By: KO Kelly
Against the Odds
Just a few short weeks ago after the crushing loss to Dallas, the Eagles playoff chances dropped to 15%. I admittedly was ready to write off this season as a Super Bowl slump year and start planning for a more successful and less expectation-heavy 2019 campaign. Even the Patriots had missed the playoffs the first year after their first Super Bowl, so I was okay with being in that company.
Fortunately, our Birds had different plans in mind. They were not done . . .yet! Against daunting odds, Nick Foles & Co strung together three impressive wins to end the 2018 regular season and handle their piece of the playoff puzzle.
The entire Eagles team was on fire against Washington (e.g. Foles tying the record for most consecutive passes and Cox’s racking up three sacks!) and it felt like we might win the battle (our game) but lose the war (a playoff berth). The most stressful part of Sunday’s takedown of Washington was anxiously waiting for the Bears-Vikings’ in-game updates.
However, former NFC foe, Kirk Cousins, had his own Christmas present to deliver . . . just not to Vikings fans. Joining the game with only six minutes left, I believed it was certainly possible for the Vikings to overcome their 14-pt deficit, especially against the Bears’ second-string defense. That is until I saw the dejected faces of the Vikings players on the side line. As my buddy in the row in front of us at the Linc would say: “They don’t want it!”
I am not accusing these professionals of quitting but they certainly did not have the same energy and tenacity we have seen our Birds play with over the past several weeks. And the scene of Cousins’ “coaching” 2x Pro-bowl WR Thielen on how to run a route is not one you want to end your season on. Better luck next year Vikings! Note: After sending me some official Super Bowl confetti earlier this year, I wish nothing but the best for that organization – as long as the Eagles are not still in the mix!
Now onto this week’s match-up against the suddenly relevant and formidable Chicago Bears. They have a young point guard-esque QB at the helm who has performed well in his Sophomore year with a ferocious defense leading the way. Unfortunately for Turbisky, Fletcher Cox is still hungry and after last weekend’s three sack performance - Bennet, Graham, Long, & Co are eager to join the sack party. I expect the pressure of our front four and Chicago’s first playoff appearance since 2010 will ultimately be too much for Mitch (sorry Mitchell).
Da Bears defense will keep things close in the first quarter but by the second quarter Foles will find his playoff groove with a homecoming bomb to Alshon Jeffery and never look back. The 30th anniversary of the Fog Bowl will leave the Bears in a fog as to why they allowed the Eagles to join the playoff party in the first place.
Eagles Win 27-10
Record 10-7
Friday, January 4, 2019
Friday, December 28, 2018
Eagles Flying High Towards Final NFC Playoff Spot
By: KO Kelly
Do You Believe in Christmas Miracles?
Leaving the Superdome back in mid-November I thought our season was over. The team seemed to be in complete disarray without a handle on how to set the ship right. Two wins against bumbling divisional foes provided a little encouragement but those hopes were dashed once again with the overtime loss in Dallas and two top-tier opponents coming up next.
Somehow though, here we are at week 17 and we are still in the playoff hunt. We are down our starting QB once again but the swagger of 2017 is back. Foles’ performance has not always been perfect (see the 1st Quarter of the Texans game) but he has been getting the job done in the clutch (see the last drive of the Texans game).
As I noted last week, the players seem to be energized by Foles’ presence in the huddle and the wisdom he has gained over the years has provided a steady hand on the tiller over these last few weeks. It is yet to be seen if this magical run can continue into the playoffs, let alone Atlanta, but at the very least Foles is making the most of his time left in Philadelphia. He is not going down without a fight and in the town of Rocky – that is all that matters.
Now onto this week’s match-up. Fortunately for us, we face Washington who just cut one of their best defensive players (D.J. Swearinger) and are playing “Name that Washed-up QB” on offense. This game is certainly not going to be a walk in the park given the divisional rivalry and chance for Washington to play spoiler. However, this team has found their groove again and is not going to blow their chance at making a run in the playoffs.
