Are the Eagles up to the Task?

We all wonder how much the day's events dictate how the Eagles play against Dallas on Sunday. What happens if the Eagles are mathematically eliminated from playoff contention? Or if they are still alive at kickoff? How does that uncertainty affect the team in the days ahead as it prepares for the regular-season finale against Rival No. 1? We don't know the answers. The players were peppered with those kinds of questions on Wednesday. In the midst of everything that is going on -- Christmas, the aftermath of the tough loss to Washington, a handful of players who have expiring contracts after this season -- the Eagles said the right things about their intentions for this game. They want to beat Dallas. They need to beat Dallas. They hate Dallas just as much as you hate Dallas and as much as I hate Dallas. Dallas sucks. There, got that out of the way.
With their playoff hopes hanging by a thread, the Eagles take on Dallas at 4:15 p.m. Sunday at Lincoln Financial Field knowing they need a lot of help to again control their playoff destiny. At 8-6-1, the Eagles are coming in to this game hoping to turn the tables on Dallas after the Cowboys 41-37 victory in Week 2 of this season. Certainly, the offense must be more productive than it was on Sunday in the 10-3 loss to the Redskins. The Eagles failed to mount much of a challenge until their final drive of the game, when a pass to wide receiver Reggie Brown ended six inches short of the end zone.
Surely, Dallas studied the ins and outs of the Eagles' performance against Washington and took note. The Redskins were physical with the Eagles, banging rookie DeSean Jackson around, sending him to the locker room for a spell with hurting ribs and eventually contributing to the kid's tough game. They saw that Reggie Brown had a decent game, nothing special, in his return to the wide receiver rotation. They saw L.J. Smith catch seven passes, but also drop a couple that could have led to big plays. They saw Brian Westbrook shake free only once, down the sideline, when a long catch and run gave the Eagles a first down in the red zone. They saw the Eagles struggle to keep drives alive, converting just 3 of 14 third downs. In general, Dallas saw the Eagles do very little of anything special. Dallas has a pressure-based defense led by DeMarcus Ware, who is just 2 sacks shy of an NFL record for most sacks in a single season. The Cowboys are fast and talented and they live off of big plays. Donovan McNabb has to drop back and get rid of the ball quickly and accurately. The Eagles must have better production and balance offensively and they must convert third downs after the poor 3-of-14 performance last Sunday.
Defensively, the Eagles have their hands full against an explosive Dallas offense. The Cowboys have outstanding players at all of their skill positions and they run the ball effectively with Marion Barber and Tashard Choice. Barber has been banged up and is a question mark for this game, however. Pressuring quarterback Tony Romo is the key. The Eagles need to force some turnovers and give their offense a short field with which to work. Trent Cole has racked up six of his nine sacks in the last seven games and has produced four sacks in six career games against the Cowboys. However, in the Week 2 meeting, Cole made just one tackle while he and his defensive mates failed to register a sack in a 41-37 shootout loss. After registering a career-high 12.5 sacks in 2007, and earning his first-career Pro Bowl appearance, Cole has been receiving a great deal of attention from opposing offenses, yet he still has been effective at pressuring the quarterback and stuffing the run. Cole is one of the game's premier pass-rushing ends whose presence on the edge helps out an already-formidable secondary that features a pair of Pro Bowl selections. Cole leads the team in hurries (19), ranks tied for first in sacks (9.0) and tackles for loss (9), and third with three forced fumbles. Cole has to lead the charge to pressure Tony Romo. And standing in his way will be veteran Flozell Adams, a premier tackle in his career and the key to Dallas' offensive line. The Eagles, which stand among the league leaders with 44 sacks, can't let Romo get comfortable.For now, I just want to beat Dallas. I ache to beat that team. I sure hope the players, every one of them, feels the same way. Sunday is a tremendously important game. The Eagles need to beat Dallas -- any time, anywhere, no matter the circumstances. It is a matter of professional pride. So, anyway, I want to see how much the Eagles have for Sunday. I hope they bring everything. Andy Reid is going to coach to win. There isn't going to be a time to "look at the kids," no matter what the playoff picture looks like. The Eagles are going to play to beat the Dallas Cowboys and to do so they are going to need every ounce of energy and focus. It is going to be a physical, nasty game against a team the Eagles and their fans, genuinely dislike. So no mater the playoff picture; go Eagles and beat them Cowboys.

