Perhaps the most upsetting part of Sunday’s loss to the Bears was that the Eagles missed the chance to pick up a game on the Green Bay Packers, who lost to the Atlanta Falcons.
That’s right: It’s score board watching, playoff positioning time.
Many fans started this season thinking the only race the Eagles would be a part of would be a race to the number one pick in the draft. But with only 5 weeks left in this season, the Eagles are in the middle of a playoff race, and positioning in this year’s playoffs will be bigger then ever.
Entering Thursday night’s game against the Houston Texans, the Eagles find themselves 3rd in the NFC, 1 game behind the Chicago Bears, and 2 behind the Atlanta Falcons. Unfortunately, a playoff spot has to be given to the winner of the NFC West, so the St Louis Rams are currently 4th with a 5-6 record. The Wildcards right now would be the New Orlean Saints and the New York Giants, with the Packers right behind them.
While a lot is sure to change, one thing is clear about all of these teams: they are almost unbeatable at home.
The teams that are serious contenders to come out of the NFC other than the Eagles are the Falcons, Bears, Saints, Packers and possibly the Giants. Those teams combined are a whopping 23-6 at home. On the road? The teams are a pedestrian 16-10.
The Eagles do not want to enter the Georgia Dome in a playoff game, where the Falcons are 6-0 and Matt Ryan is 19-1. Also who knows how Michael Vick would react to that situation. If you thought the field in Chicago was bad on Sunday, imagine it in January. If DeSean Jackson didn’t like the cold in Chicago, he won’t want to be in Green Bay. And the Saints may have the best home field advantage in the NFL (other then Eagles fans- bias? Maybe a little.)
The Eagles know about what home field can mean for a playoff game. Remember what happened down in Arizona a few years back? Anyone think the Eagles lose that game if it’s played in Philadelphia?
With the Eagles in 3rd place right now, they only need to overtake the Falcons and Bears to finish first. They hold the tie breaker over the Falcons, but need to finish with a better record than the Bears, who earned the tie breaker on Sunday.
The Falcons schedule the rest of the way is not favorable for them. Three of their final five games are on the road, including trips to Seattle and Tampa Bay- neither of which are easy trips. The Falcons also have a home date with the Saints, who are playing better and better as the season goes on. It is not out of the question that the Falcons could lose 2 or 3 of their final games.
The Bears schedule the rest of the way is brutal, as both the New England Patriots and New York Jets come to Solider Field. The Bears also have to make a trip to Minnesota. The Vikings are a division rival, and with a new coach who knows what the outcome of that game could be. The Bears finish the season at Lambeau Field, where the division title could be on the line. It is very likely the Bears could go 1-4 or 2-3 to finish the season.
The Eagles have a tall order ahead of them, as they can really only afford to lose 1 game at the most the rest of the way if they hope to finish first in the conference.
With all of this being said, there is still a lot of games to be played, and the Eagles players need to remember to take it one at a time, and that starts this Thursday.
I’m not sold on the Eagles can’t win on the road. Getting a bye week eliminates the possibility of a loss all together and that is all important. The Bears loss may have cost the Eagles a bye week and that hurts. The Bears won fair and sqaure, but the Eagles will win a playoff game in Chicago this year if Vick is healthy. Atlanta is playing great at home, but the Eagles can win there. The dome is more suitred to the Eagles ultra fast skill guys. Lincoln Financial’s wind, cold and possible snow is exactly what the Eagles are not made to play in. The fan in Atlanta are average at best, the Eagles fans would take over the place again. New Orleans is the team that scares me the most, they have a huge home field advantage. I wouldn’t want to go to Green Bay, but they aren’t built for Lambeau in December either. The Giants are built for a winter home playoff game.
This team is controlling the ball for large chuncks of time since defenses are playing deep to prevent the big plays. This team moves the ball up the field great. Just finish with more touchdowns and defenses will have to find another way to stop this offense, good luck trying.
Thursday’s game vs the Texans is the biggest one season to date and a must Win in my book.