Unfortunately for us, we need help from Chicago to make into the playoffs. The latest news indicates the Bears will be playing their starters as they are still in the position to claim the #2 seed in the NFC playoff picture (they need to win and have the Rams lose to the 49ers). There is a chance the Bears could lay off the gas in the second half if they find out the Rams are blowing out the 49ers, so this weekend we need to be sending out good vibes to our Birds plus the Bears, and the Bay Area 49ers (their stadium is in Santa Clara these days, so ‘Bay Area’ is both alliteratively and geographically appropriate).
The Bears will be conservative in what they show against the Vikings because they could be facing them again the following week in the Wildcard round of the playoffs but they will manage to muster up enough points and stave off the Cousins-led Vikings offense. Come Sunday evening, I foresee a Christmas Miracle for our Birds but no repeat miracle for the Vikings. They will have to wait until next year.
The Bears win this weekend, though, may prove to be their own undoing because this Foles-led Birds team is not one I would want to face in the playoffs. They are battle-tested and ready to re-prove doubters wrong.
Eagles Win 27-13
Bears Win 17 - 14
Record 9-7 clinch 6th Seed in the NFC Playoff Bracket
Do You Believe in Christmas Miracles?
Leaving the Superdome back in mid-November I thought our season was over. The team seemed to be in complete disarray without a handle on how to set the ship right. Two wins against bumbling divisional foes provided a little encouragement but those hopes were dashed once again with the overtime loss in Dallas and two top-tier opponents coming up next.
Somehow though, here we are at week 17 and we are still in the playoff hunt. We are down our starting QB once again but the swagger of 2017 is back. Foles’ performance has not always been perfect (see the 1st Quarter of the Texans game) but he has been getting the job done in the clutch (see the last drive of the Texans game).
As I noted last week, the players seem to be energized by Foles’ presence in the huddle and the wisdom he has gained over the years has provided a steady hand on the tiller over these last few weeks. It is yet to be seen if this magical run can continue into the playoffs, let alone Atlanta, but at the very least Foles is making the most of his time left in Philadelphia. He is not going down without a fight and in the town of Rocky – that is all that matters.
Now onto this week’s match-up. Fortunately for us, we face Washington who just cut one of their best defensive players (D.J. Swearinger) and are playing “Name that Washed-up QB” on offense. This game is certainly not going to be a walk in the park given the divisional rivalry and chance for Washington to play spoiler. However, this team has found their groove again and is not going to blow their chance at making a run in the playoffs.
Unfortunately for us, we need help from Chicago to make into the playoffs. The latest news indicates the Bears will be playing their starters as they are still in the position to claim the #2 seed in the NFC playoff picture (they need to win and have the Rams lose to the 49ers). There is a chance the Bears could lay off the gas in the second half if they find out the Rams are blowing out the 49ers, so this weekend we need to be sending out good vibes to our Birds plus the Bears, and the Bay Area 49ers (their stadium is in Santa Clara these days, so ‘Bay Area’ is both alliteratively and geographically appropriate).
The Bears will be conservative in what they show against the Vikings because they could be facing them again the following week in the Wildcard round of the playoffs but they will manage to muster up enough points and stave off the Cousins-led Vikings offense. Come Sunday evening, I foresee a Christmas Miracle for our Birds but no repeat miracle for the Vikings. They will have to wait until next year.
The Bears win this weekend, though, may prove to be their own undoing because this Foles-led Birds team is not one I would want to face in the playoffs. They are battle-tested and ready to re-prove doubters wrong.
Eagles Win 27-13
Bears Win 17 - 14
Record 9-7 clinch 6th Seed in the NFC Playoff Bracket
Friday, December 21, 2018
In Foles We Trust as Eagles Host Texans in a Must Win
By: KO Kelly
Déjà Foles: Eagles Leave LA with Another mid-December Victory over Rams
Is this a sign of good things to come? The last time we saw this story unfold there was a pretty Super ending!
