Eagles Set to Run Over the Giants During Wild Card Weekend

The Eagles have come a long way. After being left for dead in late November - they lost McNabb in a 31-13 loss to the Titans, which was followed by a 45-21 loss to the Colts - they reeled off five straight wins with a quarterback that all the NFL considered a washout after showing some ability in San Francisco. The super undead Eagles - coach Reid himself, as well as several players, was using the zombie comparison in the last two weeks - go charging into the playoffs as the hottest team in the NFL, akin to a fully restored and fully revved hot-rod that's been unleashed on the streets after years lying under a tarp.

The reason for the Eagles' success after a devastating injury to their quarterback is that so many players have stepped up their games since. Brian Westbrook responded with increased carries and touches with 499 yards on 98 carries and 186 yards receiving on 23 catches in the last 5 games he has played (the last game of the season isn’t included in these totals as he only had one carry in that one). In those 5 games, his rushing and receiving averages shot up to 19.6 and 37.2 respectively. Westbrook’s increased offensive output has been helped by coach Andy Reid’s decision to FINALLY run the ball more, as rushing plays have increased 10% from 39.5 to 49.5% of total offensive plays. While Jeff Garcia benefits from increased rushing, as would any QB who comes in late in the season, no one can overlook his stellar play. He has spread the ball around to nearly everyone (backup TE Schobel was dialed up for a TD on Christmas against the Cowboys), has been a HUGE vocal leader on and off the field (same as Westbrook - that’s right, even Westbrook is making his voice heard), and has made very few mistakes while putting up impressive numbers; in 188 attempts he has 116 completions, 10 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions, which gives him an excellent QB rating of 95.8.

Of course, one of the major reasons for the turnaround is that these two very vocal offensive leaders add to the energy generated by defensive captain Brian Dawkins. His inspired play far surpasses everyone else on the field. Week after week down the stretch, he turned in one monstrous game after another. Late in the close win against the ‘Skins, he tore through the backfield like a man possessed, dove five feet through the air, and sacked QB Jason Campbell to kill a drive that threatened to cost us the game. The week after, against the Giants, he had two forced fumbles and an INT that resulted in a Brian Westbrook touchdown. And of course, though we know no one’s forgotten, he also took the ball away from T.O. in the end-zone on Christmas Day.

Dawkins Week 15 INT against the Giants resulted from a flummoxed Eli “Oh Shit Here Comes the Pass Rush” Manning throwing the ball at the helmet of one of his own players. Expect more of the same, as Jim Johnson will once again unleash hell on the lesser Manning. We still need huge games from Dawkins, Lito Sheppard and company, as the Giants are getting TE Jeremy Shockey back for Sunday’s game. He will certainly complement Plaxico Burress, who continues to confound the Eagles - he had nearly identical stats in both games against us this year, with a combined 12 receptions, 134yds, and two touchdowns. Burress’s freakish size, coupled with his ability, never bodes well for our diminutive corners. The key is to minimize his impact as much as possible with different coverage sets, while making it hard for Manning to throw the ball deep.

Also of import is the tailback position. The game could hinge on the play of either Brian Westbrook or Tiki Barber. Though they both had big games in Week 15, #36 clearly had the bigger impact with 2 TDs, and19 carries (including a 28 yard run) for 97 yards compared to Barber’s 75 yds and 1 TD on the same number of carries. Again the key is to contain. It would be nearly impossible to negate a back of Barber’s caliber. We just have to make sure he doesn’t run away with the game. Limiting him will force Eli to vary his attack more, which, along with the pass rush, will result in more mistakes.

The game could be close for nearly a half, but we expect the Eagles to eventually lay on the throttle and go for the jugular early in the 3rd. Garcia will vastly outshine Manning. Supported by once again huge efforts by Westbrook and Dawkins, the once forgotten QB from San Fran will have Tiki Barber thinking about which posh Manhattan nightclub to go to for his retirement party, with more than 15 minutes left on the clock.

Photo Credit: Flickr user Christina's Play Place