Who to watch:

• LT Tra Thomas vs. LB DeMarcus Ware
• CB Asante Samuel vs. WR Terrell Owens
• RB Brian Westbrook vs. LB Bradie James

Playoffs in sight, Eagles Blink

Losing to Washington was agonizing. I know the pointed finger from the fans and the media is largely in the direction of head coach Andy Reid. It was out of whack on the stat sheet, no doubt about it. Donovan McNabb threw the ball 46 times, was sacked twice and scrambled two times, meaning the Eagles called 50 pass plays. They called 14 running plays, gaining 54 yards. The ratio was lopsided, and it didn't work, but the reason the Eagles scored only three points is because the entire offense didn't work. In the first half, for example, the Eagles ran the ball 9 times (for 35) yards and passed it 11 times, and had all of 66 total net yards and zero points to show for it. The ratio is only part of the equation here. Granted, two of those runs came as the Eagles basically wound down the final seconds off the clock, but I'll also point out that without those runs and the 11 yards they gained, the Eagles managed a meager 55 net yards offensively in the opening two quarters. The mark of the three-game winning streak was an offense that started quickly, established the line of scrimmage and then found balance in the run/pass game. The Eagles started in mud against Washington. Truth is, the Eagles failed everywhere offensively on Sunday. They were burdened with lousy field position (to repeat the post-game column, the Eagles had 10 of their 12 drives start at the 20-yard line or worse, and had four of those drives start at the 9-yard line or worse) and they didn't sustain enough drives (the Eagles, after converting 33 of 50 third downs in a three-game winning streak, were just 3 of 14 on Sunday) and they dropped passes and missed blocks and couldn't connect the dots enough to get the Redskins on their heels.
The Eagles had a couple of chances to make plays down the field, and both times Donovan McNabb threw catchable balls to DeSean Jackson that he just couldn't bring in. One was a twisting, over-the-shoulder try down the left sideline on a first-and-10 play with 6:09 to go from the Philadelphia 20-yard line. The other was a crusher -- a picture-perfect throw to Jackson on a "go" route from the Washington 40-yard line that Jackson failed to hold in the right corner of the end zone. Washington, known to play primarily man-to-man coverage, mixed their looks in this game. They showed a lot of two-deep zone over the top, apparently content with giving the Eagles a yard or three here and there. That didn't help the Eagles though since Jackson wasn't the only one to drop passes. Seven drops, by unofficial count. Five, six, seven, the number was way, way too high to be acceptable. The Eagles' pass catchers -- wide receivers, tight ends and backs -- suffered a bad day Too many dropped passes has been a theme before and is the reason that I have said all along they need some better receivers. McNabb is who will be blamed or Andy Reid but the fault lies solidly on the receiving corps.
It's hard to find fault with the defense here. Washington gained only 249 total net yards and the Redskins ran for 122 yards on 32 carries. Campbell hurt the Eagles with a couple of scrambles -- he ran for 28 yards on two runs -- and he had good, smart ball security. The Eagles needed a takeaway here, and, like that opportunity in the end zone, didn't make it happen. Early in the fourth quarter, for example, Asante Samuel had a chance to intercept Campbell on a sideline pass to Devin Thomas, but the ball glanced off of Samuel's fingertips. Instead of having the football near midfield, the Eagles watched as Redskins punter Ryan Plackemeier -- an MVP on this day -- dropped a punt at the 3-yard line. The defense, while brilliant for much of the game, had its chances, too. At 0-0 in the second quarter, the Redskins moved from their 14-yard line to the Eagles 14 and looked into the end zone for six points. Jason Campbell's pass for Santana Moss was deflected and nearly intercepted by Quintin Mikell, who tipped the pass into the air. Chris Gocong's diving attempt to intercept the pass, after Mikell's missed moment in the end zone, came up empty and Washington scored a field goal to lead, 3-0.Painful. Very painful. The Eagles controlled their playoff destiny when the game started, thanks to San Diego's win over Tampa Bay, but by the end of the day the Eagles again needed help with one game remaining. Tampa Bay has to lose to Oakland in Tampa next Sunday and the Eagles have to beat Dallas at Lincoln Financial Field. Chicago has to lose to either Green Bay on Monday night or at Houston next week. Minnesota has to lose to the Giants. There is one game to go and the Eagles are going to do their best to wipe away the harsh disappointment of the loss to the Redskins. They are going to look ahead. For the rest of us, the days in front will serve as a painful time to re-hash the shouldas, couldas and wouldas of a season that is. The thing was theirs. The Tampa Bay Bucs handed it to them just before the Eagles took the field against the Redskins. They had fought and clawed their way from oblivion over the last few weeks and the bright shining light of the playoffs was finally in view. They were in control. All they needed was two more wins, starting Sunday with the reeling Redskins.