I know I know, the guy who predicted a blow-out loss last week cannot jump on the Foles-wagon to Atlanta but after the most satisfying game of the year it is hard not to get excited again. Everything that did not click in the first 14 games seemed to finally come together in LA.
We stayed committed to a simplified and run-oriented game-plan. Foles got the ball in Jeffrey’s hands. The defense harassed Goff all night and made him look Eli Manning-esque. Most of all our Birds played like the hungry dogs we saw last year.
Now, not to add anything to the already ridiculous grumblings of a QB controversy but there is something about Foles that seems to energize the team more broadly than Wentz has been able to this year. Maybe it is the resurgence of underdog mentality manifested in Foles’ underdog story. Maybe the players step up more because Foles cannot make the same miraculous plays we have come to expect from Wentz. Or maybe it is much simpler, maybe it is love.
“You win in the 4th quarter by loving one another.”
That was the message Foles delivered on Sunday night after the upset victory against the Rams. Those words are very similar to the message he shared with his teammates in the huddle during the Super Bowl. Clearly this message resonates with the team because they are excited and supportive to have him back leading the team. This is not a knock on Wentz, it is merely a reflection of Foles’ wise-beyond-his-years perspective on this game and life.
Eagles great, Brian Dawkins, during his Hall of Fame speech talked about how he played the game as he would have expected any average Eagles’ fan to play the game if they had the talent and ability to play one NFL game that is, with wild enthusiasm, passion, and grit.
With that in mind, I encourage all of us to use this Christmas season to channel our inner Nick Foles and live life with more love. Imagine how much better your days will be when you focus on love and ignore the trivialities of life, the siren calls of your ego, the anger spewing from all forms of media.
You win in life by loving one another.
Stepping away from the kumbaya fire pit for a second, let’s discuss this week’s match-up against the Texans.
This one appeared to be another obvious loss given the Texans recent 9-game winning streak and our slump but after stumbling against the Colts two weeks ago and an unimpressive win against the paltry Jets – I am inclined to believe we have more than a decent shot in this game. If we stick to a similar game-plan from last week, I am confident our Birds will be able to out-match their defensive firepower. Watson is putting up some solid numbers in his 2nd year, so our defense will be tested again but at home in December – they are up for the challenge.
Our Birds will keep the playoff hopes alive for another week and fingers-crossed we see an upsets in Dallas and Detroit this weekend!
Eagles Win 24-16
Record 7-7
Déjà Foles: Eagles Leave LA with Another mid-December Victory over Rams
Is this a sign of good things to come? The last time we saw this story unfold there was a pretty Super ending!
I know I know, the guy who predicted a blow-out loss last week cannot jump on the Foles-wagon to Atlanta but after the most satisfying game of the year it is hard not to get excited again. Everything that did not click in the first 14 games seemed to finally come together in LA.
We stayed committed to a simplified and run-oriented game-plan. Foles got the ball in Jeffrey’s hands. The defense harassed Goff all night and made him look Eli Manning-esque. Most of all our Birds played like the hungry dogs we saw last year.
Now, not to add anything to the already ridiculous grumblings of a QB controversy but there is something about Foles that seems to energize the team more broadly than Wentz has been able to this year. Maybe it is the resurgence of underdog mentality manifested in Foles’ underdog story. Maybe the players step up more because Foles cannot make the same miraculous plays we have come to expect from Wentz. Or maybe it is much simpler, maybe it is love.
“You win in the 4th quarter by loving one another.”
That was the message Foles delivered on Sunday night after the upset victory against the Rams. Those words are very similar to the message he shared with his teammates in the huddle during the Super Bowl. Clearly this message resonates with the team because they are excited and supportive to have him back leading the team. This is not a knock on Wentz, it is merely a reflection of Foles’ wise-beyond-his-years perspective on this game and life.
