Eagles looking like the 07 Giants,The 06 Colts and the 05 Steelers

[PATRIOTSFANINPA]

A trend has been occuring the past several years as the #1 seeds have been ousted and the team that nobody seemed to give a chance to make the playoffs in late november and december are in line for a Super Bowl berth and a title and right now the EAGLES are that team of destiny

In 2007 in November the Giants were all but written off but made that late surge all the way to the SB Title

In 2006 in November the Colts defense was being laughed at for all the yardage they game up on the ground but made a sudden dramatic late surge all the way to the SB Title

In 2005 the Steelers were fighting for the division but no one thought they were any real type of threat to take the AFC - The late surge in November proceeded all the way to a SB Title


Of all 4 remaining teams the only one that everyone wrote off as an also-ran was the Eagles

Its looking like the EAGLES could be following that trend if it holds up

 

[DisgruntledTunaFan]

A trend has been occuring the past several years as the #1 seeds have been ousted and the team that nobody seemed to give a chance to make the playoffs in late november and december are in line for a Super Bowl berth and a title and right now the EAGLES are that team of destiny

In 2007 in November the Giants were all but written off but made that late surge all the way to the SB Title

In 2006 in November the Colts defense was being laughed at for all the yardage they game up on the ground but made a sudden dramatic late surge all the way to the SB Title

In 2005 the Steelers were fighting for the division but no one thought they were any real type of threat to take the AFC - The late surge in November proceeded all the way to a SB Title


Of all 4 remaining teams the only one that everyone wrote off as an also-ran was the Eagles

Its looking like the EAGLES could be following that trend if it holds up

Also to add-Jeremy Shockey going down actually HELPED the Giants in '07...Eli became more relaxed as noone was screaming in his hear to get the ball anymore, and all he had to do was throw to whoever's open.

Bob Sanders getting healthy was HUGE for the Colts in '06-their run D, as well as playing inspired football on that side, improved tremendously.

Big Ben, as well as his backup Charlie Batch, missed about a month or so with injuries in '05...which all but explained most of their reg season losses.

BTW-the same thing can be said about the Cards...after a hot start, they struggled like heck with inconsistency in Nov and Dec...only to beat TWO NFCS teams in the playoffs(the same division that has the most wins in all of football). Ken Wisenhunt definitely made some nice adjustments by running a more balanced attack.

But yeah-this NEW NFL is completely unpredictable nowdays-it's a more of a week to week "What have you done for me lately?" thing.

 

[PATRIOTSFANINPA]

Also to add-Jeremy Shockey going down actually HELPED the Giants in '07...Eli became more relaxed as noone was screaming in his hear to get the ball anymore, and all he had to do was throw to whoever's open.

Bob Sanders getting healthy was HUGE for the Colts in '06-their run D, as well as playing inspired football on that side, improved tremendously.

Big Ben, as well as his backup Charlie Batch, missed about a month or so with injuries in '05...which all but explained most of their reg season losses.

BTW-the same thing can be said about the Cards...after a hot start, they struggled like heck with inconsistency in Nov and Dec...only to beat TWO NFCS teams in the playoffs(the same division that has the most wins in all of football). Ken Wisenhunt definitely made some nice adjustments by running a more balanced attack.

But yeah-this NEW NFL is completely unpredictable nowdays-it's a more of a week to week "What have you done for me lately?" thing.

Not exactly the same situation as Philly was in

The Cards were all but division champs by early december and were DEFINATE playoff contenders and a SB threat -BUT in 07,06 and 05 the Giants,Colts and Steelers in that order wer enot expected by many to mkae the playoffs let alone go deep into them - This seems to fit the Eagles to a tee

We shall see what happens in Arizona next weekend

 

[DisgruntledTunaFan]

Not exactly the same situation as Philly was in

The Cards were all but division champs by early december and were DEFINATE playoff contenders and a SB threat -BUT in 07,06 and 05 the Giants,Colts and Steelers in that order wer enot expected by many to mkae the playoffs let alone go deep into them - This seems to fit the Eagles to a tee

We shall see what happens in Arizona next weekend

Didn't the Colts flirt with an undefeated record late in that year? I believe their first loss was before Thanksgiving. What hurt them that year was a Dec slide that costed them not only the #1 seed, but a first round bye to boot.