The Eagles Say it’s Payback Time for the Redskins

The Eagles’ playoff hopes remain alive and they take their three-game winning streak to Washington to face the Redskins on Sunday. The road goes through the NFC East for the Eagles to make the playoffs. After three consecutive victories, the Eagles play at Washington on Sunday with a chance to get back at the Redskins after an early-season loss at Lincoln Financial Field. Washington’s fortunes are sagging after a 6-2 start; the Redskins are now 7-7 and very much a long shot to reach the playoffs. On Sunday, the Redskins will be missing Chris Samuels, the six-time Pro Bowl left tackle, who opened running lanes for Clinton Portis, the NFL's third-leading rusher. Samuels was placed on injured reserve this month with a torn right triceps. Eagles defensive end Trent Cole has called Samuels one of the two toughest tackles he has faced. Aside from the loss of Samuels, Portis has been playing with an assortment of injuries, one to his left knee and the most recent to his neck. In the last three games he gained only 131 yards on 47 carries.
These are heady days for the Eagles' defense, third in the league all of a sudden, after dominating the Giants and the Browns. The Eagles' run defense has been at its best of late, allowing a total of 170 yards over the last three games. That includes a mere 88 yards against the Giants' potent three-headed monster. The Eagles didn't do a very good job of stopping Pro Bowl running back Clinton Portis and the Redskins' running game in the first meeting. In fact, the unit was gashed for 203 rushing yards, including 145 yards by Portis, in a 23-17 loss. Portis ranks second in the league with 1,544 scrimmage yards (1,337 rush., 207 rec.). He has 282 rushing yards (141.0 per game) in the past two meetings with Eagles, including one touchdown. And how Portis produces often determines the team's fate. The Redskins are 6-1 when Portis rushes for at least 85 yards and 1-6 when he doesn't. Portis has eclipsed the 100-yard rushing mark just once in the last six games. Washington utilized a stretch play to get Portis going in the earlier meeting, but a season-ending injury to Pro Bowl tackle Chris Samuel could make that difficult this time around. Still, Washington presents a physical challenge for Philadelphia's fifth-ranked run defense.

The 8-5-1 Eagles still need help to make the playoffs, but they are in better shape than the 7-7 'Skins, who have faded fast after a 6-2 start. On Sunday the key, as is so often the case, will be forcing Campbell into third-and-long situations, and winning the physical battle on the line-of -scrimmage against the Redskins. It's one thing when a defense has been duped by an unexpected scheme or beaten for a touchdown by some sleight of hand - a trick play that has "gotcha" written all over it. It's quite another matter when a defense has been physically whipped by the grunts on the offensive line blowing open holes for running backs. That gets down to football's macho core, and defenders are loath to concede it when it happens. In their division losses to Washington and the Giants this season, the Eagles lost most of the man-to-man battles along the line of scrimmage. As a result, the Redskins rolled through them for 203 yards rushing, and the Giants battered them for 219 yards on the ground. Embarrassment over the way the Giants had beaten them helped fuel the Eagles in their rematch two weeks ago. Now the Eagles are preparing to settle a score with the Redskins on Sunday at Washington. It's a score they probably must settle to sneak into a wild-card spot.

Who to Watch:

• Eagles SLB Chris Gocong vs. Redskins TE Chris Cooley
• Eagles RDE Trent Cole vs. Redskins LT Stephon Heyer
• Eagles RB Brian Westbrook vs. Redskins LBs