Eagles great, Brian Dawkins, during his Hall of Fame speech talked about how he played the game as he would have expected any average Eagles’ fan to play the game if they had the talent and ability to play one NFL game that is, with wild enthusiasm, passion, and grit.
With that in mind, I encourage all of us to use this Christmas season to channel our inner Nick Foles and live life with more love. Imagine how much better your days will be when you focus on love and ignore the trivialities of life, the siren calls of your ego, the anger spewing from all forms of media.
You win in life by loving one another.
Stepping away from the kumbaya fire pit for a second, let’s discuss this week’s match-up against the Texans.
This one appeared to be another obvious loss given the Texans recent 9-game winning streak and our slump but after stumbling against the Colts two weeks ago and an unimpressive win against the paltry Jets – I am inclined to believe we have more than a decent shot in this game. If we stick to a similar game-plan from last week, I am confident our Birds will be able to out-match their defensive firepower. Watson is putting up some solid numbers in his 2nd year, so our defense will be tested again but at home in December – they are up for the challenge.
Our Birds will keep the playoff hopes alive for another week and fingers-crossed we see an upsets in Dallas and Detroit this weekend!
Eagles Win 24-16
Record 7-7
Saturday, December 15, 2018
What the Eagles Need to Do to Win Next Year
By: KO Kelly
Changes are Coming
In golf they use the term mulligan to denote a stroke following a poor shot that will not count against the golfer on their scorecard. This whole season is a mulligan for our Birds.
I cringe to think how the city and sports writers (present company humbly included) would be reacting if we had not won the Super Bowl earlier this year. We would be calling for Doug’s head (some already are), turning on Wentz (a small minority of morons are), and questioning Lurie’s decision to put Howie back in the driver’s seat (a handful are diverting the glory to Joe Doulgas instead).
Luckily, most of us are still able to recognize and appreciate the amazing run we had last year and are willing to give the organization a pass this year. Obviously, this is not the title-defending campaign we hoped for and my theory on the psychology of winning begetting more winning did not pan out. However, aside from the Saints’ game – this team continued to fight hard each week and although I hate to say it (because close only counts in horseshoes & hand grenades) – oftentimes they were just a handful of plays away from winning the game.
Do not misunderstand me, they were miles away from dominating teams like they did last year but generally they were in most games in the 4th quarter and could easily have 5 more wins (Carolina, Titans, Vikings, and both Cowboys games). Having said that, they were also close to losing a handful of other games (Falcons and Colts).
So what do they need to get back into 2017 form, here’s my Christmas wish list:
• Sit Carson for the rest of the season. He is banged up and needs time to relax and reflect. Statistically he is having a solid season but it does not feel that way. He has been a bit sloppier with the ball this year and his timing seems off. I still have faith in him as our franchise QB for the next decade but he needs time to get out of his head.
• Fire Mike Groh. I understand Doug calls the plays but Groh is not bringing anything to the table. He has a track record of dismal offensive production, so I have little confidence he will eventually become some guru here. We have too many offensive weapons for us not to be putting up 30 points a week.
• Bring back 2017 Doug. Last year, Doug would have gone for the 2-pt conversion after the late touchdown in last Sunday’s Dallas game. He would have trusted Carson to get it in there and then for the defense to shut down Dak & Co. Instead, he played it safe just like he saw the Jags play safe against the Patriots, which he swore he would not do and
we suffered the same fate: the big L.
• Fire the medical staff. Even before the most recent reports concerning Wentz’s back injury and the murmurs of concerns regarding our medical staff, I was calling for the firing of our strength and conditioning coaches. After the slew of injuries over the past two seasons, something needs to change in this area of player health. I am not sure if players are being rushed back from injury, misdiagnosed, improperly trained, or what but a full house cleaning would not be a bad start. While the fans want to see wins and stars on the field, we do not want to see Wentz go the route of Luck and lose him for a whole season.