I expect to come out smokin and put 35-38 points on that Texan’s D and then hang on as Texans score a couple of late TD’s to make it close. A loss to the Texans will be a major blow for the Eagles to even
make the playoffs as the NFC East will probably only get the Division Winner into the playoffs where
the Wilsd Cards most likley come from the NFC North & South Divisions
to make it to the sb we will need some type of home field game i agree. game plural would be even better
Technically, we still control our own destiny as far as making the playoffs. We cannot lose division games, but would not be suprised if the Bears drop a few of their remaining games, they have a tough schedule. There will most likely only be one team from the NFCEast, so we need to take care of our division business and let anything out of our control work itself out. I think the Birds are getting ready for a late season run. Andy Reid teams are historically strong at this time of year, and I expect to see more of the same.
we just need to take it one week at a time….no looking ahead at what has to be done…lets just handle business for this week and move on to the next one…
Playing for home field advantage should be secondary to just playing to win the NFC East. The Eagles can win anywhere, and they’re a strong road team. You seem to forget that we had to play two road games in order to make it to Arizona two years ago. I would hope that they don’t have to play in Chicago because of the turf: other than that, I’ll be happy knowing we have a chance. The Eagles have historically been a MUCH stronger team once they’re in the playoffs (last year being the exception to the rule).
I think that the Eagles wouldn’t have lost the game to Arizona if we scored more points than them before the end of the game. Come to think of it, that strategy would have worked well last week, too!
As long as we win the division we get at least 1 home game so that’s cool with me. Here’s the thing, yes I would rather play every game at home but at the same time, home field doesn’t mean what he it used to mean especially in the playoffs. Sure most teams will play better at home but in the playoffs anything can happen. And if the author wants to refer to 2008 when we lost to the Cardinals don’t just pick out that 1 game. Did we not go on the road and beat the Vikings and the division winning Giants? Didn’t Arizona go on the road and destroy the Panthers who at that time were Super Bowl favorites? Can’t just pick the game we lost and say we don’t want to play on the road. Andy has won plenty of playoff games on the road. Hell, we’ve lost bigger playoff games at home than on the road. So yes, I do want to play at home but at the same time that’s no guarantee. And with the speed of this offense and Vick, they may be more effective in a dome that outside in the cold. Who knows, but right now, who cares? Let’s at least try to win the division first.
The Birds should beat Houston on Thursday, they are a 9 point favorite. As bad as Dallas seems to be, the Eagles could easily sweep them. Minny is a mess no matter who is coaching….another win for us. That leaves the Giants in the new Meadowlands. That will be the toughest game, possibly a loss there. That leaves us at 11-5. That doesn’t look good enough for homefield throughout. I think we need to win out for a shot at homefield advantage. It’s definitely possible but it’s going to be a very tough haul to finish 5-0.
Yeah I don’t think we will get home field and losing to the Packers and Bears head to head will hurt us to become the 2nd seed. We would need to win out and finish a game above these teams. Of course anything is possible but I’m not sure how likely it is though. Green Bay and Chicago play but we also play the Giants. I’m sorry, I just think we own the Giants. I think we sweep them without their WRs is our defense stops the run again. But I think we finish 11-5 and the 3rd seed. And we know this is a crazy league. You can get an extra home game because a team with a higher seed got upset. That’s how Arizona got the home game in 08. They upset carolina and we upset the giants. I think it’s quite feasible that us, Green Bay or Giants are capable of beating someone on the road in the playoffs. Home field is an advantage but at the end of the day anyone has a shot. I’m pretty sure we thought we had it in the bad when we had home field against Tampa and Carolina in the playoffs. And many didn’t give us a shot against the Giants. It’s important but don’t overstate it.
At the beginning of the season I predicted us to go 11-5 (with Kolb at the helm) — and it seems like that’s where we are headed. We CANNOT afford to lose this game at home against Houston. Luckily, we will have some extra days of rest (much needed) before we go into Dallas. Let’s hope it’s the first of two trips we make to Dallas this season.
LOL
11-5 with Kolb as the starter – Birdo, you are the definition of “phillyfaithful” I like it!
Yeah he was about as optimistic as songs was pessimistic about Kolb starting LOL.
Unlike many, I tend to cheer and judge the name on the front of the jersey, not the back. Kolb has shown he has flaws but so do ALL QB’s. No one is perfect — closest thing is Peyton.
Do I believe we can win with Vick? Yes. Do I believe we can win with Kolb? Yes. Do I believe our defense can win us games REGARDLESS on who’s QB? Yes.
Look, the offense is much more exciting with Vick at the helm — there’s no denying that. But I’ll take a good smash mouth ugly win over an exciting loss any day of the week. Kolb has looked bad (Tennessee) — but don’t forget he also beat the number one team in the NFC WITHOUT his “#1” receiver.
We can win and HAVE won with both QB’s — it’s a beautiful thing.
Birdo, nothing wrong with that. But if you put Jim Sorge as the starting QB of the Colts, I’m pretty sure REALISTIC fans aren’t going to expect him to produce the same number of wins as Peyton Manning because he has on a Colts Jersey. But again, there’s nothing wrong with you feeling how you feel. That’s cool. Every fan base has some that think their team is going to win the whole thing no matter who’s playing.