The Eagles Win 30-10 on Great Night for B-Dawk

The Eagles opened strong and then breezed past Cleveland, 30-10, controlling the football, dominating defensively and squandering just enough touchdown opportunities to keep the score reasonable. This game had all the intensity of a summer scrimmage, except that it counted. There wasn't a whole lot to take from Monday night's dismantling of the Browns, other than the Eagles took care of business. That's the way it was all night. The Eagles got the football, gain one first down after another and dominate the time of possession category (the Eagles had nearly doubled the Browns' time of possession by halftime, had converted 7 of 9 third downs and kept the game close only because they threw two interceptions in the end zone, one from DeSean Jackson from the "Wildcat" formation and one on a McNabb fade pass to Hank Baskett at the end of the half). On defense, other than a couple of go-up-and-get-'em catches by wide receiver Braylon Edwards and a nifty run or two from receiver/return man/do-everything Josh Cribbs, the Eagles smothered Cleveland. You expected something different? The Eagles did what they had to do to stay alive in the playoff race. They are now 8-5-1, winners of three straight games, and they have greater challenges ahead. But if there was any question the team was going to overlook the woeful Browns, it was answered very, very early. While the offense played poorly in the red zone, McNabb and his mates did what they wanted to do anywhere else on the field. Cleveland had a spirited 63-yard drive on its first possession, but then the Eagles came back with a 12-play, 51-yard drive and, well, it was just so obvious that the Browns couldn't stop the Eagles. The offense stopped itself on two red-zone possessions with interceptions but rolled up 392 total net yards and 30 points before the mass substitutions began -- quarterback Donovan McNabb, running back Brian Westbrook, tackles Tra Thomas and Jon Runyan sat down -- and the Eagles coasted for the final 10-plus minutes of the game.
Now it is on to the final two games, two must-win outings against NFC East teams. The Eagles have a short week to prepare for Washington, on the road. Monday night's game didn't seem to be particularly physical and Westbrook had only 19 touches and McNabb was hit only a couple of times ... and the Eagles should be in pretty good shape for Washington. they need to play better than they did on Monday. McNabb didn't break much of a sweat while throwing for 290 yards and two touchdowns -- the man completed 74 percent of his passes -- and continued that nice, relaxed rhythm he had in the previous couple of games. Most notable, almost in the spirit of the scrimmage-like feel of the night, was that three different Eagles tossed interceptions. It was that kind of light-hearted feel in Game 14, very strange indeed. What do you take from this night? Nobody was injured. Everybody played. The Eagles rolled.
Atlanta beat Tampa Bay in overtime on a Jason Elam field goal, ending a back-and-forth slugfest, an ugly game, really, and what it means for the Eagles is that they have to win their three games and get some help. Atlanta plays at Minnesota next week and then finishes home with the Rams. Tampa Bay hosts San Diego and Oakland. The playoff picture is very clear: So the Eagles didn't gain control of their destiny yet. It would have been great if it had happened, but there is nothing to cry about here. The Eagles need to win out. They need some help. A loss by either Tampa Bay or Atlanta will do the trick. As we all knew, the season comes down to the division. The Eagles broke their goose egg with a win at the Giants. On Sunday, they need to play at FedEx Field, a venue that should have a decided Eagles feel to it with the Midnight Green and White descending upon Landover, Md.Brian Dawkins received a great ovation when the Eagles announced at the beginning of the game that he had set a franchise record for most games played. Well deserved, too. He heard as the fans at Lincoln Financial Field stood and roared their approval for a player who has left every drop of his energy on the field for 13 seasons, a player who has graced the organization each day he has been here, a player who has a talent and passion unmatched. "I mean I just thank them. I thank them so much," said Dawkins after the team's 30-10 win over Cleveland on Monday night. "I've been obviously blessed to play this game for a long period of time. Like I've always said connected, I feel like I connected with the fans pretty well. We come out to party together. I've enjoyed every game and partied with them." Oh, what a party it has been. The marvelous Weapon X has been a joy to behold, one of the greatest players ever to wear an Eagles uniform, a player who has been so great for so long that it kind of seems like Dawkins has been around here forever which, by NFL standards, he has. Dawkins was a second-round draft pick in 1996. He was here during Ray Rhodes' final, bleary seasons. He was here during the transition to Andy Reid and has been a steward as the Eagles enjoyed a half-decade of deep playoff runs and, even a Super Bowl appearance. It's been a remarkable success story, punctuated on Tuesday with the news that Dawkins was voted into the Pro Bowl for a seventh time. This is Hall of Fame material, no question about it. Dawkins continues to defy the logic of the league. Players in their 13th season don't make the Pro Bowl, especially at a position that demands speed, agility and the physical toughness to take on running backs that have ballooned by 15-25 pounds (in some cases (Brandon Jacobs, for example), more) since Dawkins came into the league. Dawkins has played in 181 games as an Eagle and yet here he is, coming out of the tunnel before a game against the 4-9 Browns, banging his helmet, literally acting like a man out of his mind. It is great theatre. It is an astounding display of voltage from a player who gives just as much now as he gave when he was 25, or 28. Dawkins has played this way his entire career, from his pre-teen days until now. There are few Eagles who transcend the years and the generations of teams. Dawkins is one of those players, one of those men. He is not done being a great player, not by a long shot. As the Eagles bumped along the road for much of the season, Dawkins insisted that the vibe in the locker room was positive and that the confidence level was high and that, yes, the Eagles would turn it all around. They have done that. The team is playing for a playoff spot. This is the most exciting time in an NFL season, and Dawkins is right in the middle of the action. He is bouncing around, thumping his chest, playing to the crowd and enjoying every second on and off the field. Isn't that what the game is all about? We play games as kids because we love the games. Dawkins is a kid in a man's body. He is still in high school flying around the field; tackling everything he can reach, running sideline-to-sideline throwing everything he has into the effort. Enjoy him. Admire him. Honor him. Dawkins deserves it all, and more. His kind doesn’t come around very often. We are all fortunate to have been part of the career of such a special player and a special man who clearly has touched Eagles fans as few players in this proud franchise's history have in 76 years of football.

Can the Eagles Make it Three Straight?