• A lineman heavy draft. Howie dropped the ball on the Tate trade. We did not need another receiver, we needed better play-calling and a defensive tackle. The success of our defense is almost solely predicated on the pressure generated by the front four. We need a better and deeper front four than we had this year. Bennett has been an amazing addition and it would be great to see him return another year since we will likely lose Long but Ngata next to Cox is doing just that – nada. Jernigan and Barnett will be returning but I could see us potentially moving on from Graham, so we need to focus on defensive lineman (and offensive ones as well) in this year’s draft.
• Run the ball with Adams – full stop.
Luckily I know Jeffrey Lurie is an avid reader of Eagles Lincs, so these wishes are bound to come true. In truth, a lot of these are just obvious adjustments that will naturally manifest in their own unique way. I have trust in this organization to right this ship. In fact, I am of the belief that this down and depressing season will actually lead to a better long-term outcome for the franchise. If we were to have won some of those earlier but still sloppy games and had a chance to sneak into the playoffs only to get blown away by the Rams or Saints, we would not have as much impetus to make the changes we need to make. Changes will come from this disappointing campaign and they will be for the better.
As for this week’s game, it will likely be a bloodbath unless the legendary Nick “The Brady Slayer” Foles decides to dial up one of his signature head-scratching performances. Come to think of it, with a simplified game plan and a focus on the run game, we just may have a chance . . . nope, we will likely be destroyed again like in the Saints game.
Eagles Lose score not fit to print
Record 6-8
Changes are Coming
In golf they use the term mulligan to denote a stroke following a poor shot that will not count against the golfer on their scorecard. This whole season is a mulligan for our Birds.
I cringe to think how the city and sports writers (present company humbly included) would be reacting if we had not won the Super Bowl earlier this year. We would be calling for Doug’s head (some already are), turning on Wentz (a small minority of morons are), and questioning Lurie’s decision to put Howie back in the driver’s seat (a handful are diverting the glory to Joe Doulgas instead).
Luckily, most of us are still able to recognize and appreciate the amazing run we had last year and are willing to give the organization a pass this year. Obviously, this is not the title-defending campaign we hoped for and my theory on the psychology of winning begetting more winning did not pan out. However, aside from the Saints’ game – this team continued to fight hard each week and although I hate to say it (because close only counts in horseshoes & hand grenades) – oftentimes they were just a handful of plays away from winning the game.
Do not misunderstand me, they were miles away from dominating teams like they did last year but generally they were in most games in the 4th quarter and could easily have 5 more wins (Carolina, Titans, Vikings, and both Cowboys games). Having said that, they were also close to losing a handful of other games (Falcons and Colts).
So what do they need to get back into 2017 form, here’s my Christmas wish list:
• Sit Carson for the rest of the season. He is banged up and needs time to relax and reflect. Statistically he is having a solid season but it does not feel that way. He has been a bit sloppier with the ball this year and his timing seems off. I still have faith in him as our franchise QB for the next decade but he needs time to get out of his head.
• Fire Mike Groh. I understand Doug calls the plays but Groh is not bringing anything to the table. He has a track record of dismal offensive production, so I have little confidence he will eventually become some guru here. We have too many offensive weapons for us not to be putting up 30 points a week.
• Bring back 2017 Doug. Last year, Doug would have gone for the 2-pt conversion after the late touchdown in last Sunday’s Dallas game. He would have trusted Carson to get it in there and then for the defense to shut down Dak & Co. Instead, he played it safe just like he saw the Jags play safe against the Patriots, which he swore he would not do and
we suffered the same fate: the big L.
• Fire the medical staff. Even before the most recent reports concerning Wentz’s back injury and the murmurs of concerns regarding our medical staff, I was calling for the firing of our strength and conditioning coaches. After the slew of injuries over the past two seasons, something needs to change in this area of player health. I am not sure if players are being rushed back from injury, misdiagnosed, improperly trained, or what but a full house cleaning would not be a bad start. While the fans want to see wins and stars on the field, we do not want to see Wentz go the route of Luck and lose him for a whole season.