Scorp — that’s the difference. Kolb has proven he can win with this team. Sorgi has proven he’s trash.
so what troy smith proved he can win he a bum too
kolb a bum 8 performances 5 of them trash
fugazze
and i left out dreadful preseason for u
and if u think kolb woulda led us 2 a 11-5 record u just say anything positive for the birds then but thats not realistic at all
6-10 would be lucky
if andy thought kolb could go 11-5 he’d be starting
kolbs 85 rating nets him 20 something in the nfl (and this is with a perfect rating vs atl) lol
i’ll go with 106 rating and #1 in the nfl
easy choice nothing to do with excitement
plenty to do with just being flat out above and beyond better
“men and women lie numbers dont”
PW….I would agree in general with your Vick / Kolb analysis, but regarding your “numbers” argument, does this mean that you have changed your mind with respect to the love you showered on McNabb all summer? His numbers have got to be at the bottom of the league.number don’t lie, remember???
Peyton Manning in not the player he was 2 years ago and is starting to force a lot of passes that he would not have down before..The banged up Colts are just not as good this year and have their weakest team in 8 years and this was before all their injuries. Their “Window” for Super Bowls I believe has closed.
Best QB’s in the NFL so far this Season
#1) T Brady – PAtriots
#2) P Rivers – Chargers
#3) A Rodgers – Packers
#4) M Ryan – Falcons
#5) Vick – Eagles
Man fuck a Kevin Kolb! Stop bringing him up! First of all, MICHAEL VICK HAS NOT BEEN STOPPED! HIS WEAPONS HAVE. If I can recall, Mike Vick threw for 333 yards and 2 Touchdowns last game. I just hope Andy and Co. can put together a plan to take advantage of defenses that send their safeties 40 yards deep to stop our deep balls. I would throw screens to Desean Jackson, run more reverses with him, also throw 10-15 post routes towards the sidelines so he can get out of bounds if needs to. We need to be more prepared in the weeks to come and take advantage of defenses playing 1-dimensional. Feel me?
And why does Peyton Manning keep coming up in the MVP discussion? He throws 3 INTs a game and they are losing! Furthermore, Mike Vick is still my front runner next to Tom Brady. Rivers, Rodgers, and Ryan have quite a few INT’s and depending on their team’s outcomes, that could have an effect.
pw, no, figures lie, liars figure, sick of your incessant nit-picking of Kolb, calling him a bum, a scrub, man played 8 games, 6 as starter, not enough to judge, Vick played 11 years, bf this year completion percentage way below av, overhyped as qb, WWf (NFL) needs him to sell 7 jerseys, Madden needs him to draw in generation of “Vick” lovers, more money, that’s why he’s in philly and not rotting in Buffalo, and that’s why ol whitey Tebow, who stinks, not NFL qb, is ist round pick inivory snow white Denver . Get off this Kolb stinks, Vick is black jesus. Qb controversey only exists on Gcobb
Here goes Jakedog bringing up color! Enough with the bullshit. Vick is great. If you are an Eagles fan, respect that and accept that you pussy motherfucker!
How come when a black man such as myself addresses color, its a BIG BIG ISSUE! But when someone who is caucasian such as Jakedog, and he brings up color, everyone ignores it like he didnt say anything wrong? SMH. This world is something else LOL
Dizzy, “ur 1 dumb mfer”, read the post again, study some socioeconomics/history, and get back to me.
Jakedog, Kolb doesnt stink. He is okay. But stop getting caught up with Kolb. He is not playing anymore. Therefore he doesnt matter. Vick is playing great for us, he is still the highest rated QB in the league, and people like you continue to put him down. Wanna talk about color huh? Could it be because he is a successful black QB and you wanted a change after McNabb? Could it be because his past? Move the fuck on if thats the case! And if its about Mike being black, grow the fuck up if thats the case!
Fuck SOCIOECONOMICS you dumb fuck! I’m not interested in that area. I study sports, something maybe you need to study a bit more. You get on here and put down the QB who is making this team win. What kind of sense does that make? “Ol’ Whitey Tebow? Black Jesus? ” Leave that color shit out of it you dicksuckin faggot!!!! Its already bad enough that every game Vick is playing great, the commentators have to ruin the mood by bringing up his dogfighting/jail case.