As for the Cards, they went in a tailspin in Nov/Dec after a hot start-they won the AFCW b/c their rivals didn't do squat during this year. The way they've pulled it together reminds me alot like the Colts 2 years ago.

 

[PATRIOTSFANINPA]

Didn't the Colts flirt with an undefeated record late in that year? I believe their first loss was before Thanksgiving. What hurt them that year was a Dec slide that costed them not only the #1 seed, but a first round bye to boot.

As for the Cards, they went in a tailspin in Nov/Dec after a hot start-they won the AFCW b/c their rivals didn't do squat during this year. The way they've pulled it together reminds me alot like the Colts 2 years ago.

The Colts were thriving by Peyton Manning's incredible ability that season but the defense was a pure joke giving up well over a 100 yards rushing per game most of the season - Many a football expert wrote them off because of this - The Colts had to win at Baltimore to advance (which they did of course) so without checking the numbers,I think Baltimore had a better record by the end of the season,I think Indy was a 3rd or 4th seed that year.

 

[DisgruntledTunaFan]

The Colts were thriving by Peyton Manning's incredible ability that season but the defense was a pure joke giving up well over a 100 yards rushing per game most of the season - Many a football expert wrote them off because of this - The Colts had to win at Baltimore to advance (which they did of course) so without checking the numbers,I think Baltimore had a better record by the end of the season,I think Indy was a 3rd or 4th seed that year.

Bob Sanders was injured most of that year, and came back for the playoffs. He's the heart and soul of that D-they really feed off his inspired play.

Despite their last ranked run D that year, they nonetheless started 10-1, and despite their collapse, they finished with the #3 seed. However-if Sanders had been healthy, they may have flirted with another undefeated season in Dec.

Anyhow-this compares almost exactly with the Cards-after a hot start, they started collapsing in the 2nd half of the year thanks to a supposedly bad OL/running game/pass rush/secondary...there were back-back razor thin games they won in Nov against the lowly Niners and Hawks they had no business winning(in the former at the goalline toward the end, Frank Gore didn't even come in, which made everyone scratch their heads).

They ended up winning their division early b/c the Niners/Hawks/Rams had like 2 wins a piece going into Dec. Ultimately, while it looked like the Cards were nothing but a less-than-mediocre team in a bad division, obviously Ken Wisenhunt made some adjustments that got this team clicking. They're also playing much better on D.

As for the Eagles late run, I'm not surprised-Andy Reid is overrated b/c of his clock management issues/2 minute drill issues/not committing to the run, etc, as is McNabb...however, Reid's teams have always finished strong in the final sprints of the season(aside from that '05 debacle with TO). When they clobbered Zona on Thanksgiving(the game McNabb came back after being benched), I KNEW they were going to make a run and knock us out of playoff contention b/c I've seen it many times before.

Are they this year's '07 Giants/'06 Colts/'05 Steelers? I don't know-but my point above is that you can say the same thing about the Cards, or for that matter the Chargers(who got knocked out yesterday).

 

[ALP]

this is true

but ill take the cards...man i thoguht the falcons would own them, now i think well see as SB champs a team we beat by 40

 

[Haterproof]

The stretchers will have to come out for the ravens vs steelers game.The winner of that game will come out with a few injuries.I'm taking the Eagles to win the entire thing.

 

[DisgruntledTunaFan]

The stretchers will have to come out for the ravens vs steelers game.The winner of that game will come out with a few injuries.I'm taking the Eagles to win the entire thing.

I think the Eagles, if I'm not mistaken, had a couple of guys go down yesterday(Samuels and Mickels, I believe). And Arizona, under Ken Wisenhunt, play a physical style of football as well. I saw a Panther or 2 go down in their game with them.