• A lineman heavy draft. Howie dropped the ball on the Tate trade. We did not need another receiver, we needed better play-calling and a defensive tackle. The success of our defense is almost solely predicated on the pressure generated by the front four. We need a better and deeper front four than we had this year. Bennett has been an amazing addition and it would be great to see him return another year since we will likely lose Long but Ngata next to Cox is doing just that – nada. Jernigan and Barnett will be returning but I could see us potentially moving on from Graham, so we need to focus on defensive lineman (and offensive ones as well) in this year’s draft.
• Run the ball with Adams – full stop.
Luckily I know Jeffrey Lurie is an avid reader of Eagles Lincs, so these wishes are bound to come true. In truth, a lot of these are just obvious adjustments that will naturally manifest in their own unique way. I have trust in this organization to right this ship. In fact, I am of the belief that this down and depressing season will actually lead to a better long-term outcome for the franchise. If we were to have won some of those earlier but still sloppy games and had a chance to sneak into the playoffs only to get blown away by the Rams or Saints, we would not have as much impetus to make the changes we need to make. Changes will come from this disappointing campaign and they will be for the better.
As for this week’s game, it will likely be a bloodbath unless the legendary Nick “The Brady Slayer” Foles decides to dial up one of his signature head-scratching performances. Come to think of it, with a simplified game plan and a focus on the run game, we just may have a chance . . . nope, we will likely be destroyed again like in the Saints game.
Eagles Lose score not fit to print
Record 6-8
Friday, December 7, 2018
Eagles Still 'In the Hunt' for NFC East Title Heading into Big D
By: KO Kelly
“So you’re telling me there’s a chance?!”
That’s how many of us are feeling about our Birds’ playoff hopes after our two wins in a row against hobbled divisional foes.
Those two - sloppy at times but nonetheless – wins have Eagles’ nation dreaming about a playoff berth for Christmas (and all the other winter holidays as well).
It will not be an easy road with three tough opponents over the next few weeks but it is feasible with a little help from an old friend . . . and long-time foe.
While I am not ruling out the Eagles catching fire in these last 4 weeks and running the table, I am also not banking on it. Our secondary, while serviceable, is still banged up. Hicks and Jernigan are slow in getting back on the field. It completely baffles me that we do not score +30 pts/game given our four talented wide receivers, a record-smashing TE and his understudy plus a budding run-game. I understand Wentz is still recovering but if we could just get out of our own way that would be a huge help (e.g. the two red-zone failures from Monday night).
But I digress, let’s get back to the friends/foes we need help from:
1) Frank Reich & the Colts – Dallas heads up to Indy next week for what we hope is a QB clinic from Luck and a second loss in a row for Jerry’s boys
2) The Giants – this week against Washington and the final game of the season against Dallas
If Washington loses this week, they are pretty much out of the picture and even if they don’t lose, with Mark Sanchez at QB – they are not going too far.
If Dallas loses one of these two games, it opens the doors for the Eagles to claim the NFC East crown even if they were to loss another game in the final three games. It would not be a pretty crown but it is still a ticket to the dance!
There are a couple other scenarios with the Vikings, Seahawks, and Panthers in the mix for the wild-card spots, but that was more “what-if” forecasting that I was willing to invest mine time in - so let’s just hope they all lose or tie for the next few weeks.
Now onto this week. I called a pretty good game last week with Tate’s break-out game, Ertz’s etching his name into the records books, and the exact score – so I am hopeful I will be as on point in this match-up.
With Dallas coming off the big win against the Saints, they are certainly feeling themselves a bit. I am sure our Birds are gaining confidence as well but given the trials and tribulations they have been through this year, I do not see them taking this game lightly.
The Dallas D has been much better of lately but now that we have figured out how to incorporate Tate into the offense and are relying on the run again, we are going to see the offensive explosion we have been waiting for. Wentz will have a few head-scratching moments but this will become one of his defining games where he orchestrates a masterful performance as the Eagles rally to come back from an early deficit.