I bet Jakedog has a Green Kevin Kolb jersey that has turned into the WHITE EAGLES AWAY JERSEY due to the many cum-stains from Jacking off to Kevin! What has he done besides win a few games? He also lost a few games and threw 4 INTS! Enough about Kevin! Damn!
Dizzy- his argument lacks the same substance as yours, but yours is usually full of MF’s this and DF that.
I will say the same thing to Jake that I said to you…skin color should not, and in my opinion, is not a factor that should matter to a fan of the team. Wheteher we have a black linebacker, qb or wr, we are EAGLES fans. It is 2010, not 1956. It wasn’t always an equal stage for everyone, we are all aware of injustices, but as fans of the team we should not bash or support a player simply because he looks like us.
Just as you accuse Jake of of bias, some would ask if the majority of Kolb haters, yourself included Dizzy, are not obsessed with bashing a guy who has not played in a number of weeks purely based on the clor of his skin. Answer honestly, would you be so over the top in your hatred for Kolb if he were black?
My stance hasn’t changed, whether it is Dizzy or Jake, the race of our players should have nothing to do with who plays and who we support. As fans we should want the best players on the field, and we can disagree with who is best, but race should not be a criteria for evaluation. Just my opinion.
Looks like Dizzy is back full throttle; angrier than ever at his fellow Eagle fans.
Birdo, I like Kolb and don’t have a problem with him his really has proved anything and that’s because he didn’t have a chance. I’m not saying the team couldn’t win with him but it takes consistency to be a proven player in this league. And that’s not Kolb’s fault. He just hasn’t had the opportunity to prove himself consistently. And you had that prediction before Kolb even played this year when he had proven less. So your blind optimism is noted there as well. And like I said that’s ok. A lot of people are like that.
I’ll worry about Kolb when he plays again for the Eagles (of ever),
It’s Vick”s team and his chance to shine and lead this team and franchise to where it’s never gone before.. Anything less than a Super Bowl appearance and victory will be disappointing.
If Vick cant lead this team with all it’s weapons this season, than it’s time to scratch the roster and
start all over again…
@paulman
you guys were ready to write this year off, as a rebuilding year…get me a break…now that Vick is starting and playing beyond any of your expectations anything less than a superbowl is dissappointing? thats a tad unfair don’t you think? If McNabb were still here and we were in the position we are now, that may be true,,,,yea, if you have noticed I’m coming for you every time you open your mouth..you say shit that makes me scratch my head, not because its brilliant, but because many times its hypocritical and inconsistent with what you say one week to the next. Again with that post you just made, you make no mention to the defense, so I guess the offense has to go score 35 points a game in order for us to get to the promise land. scratching the roster? lmao, the team is young, who on offense would you be scratching? the O line…I think this has to be addressed regardless of the seasons outcome? McCoy? Maclin? DJack? you made absolutely no sense with that comment…again it was more of a underhanded way to say, dont sign Vick if he doesnt get us to the superbowl…
@greenfan
Dizzy didnt start with the race so ask that same question to Jakedog? its goes both ways! This is REAL TALK, whenveer someone bashes Kolb on here it is in defense of Vick…If people bash Vick, what are they saying…start Kolb? Kolb would be doing better? McNabb maybe? the same motives you guys say us “black males” have is the same attitude we could accuse you “white males” of having…Regardless of race, who is the better QB? Vick, so those that support him, have more of a right than those that support Kolb, the facts, stats are all there…so if your still bashing Vick, after what he’s done this year, your reason has to be more than just football…REALTALK
If Kolb was black, YES I would feel the same way. I dont hate Kevin, but Michael Vick is wayyyy better than Kevin Kolb. Its not a discussion. He presents more of a threat and puts fear in the minds of the opposing defenses. You can see it. After the game, players from the other teams line up to meet him. That says it all, their admiration and well-deserved respect for #7. Do you see that for Kolb? No. Did you see that for Kolb when he was starting? No. COLOR has nothing to do with my disliking of a player. I dont like David Garrard, I cant stand him. I dont like Vince Young. They’re black. AS a matter of fact, if they are not a member of the Eagles and are in the NFL, I dont like them. I bleed green and thats that. Thats the only color I see on that football field. So again, to me, Kevin is mediocre and thats how I feel. I never understood how this motherfucker got so much praise in the 1st place. Fuck a Kevin Kolb!
PREACH @RealTalk777
@Realtalk…do you ever get tired of referring to yourself in the third person? Every other sentence is ended with REAL TALK. Is that supposed to make you opinion any more valid?
I have said the same thing to Jake in the past as I have to Dizzy, neither actually answers the question.
