bar in Invincible who hates everyone and is always trying to undermine Vince's successes? The Negadelphian guy? Philly, that's you. ENOUGH. Also, someone needs to change Mrs. McNabb's password. Just shush. Also, I definitely wrote the following after the Carolina game:

my my, those fickle Philly fans were out for blood tonight! They go from booing an obviously injured Jeff Garcia (who had taken a couple horrifying shots from the Panthers' defensive line) to worshipping their cagey veteran hero playmaker! Sure, the people (as demonstrated on various online polls) want A.J. Feeley, but Jeff Garcia won them over. Of course, the downside of this is that now we'll have to endure "Is Garcia better than McNabb" blather for the rest of the year. Whatever. The reporters get paid too.

In praise of Jeff Garcia: right right, Donovan McNabb will be the starter next fall, but that doesn't mean he can't learn from watching Mr. Garcia. Two things that Garcia does very well: (1) play desperately on third down and (2) handle the press. Garcia plays every third down like it's fourth and goal in overtime (with all the attendant scrambling and lunacy), while McNabb is content to chuck and incompletion and fight another day. Converting those third downs is important, though. It keeps the ball, it tires out the defense, and it gets people fired up. Something good there. Also, McNabb is genuinely frightened by the Philly press. You can't really blame him at this point. Especially after 2005 and all the T.O. and NAACP nonsense. And when even AI says that playing in Philly "made me a man" in re: the media, you know it's nasty (remember, AI has been to prison). But Donovan, you need to just make your peace with it. And, again, tell your mom to shush.

The hidden upside of an Eagles loss: as a buddy suggested, even if the Birds lose, they win, because then moron Tom Coughlin might keep his job for another year!

The Nerdbirds game: pretty fired up for this evening's Nerdbirds - Cowboys tilt at Qwest field, which I shall be proudly attending. Of all the games this weekend, this is the one that I have no idea about. I have a feeling a lot of points will be scored, but that's just because I don't think either defense is any good. The weather at least looks to remain pleasant. I'll try to get a bunch of photos on the Flickr.

My Birds prediction: I think that the rest the Birds enjoyed last week makes a difference. I think Westbrook goes off in this game behind a fired-up offensive line. And I think the defense continues to improve. I suspect Tiki will score a little and Eli won't be terrible, but it won't be enough. Andy Reid will look like an idiot when Akers misses a field goal, but hey, we all enjoy irony. I hope I can be searching for tickets to New Orleans tomorrow night: Eagles 26, Giants 20.

Go Birds.

Posted by thatkid at January 6, 2007 11:32 AM under Philly , Sports

January 6, 2007

Guess Who I Think Is Going To The You Know What

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