Philadelphia goes for three straight wins in this Monday night game against the struggling Browns (4-9), who had playoff aspirations prior to the season but who are now on their third quarterback (Ken Dorsey) of a dismal campaign. With wins over Arizona (48-20) and New York (20-14), the 7-5-1 Eagles have climbed back into the thick of the playoff picture, and the team has a surge of confidence after defeating the Giants last Sunday. Confidence is important but the thing that the Eagles need to keep in mind is DON'T GET OVERCONFIDENT. Overconfidence has cost better teams wins and the Eagles can't afford a loss, especially against a team that they should beat easily. The Eagles have balanced the offense and they have given Brian Westbrook the football early and often in the last two games. Westbrook is averaging 166 yards from the line of scrimmage, with six total touchdowns, in the last couple of weeks. The run defense is playing well and the intensity on defense has helped the Eagles keep their season alive. The Eagles don't want to overlook the Browns, who still have explosive receivers with Braylon Edwards and Donté Stallworth. Starting strong and getting the Lincoln Financial Field crowd revved up is what the Eagles need more than anything Monday.

The Eagles are riding a two-game winning streak as they return home for Monday Night Football against the Cleveland Browns. This should be a gimme game against a team that has struggled all year, as long as the Eagles don’t slack off and let the Browns stay in the game. An easy game this late in the year is something the Eagles really needed so let’s hope they take advantage of it and keep the playoff hopes alive. There really isn’t much else to say, the McNabb, Westbrook, Dawkins, and the rest of the team just need to play like they did in the last two games and this one should take care of itself. I can’t overemphasize how important it is not to get overconfident. The Browns could win this game in the fourth quarter if the Eagles don’t put it away. Start strong, get the crowd in the game and then finish, that should be the gameplan. Remember if curiosity killed the cat then overconfidence killed the playoff run. I’ve seen it too many times in the past; the Eagles loosing a game they should have won easily because they just didn’t play hard enough. Not just the Eagles either all of the NFC East teams are bad about it. They go into a game against a team with a loosing record and loose just because they don’t seem to want it as bad as the other team. I think I have made my point the Eagles should win this game easily as long as they play well, and don’t make stupid mistakes.

Who to Watch:

• Eagles CB Asante Samuel vs. Browns WR Braylon Edwards
• Eagles C Jamaal Jackson vs. Browns DT Shaun Rogers
• Eagles Special Teams vs. Browns Special Teams
• Eagles Pass Rush vs. Browns Offensive Line
• Eagles RB Brian Westbrook vs. Browns LB D'Qwell Jackson

Eagle Refuse to let Playoff Hopes Die 20-14

Sunday's impressive win over the Giants was the start of a Great Eagles Day, followed by an Atlanta loss to the Saints, a Dallas loss in Pittsburgh and the Washington meltdown in Baltimore. Suddenly, the Eagles are right there with three games to go, in the thick of the playoff hunt, a team that is percolating and one that now should have, or absolutely does have, the swagger we've been waiting to see. The offense has been more productive, more consistent and more efficient in the last two games because, using football speak, everyone has "executed" the X's and O's more effectively. After weeks and weeks of maddening inconsistency. The Eagles have put together back-to-back games in which the offense has been pretty darn good from start to finish. Not perfect but good enough convert 22 of 33 third downs, ring up 48 points on the Cardinals and then control the clock and score 20 points against the Giants to win two games the Eagles absolutely needed to win.