I asked a question last week about why you Kolb bashers spend so much time on him? It caused a mini eruption between scorp, drummer and others. I will ask it again, why spend the time on the backup, there are plenty of areas of this team (and it was uncovered this week) that would warrant our attention. People on here want to hate, they would rather hate then actually enjoy the team. It goes for both sides, they appear to rather have the team lose and their chosen “hate object” do poor then have the team win. It is really pathetic, as I told vinnie in an earlier post. You guys are not fans of the team, you are fans of “certain” players.
COMMENT OF THE DAY QUOTED BY REALTALK 777:
“The same motives you guys say us “black males” have is the same attitude we could accuse you “white males” of having…Regardless of race, who is the better QB? Vick, so those that support him, have more of a right than those that support Kolb, the facts, stats are all there…so if your still bashing Vick, after what he’s done this year, your reason has to be more than just football…REALTALK”
DizzyJ — I just wish you would come on here and write in english — not ebonics.
PhillyWill — you never answered scorp. Since “men lie women lie numbers don’t” — whatever happened to your love and admiration for McNabb?
GREEN dont tell me….Because I am a DIE-HARD fan! I haven’t missed a game since I was 3! I record every single Eagles game and watch them about 5 times a week in their entirety! I know many of the players on the team and I go to every single training camp…Not to mention missing work for a whole week just to see how our team is looking! I stand next to Desean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin with my Brother mingling as people like you wonder how I get the opportunity to do so. 75% of the things in my room are EAGLES. Everything Eagles. I bleed green motherfucker! So dont tell me I’m not a fan of my team! This is my team man. This is my shit.
@ dizzy….I will take you at your word, and appreciate that you answered the question.
I don’t see where because players talk with Vick after the game is an example of him being a great player. The players meet and talk with all of the other players, that is a bogus argument. Is there a stat for “most talked to after a game”?? Hardly. You are reaching there man.
@greenfan
I’m not referring to myself in the third person, obviously RealTalk is not my real name..I use “REALTALK” after I say something that is real talk…sorry if what I say goes over your head
To Real Talk,
My stupid post aboce made as much sense and many of you who posted the same thing when Kolb
was named as the Starter before the season even began..
My dumb remarks just go to point out the hypocrisy that many on here have stated time and time again.. Kolb overthrows or misses an open receiver, gets sacked,fiumbles, settles for a FG in stead of the TD, throws to checkdown receivers instead of spreading the field, then he’s a bum and stinks
But when M VIck does these same things, it’s not his fault and it’s because of the field conditions, the play-calling, the WR’s, the O/Line, the Refs.. etc.etc
I will continue to call them as I see them whether a player is white,black,green or blue for it makes no difference to me..if the same folks were not willing to give Kolb any rope back in September,
why should I or others give any rope to Vick in December… See where I am coming from…
I was impressed with your previous post dizzy…you made it 95% through without throwing in a MF.
BirdoBeamen….Listen you stupid ass yorkshire terrier looking motherfucker! Don’t stereotype like that. I can type and talk just as proper as anyone on here, if not better. I have mastered English in College. As a matter of fact, I’m taking English III in my current semester with a 3.9 GPA. So don’t tell me how to write or talk. This site is free to talk however the fuck you want to you dumb little motherfucker you. It’s called SLANG, whereas most white people would call it Ebonics. Slang is just how most of us (blacks) communicate amongst each other. That’s not something that you should feel so free to comment on. If I want to talk in slang, then I will. That has nothing to do with you, so you just worry about yourself and keep jacking off to Kevin Kolb highlights on Youtube.com
no doubt green
i did not wanna see mcnabb go so we could be 5-11 with a bum at the helm
also if u remember i questioned everyday y there wasnt an open competition y was this position given to a guy on a solid team already
if we were 2-14 the previous yr i wouldnt care but we were 11-5 and a gm away from a bye
so yes i was pissed
i would have still been upset had u told me we were trading d5 to start vick
but not nearly as upset because u r putting a proven qb there who has won
also d5 numbers would be much higher if he is in philadelphia
do i still we made a mistake hell yea (cause the plan was to start kolb he cant even fing start wo d5 here)
did we luck out hell yea
do i think d5 would lead this team to the offs certainly
do i think kolb would not even close
so i dont know green u were absolutely right i was stale bout mcnabb leaving
but the main reason was because we were turning our team over to a chief beater wow whoooopty fing doo
Real…nothing went over my head, you are just in love with yourself and I happened to call you on it.
PW…I hear ya. Just making a point about stats.
LOL THANKS GREEN