The Philadelphia Eagles came into the last week of the season with the potential to finish the season 12-4 with the top spot in the NFC East and the number two seed in the NFC playoffs. However, the Eagles lost badly to the Dallas Cowboys, surrendered the division title and sunk to the sixth seed in the NFC playoffs. Still, the 11-5 Philadelphia Eagles have as good a chance as any team in the first round to win, so Eagles tickets for the playoffs to see them play the Dallas Cowboys in a replay of Week 17 is not a bad thing.
The Eagles are by far the more consistent and dangerous team, which is sad to say. They scored in bunches, putting up 429 points over 16 games. This is a team that can go from struggling to move the football 10 yards for a first down for an entire quarter to scoring 21 points in 3 minutes as easy as any of the elite teams.
Unfortunately, the defense is not quite amazing. The Eagles defense is in the middle of the pack, allowing 21 points a game. This is a team that is alright against the pass and struggles a little bit against the run.
Eagles fans still worry about both sides of the football with good reason. McNabb can disappear at times. He threw for 3,553 yards and 22 touchdowns on one of the most explosive offenses in the league. He probably should have surpassed 4,000 yards, even though he was injured. Now the news that the starting center is out for the playoffs, fans have even more reasons to worry.
Still, the development of wide receiver DeSean Jackson is a pleasant surprise. He is a danger returning the football on punts and running routes. He caught 63 passes for 1,167 yards and 9 touchdowns and returned two punts for touchdowns. Tight end Brent Celek also emerged as one of the best receiving tight ends in football after catching 76 passes for 971 yards and 8 touchdowns. Even rookie Jeremy Maclin had a great season, catching 55 passes for 762 yards.
The running game is done by committee in light of the Brian Westbrook concussion that is still affecting his play even after he has returned. LeSean McCoy and Leonard Weaver are decent backs, not enough to be a feature back, even when their stats are combined.
A Philadelphia run in the playoffs requires the team to get over this division-rival loss quickly in time to go back to the same stadium and play the same team, but this time emerge victorious. Eagles playoff tickets will take the team a state over to play the Saints if they win in Dallas.