What is the difference? There is no single answer. A lot of factors come into play here, ranging from the increased emphasis on the running game to the great play from the offensive line to the slimmed-down rotation at wide receiver. All of those are valid, no question about it. But maybe more than anything else, and this is simplifying things enormously, the truth is that McNabb and running back Brian Westbrook are back where they should be: They are taking the ball and taking control of this offense.
Westbrook, for one, has been marvelous in these last two games. He is averaging 166 yards from the line of scrimmage and he has scored 6 touchdowns. You can see the burst and the moves and the durability are back with Westbrook. Clearly, he just wasn't healthy for much of this season and no doubt that contributed to a lower-than-usual yards-per-carry average. Down the stretch, though, Westbrook is the breadwinner. He won't carry 33 times every week ( hope that Correll Buckhalter comes back this week, and that the Eagles continue to use Kyle Eckel here and there as a fullback in some formations and as a third-and-1, short-yardage back at other times) but the Eagles know they need to get the ball to Westbrook. Having these three days off this week will provide a huge benefit as the three-game homestretch waits.
McNabb's season, on the other hand, has been marred not by injuries, but by an uneven offensive performance, some out-and-out poor games and, finally, the benching in Baltimore. It's easy to see that move as a turning point of sorts for McNabb and for the Eagles, and that may very well be the case. Who knows? All that matters is that in the two games since then, McNabb has looked as relaxed as he has been all season in the pocket. He is in a rhythm throwing the football. He sees the field well. He is running when the opportunity is there -- McNabb's 44 rushing yards in the last two games can't be minimized in their importance.
The Eagles answered every question thrown at them on Sunday and exited with a 20-14 win in a game that wasn't as close as the final score. The Eagles won going away, really. They took it to the Giants in the fourth quarter, which was something great to see. A team that had trouble inserting the dagger did just that on Sunday, winding down the clock with a bruising, efficient running game and making just enough plays in the passing game to keep the Giants honest.
It was a beautiful display of Eagles football, and it set up a chain of events that helped the team's playoff cause greatly. Moments after beating the Giants, the Eagles glanced at the television outside of their Giants Stadium locker room and saw New Orleans run out the clock in its win over the Falcons. Atlanta now has five losses, with games against Tampa Bay, at Minnesota and against St. Louis remaining. That is not an easy schedule.
After that it was the Dallas game in Pittsburgh, one that certainly looked to be going the Cowboys' way late in the fourth quarter. I watched from the press box at Giants Stadium as the Dallas defense overwhelmed Pittsburgh. The Cowboys had a seven-point lead and the ball and time was winding down and then the Cowboys imploded. And quarterback Tony Romo finished an awful performance with an interception that went the other way for a game-leading touchdown for the Steelers and then Romo failed on the last-minute offense and the Cowboys trudged off the field, wide receiver Terrell Owens screaming at a coach. It was a great sight, frankly. Dallas has five losses now, with tough home games against the Giants and Baltimore before coming to Lincoln Financial Field on December 28.
A Washington team that started the season so well largely because it made so few mistakes is now making all kinds of errors. They have gone from 6-2 to 7-6 in the blink of an eye, with a road game at the Bengals this week before they host the Eagles in two weeks and then finish at feisty San Francisco. The Redskins need to sweep their final three games to have a playoff chance, it seems.
Sunday was a perfect Eagles day, not only for what this team did but for how the teams around them played. And the feeling now, the quiet aftermath of a crazy day, is exhilarating. It is December football. It is a playoff race. It is an Eagles team that is playing the kind of football that everyone here knew it could play.
The Eagles have no choice but to win the final three games, a tough task for any team. This is a one-day-at-a-time approach right now. Cleveland is next. The Eagles have to play well on Monday night to win a game and get to 8-5-1. But it sure does seem to all of us amateur experts that the offense has a better tempo now. The players are in and out of the huddle more quickly. The Eagles are running the ball more, having the luxury of early points and solid leads that lend to the strategy of eating clock late in the game by running the football. There seems to be more confidence running the football with this offensive line surging at the snap of the ball. The receivers seem to be more sure handed and McNabb has had great ball security ( zero turnovers in the two games) and improved timing.
A team that needed leaders to step forward has done so collectively, with McNabb and Westbrook leading the way offensively. This is how it should be: The best players lead by example, by what they do on the field, by the plays they make at critical times. That has been the case with this offense, with McNabb and with Westbrook. For right here and right now, the feeling is a pure excitement. The Eagles are 7-5-1, having won the last two games in convincing fashion to resurrect a season that was on the brink, that was teetering on the way to nowhere. By sticking together, by keeping it positive in the locker room and with the coaches, the Eagles have warded off some of the toughest times they have encountered in the Andy Reid era. They have turned it around in the last two weeks. They are in the race with some momentum on their side.There are a lot of factors playing into the two-game revival, but no doubt. What is most encouraging is that McNabb looks so good, so relaxed, in the pocket. He is delivering the ball with more authority, trusting his receivers to make plays. And despite the ups and the downs of the season, McNabb's next touchdown pass will give him 20 for the season, a level he has reached only three previous times.

The Eagles Look to Keep their Playoff Hopes Alive against the Defending Super Bowl Champion Giants

