Whatever cliche you prefer "any given Sunday" or "that is why they play the game", it is still hard to believe how bad the Eagles looked today in a 13-9 loss to the 1-4 Oakland Raiders in a game they were favored to win by over two touchdowns. From the opening kick off the Birds never looked in sync as the Raiders out played them in every phase of the game.
The offensive line offered little protection for Donovan McNabb as he was sacked 6 times and under constant pressure all day long. Philadelphia was never able to establish any kind of running game as Oakland's defense held them to only 67 total yards on the ground. Despite the fact that the Eagles did not turn the ball over and intercepted Raider QB JaMarcus Russell twice, they could not find the end zone all day long. By no means did the Oakland offense overwhelm Philly's defense, but they were able to connect on one big pass play for a 86 yard touchdown in the first quarter as well as convert some key third downs that kept the D from getting off the field.
I'm still not sure what to make of this loss. It could be a matter of jet lag from traveling across country, looking past this game because of how bad the Raiders looked on film, or something a bit deeper such as this team is not as good as we all thought. One thing is for sure, right now they look very average and cannot be considered one of the top teams in the NFC.
With the Giants losing big to the Saints, they had a golden opportunity to close the gap in the division and grab a share of the lead. Instead, they lost a game they should have easily won making you wonder if they will even compete for a playoff spot in the very competitive NFC. With three straight division games coming up, they will have a chance to right the ship, but right now you cannot help but feel there are more questions than answers with this team.
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