Well, week 9's loss to the Redskins marked a return to normalcy in the football world. The Eagles D gave up 32 points less than the previous week and played an average game. The 500-pound gorilla has finally disappeared from the Eagles offensive lineup and old #5 returned to his jovial self, even smiling and joking after throwing a 4th down interception that sealed the loss.


So that brings us to the following question heading into this week's MNF matchup with the Cowboys: Will the Eagles be able to turn things around and still make the playoffs?

I think the Eagles will have to win 6 of their final 8 games to have a shot, and 7 of their final 8 to ensure a birth. Reid/McNabb-led teams have finished the past 5 seasons on these kinds of streaks, but they started their runs with a great deal less pressure and uncertainty than they face this season. The Eagles were up against similar early season circumstances of pressure and scrutiny in 2003 and turned around a 2-3 start, but the NFC East division was undoubtedly much weaker that season.

Whether or not the Eagles finish on a hot-streak or not is irrelevant to this fan. They rid themselves of an embarassment and will be much more fun to root for in the coming weeks. The season will be entertaining as the beauty of the football games themselves will finally prevail over the three-ring circus.

This article makes a nice final word on the whole T.O. mess. I hope.

Labels: Eagles '05