The Eagles face a huge test this week against the defending Super Bowl champion Giants as they look to keep their playoff hopes alive. With their playoff hopes still alive, the Eagles look for their first NFC East win of the season against the 11-1 Giants. Philadelphia will have to get a much more consistent performance from its defense to reverse the 36-31 loss it suffered to the Giants a month ago at Lincoln Financial Field. In that game, New York ran for 219 yards and controlled the time of possession to take the big win. The Eagles (6-5-1) are trying to get on a roll. They are coming off a most-impressive 48-20 win over Arizona, a game in which the offense rang up nearly 450 yards and quarterback Donovan McNabb threw four touchdown passes. Running back Brian Westbrook accounted for 130 yards from the line of scrimmage and scored four touchdowns and the Eagles had their most productive game of the season at the line of scrimmage. Defensively, the Eagles know they must limit a Giants running game that is averaging 4.9 yards per carry. They also know they have to get to quarterback Eli Manning and pressure him into making mistakes. The Eagles are expected to be aggressive and attack the line of scrimmage on Sunday. The reality, as we all understand, is that the Eagles have to play as perfect a game as possible to defeat the 11-1 Giants on Sunday. Every player, every coach, every situation, has to be right. The 48-20 pasting of the Cardinals was a glimpse into how good this team can be, but the mark of a truly outstanding team is the ability to play at that level on a week-in, week-out basis.
This is a big game for Tra Thomas and the edges of the line. The Eagles face the prospect of some nasty weather in Giants Stadium and they may have to shorten up their game plan. Thomas is going to see some pressure on blitzes and from the Giants' defensive scheme. He needs to give Donovan McNabb time to throw. The last time the Eagles were in Giants Stadium was not a pretty sight for the offense. The Eagles have to win the line of scrimmage. McNabb and the offense cobbled together 300 total net yards against the Giants in the 36-31 loss on November 9, striking for some big plays, taking advantage of turnovers and putting the ball in the end zone via the passing game. If the offensive line can play as well now as it did then and give McNabb time to set up and throw, the Eagles will try to gash the New York secondary with their receiver pieces. McNabb is the driver of the offensive engine. He has to show the same poise, pace and confidence he did against Arizona. That was McNabb in one of his best games of the season. In the earlier game against the Giants, McNabb was 17 of 37, but he also threw 3 touchdown passes and ran for 35 yards. Mixed in was a costly interception. He knows the deal. The Giants have a pressure-oriented defense. McNabb has to be quick with his reads, accurate and very decisive. This game, then, is a superb test for the receivers, for the passing game, for the philosophy of the offense. It is one thing to do it with such an authoritative and confident approach against Arizona. Hey, the Eagles deserved a good pat on the back for a job well done on Thursday night.
The tight end position is another concern. L.J. Smith has 22 catches and 3 touchdowns, not exactly the kind of production the Eagles need from the tight end position. In this game, Smith has to be a weapon. The short- and intermediate-range passing game has to be there for McNabb to offset the New York pressure defense and, potentially, the weather conditions. Smith had 32 yards worth of receptions against Arizona, his third-highest yardage total of the season. He had 3 catches and 32 yards in the previous game against the Giants after missing a game with a concussion. Without production from the tight ends, the Eagles will have a hard time getting the ball outside to the receivers. Smith must force the Giants to respect the area between the hash marks.
It remains to be seen if the Eagles have enough at wide receiver to win big. There have been multiple problems at many times with this offense, and not one area is to blame. The receivers, as a group, have had too many drops and not enough touchdowns. Still, the Eagles believe they can be successful with this wide receiver corps, but they also recognize the need to be more consistent. The Eagles need to make some big plays to turn back the Giants, and rookie wide receiver DeSean Jackson is a logical candidate to do so. He leads the team with 53 receptions for 775 yards, with two scores. Jackson has also been a home-run threat in the return game. New York's secondary has played better than many expected it would this year, due in part to a great front seven that applies pressure to the quarterback. The Eagles must unlock Jackson down the field and stretch the Giants defense. Otherwise, the Eagles will have very little room at the line of scrimmage. Jackson has been sensational this season. He has made plays in traffic and he has used his exceptional speed to get beyond defensive backs. Even though he weighs around 175 pounds, Jackson has been tough and durable. The Eagles look to him in critical situations and he has delivered. They need Jackson to punch some openings in the New York secondary as a receiver, a running back and the X factor in their "Wildcat" formation that they use from time to time. It is an interesting watch at a position that fascinates everyone, and that continues to be a daily debate among fans. Do the Eagles have enough at wide receiver to win a Super Bowl? By trimming the rotation from six players to four, Reid and the coaching staff are saying that, for now, less is more. In the game against Arizona, when the Eagles torched the Cardinals for 437 total net yards, the foursome of Curtis, DeSean Jackson, Jason Avant and Hank Baskett fit the pieces together perfectly. Jackson was an intermediate-area receiver who caught and ran his way to 76 yards and a touchdown on 6 receptions. Jackson found space and used his speed and quickness to tear up the Cardinals' hash-to-hash defense. Curtis was the water bug, finding creases in coverage as Donovan McNabb spread the ball around. McNabb tried to stretch the field with a long pass down the field to both Jackson and Curtis, just to keep the Cardinals from squatting on short routes. Baskett was the go-to receiver to keep the chains moving. Four of his 5 receptions gained first downs, and Baskett did a little bit of everything -- catching and running for 20 yards, laying out and making a spectacular diving grab, running a quick slant