As for the other QB on the field, Dak will unfortunately play decent as well. With our battered secondary and a focus on stopping Zeke, Dak will have opportunities to connect with his new favorite target Amari Cooper. He will come to know Kamu Grugier-Hill, though, when he gets sacked hard for a loss. (I am not huge fan of trash talk but is it trash talk if it is just the facts?!)
It would be nice if this were a Week 16 match-up because then there would be the chance that Ertz breaks Witten record in Dallas but alas we will have to settle for him scoring two monster touchdowns to end the first half and start the second.
At the end of the day, we will walk away with the W and some more swagger in our steps, which we will need as we then take on two of the hottest teams in the NFL: Rams & Texans.
Eagles Win 38 - 24
Record 7-6
“So you’re telling me there’s a chance?!”
That’s how many of us are feeling about our Birds’ playoff hopes after our two wins in a row against hobbled divisional foes.
Those two - sloppy at times but nonetheless – wins have Eagles’ nation dreaming about a playoff berth for Christmas (and all the other winter holidays as well).
It will not be an easy road with three tough opponents over the next few weeks but it is feasible with a little help from an old friend . . . and long-time foe.
While I am not ruling out the Eagles catching fire in these last 4 weeks and running the table, I am also not banking on it. Our secondary, while serviceable, is still banged up. Hicks and Jernigan are slow in getting back on the field. It completely baffles me that we do not score +30 pts/game given our four talented wide receivers, a record-smashing TE and his understudy plus a budding run-game. I understand Wentz is still recovering but if we could just get out of our own way that would be a huge help (e.g. the two red-zone failures from Monday night).
But I digress, let’s get back to the friends/foes we need help from:
1) Frank Reich & the Colts – Dallas heads up to Indy next week for what we hope is a QB clinic from Luck and a second loss in a row for Jerry’s boys
2) The Giants – this week against Washington and the final game of the season against Dallas
If Washington loses this week, they are pretty much out of the picture and even if they don’t lose, with Mark Sanchez at QB – they are not going too far.
If Dallas loses one of these two games, it opens the doors for the Eagles to claim the NFC East crown even if they were to loss another game in the final three games. It would not be a pretty crown but it is still a ticket to the dance!
There are a couple other scenarios with the Vikings, Seahawks, and Panthers in the mix for the wild-card spots, but that was more “what-if” forecasting that I was willing to invest mine time in - so let’s just hope they all lose or tie for the next few weeks.
Now onto this week. I called a pretty good game last week with Tate’s break-out game, Ertz’s etching his name into the records books, and the exact score – so I am hopeful I will be as on point in this match-up.
With Dallas coming off the big win against the Saints, they are certainly feeling themselves a bit. I am sure our Birds are gaining confidence as well but given the trials and tribulations they have been through this year, I do not see them taking this game lightly.
The Dallas D has been much better of lately but now that we have figured out how to incorporate Tate into the offense and are relying on the run again, we are going to see the offensive explosion we have been waiting for. Wentz will have a few head-scratching moments but this will become one of his defining games where he orchestrates a masterful performance as the Eagles rally to come back from an early deficit.
As for the other QB on the field, Dak will unfortunately play decent as well. With our battered secondary and a focus on stopping Zeke, Dak will have opportunities to connect with his new favorite target Amari Cooper. He will come to know Kamu Grugier-Hill, though, when he gets sacked hard for a loss. (I am not huge fan of trash talk but is it trash talk if it is just the facts?!)
It would be nice if this were a Week 16 match-up because then there would be the chance that Ertz breaks Witten record in Dallas but alas we will have to settle for him scoring two monster touchdowns to end the first half and start the second.
At the end of the day, we will walk away with the W and some more swagger in our steps, which we will need as we then take on two of the hottest teams in the NFL: Rams & Texans.
Eagles Win 38 - 24
Record 7-6
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