for a catch in coverage and catching a dump in the flat for 2 yards and a first down. Avant, usually the staple on third downs, did his damage in traffic with 4 catches for 25 yards and a touchdown. Together, the group of four receivers combined for 20 catches, 2 touchdowns and 202 yards. The two other receivers, Brown and Greg Lewis, played sparingly but did not catch a pass. The assumption, then, is that the Eagles will continue with the four-man rotation at wide receiver and that, while Brown and Lewis will dress and may see a few snaps here or there, they will not be much more involved in the picture. The challenge on Sunday against an excellent Giants defense is to, as Reid likes to say, put his receivers in position to make plays in the passing game. This is another Sunday and another 60 minutes of questions for the wide receivers. Are they good enough? Is this team good enough? The challenge waits in the form of the defending Super Bowl champions, a Giants team that is 11-1 and the best team in the league.
The Eagles will try to run the ball, yes, but they are looking at matchups here and, frankly, the Giants just don't give up much on the ground. You don't open gaping holes against New York's front seven. You don't deal aces from the first snap through the 60th minute when you are playing against players and a scheme who are this good. What you do is remain patient, stick to your approach, change on the go when the opportunities present themselves and play with a high level of efficiency and precision. The Eagles will need running back Brian Westbrook to be at peak form if they are to pull off the win they desperately need against the Giants on Sunday, and it appears that's what they're going to get. Bothered much of the season by a sprained ankle, later by fractured ribs, and frequently by a chronic knee problem that often prevents him from practicing, Westbrook said yesterday he feels like he did at the start of the season, largely because the Eagles had three days off following their Thanksgiving night win over Arizona. For the first time in weeks, Westbrook showed the speed and agility that's made him one of the game's most complete backs when he ran for 110 yards and scored four touchdowns, two running and two on catches, against the Cardinals. He was named the NFC offensive player of the week. In the Giants' 36-31 win over the Eagles on Nov. 9, Westbrook was held to 26 yards on 13 carries. Following that game, the Giants said defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo told them to keep 22 eyes on Westbrook at all times. New York defensive end Justin Tuck reiterated yesterday that stopping Westbrook is the key to stopping the Eagles' offense.
Defensively, the Eagles know they must limit a Giants running game that is averaging 4.9 yards per carry. They also know they have to get to quarterback Eli Manning and pressure him into making mistakes. The Eagles are expected to be aggressive and attack the line of scrimmage on Sunday. Trent Cole doesn't have the sack numbers of one season ago -- he has seven -- but Cole has played very well in every phase of the game. He'll need to get after Eli Manning and make Manning move off his spot. The first priority of the defense is to stop the run, but the Giants are just as capable at beating teams with their passing game. Manning is still prone to turning the ball over and losing ball security in the pocket when he is pressured. Cole is going to see double teams, chipping, and a lot of nasty stuff thrown his way. Doesn't matter. A premier end, which Cole is, makes a difference in games like this. In his second season as a starter, Bunkley seems to be ready to take that next step in his development. He is a good player on the way to becoming a very, very good player. This is the kind of game that can help Bunkley move forward. The Giants are excellent inside with their blocking scheme, they are very physical and they have a devastating blend at running back. Bunkley has to be big. He made 11 tackles in the first meeting against the Giants, despite an overall defensive performance that struggled. New York's rushing success from one month ago doesn't fall directly on Bradley's shoulders, but he is the middle linebacker and Bradley takes great pride in having success against the run. Bradley recorded 16 total tackles in that game, but the Giants still controlled the line of scrimmage and the second level of the defense on the way to 219 yards on the ground. Bradley must be around the ball all game. He has to get off blocks and get to Brandon Jacobs and Co. before they have a chance to run downhill. It is a tall task, and it is going to be a telling one for Bradley. Is he ready to be a top-flight middle linebacker? He is making strides. This is a big game for Bradley and the defense. Also the safeties have to do it all. They have to support against the run and help in coverage, particularly against tight end Kevin Boss. Mikell also has to be over-the-top help against the Giants down the field. Now, New York doesn't have Plaxico Burress. That is a headache the Eagles don't need to worry about in this game. But the Giants are still threats with Domenick Hixon, the ageless Amani Toomer, Steve Smith and Sinorice Moss. It is a good group. The Eagles can't get lulled into a false sense of security here. Mikell leads the Eagles with 133 total tackles, has 3 interceptions and 2 quarterback sacks. He has had a fine season. Dawkins will be himself and play up to the level we expect as well. We can expect ot hear both of their names called many times in this game.Which team will we see on Sunday, the team that tied Cincinnati and lost to Baltimore or the team that annihilated the Cardinals on Thanksgiving? Lets hope that they play like they did on Thanksgiving. This game is a test that will show if the Eagles have what it takes to advance to the playoffs in January. They can win this game but they have to play the best football this team has played all season, and they can't make mistakes or slow down if they get into the lead. In conclusion (off topic) I would like to say congratulations to Donovan McNabb and his wife on the birth of their twins. I hope that the team can help Donovan celebrate by bringing home the win on Sunday.

Who to watch in this game:

• Eagles LB Stewart Bradley vs. Giants RB Brandon Jacobs
• Eagles CB Sheldon Brown vs. Giants WR Amani Toomer
• Eagles RB Brian Westbrook vs. Giants LB Antonio Pierce
• Eagles RG Nick Cole v. Giants LDE Justin Tuck
• Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Johnson vs. Giants QB Eli Manning