5 Questions with the Eagles

Some traditions never die and one of them is the Redskins playing the Eagles. As we prepare for Philadelphia's trip to Washington Sunday, Jason at Bleeding Green Nation and I traded questions on this week's game. The Eagles goddamnit are surging again at the end of the season so let us angle for some insight into how this team works. Read on for Jason's answers to my questions, and find my answers to Jason's questions here.

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Curly R: The Eagles are doing the Lazarus thing again, left for dead but refusing to die. Is this a replay of 2006? What is the playoff scenario and can they make it?

Bleeding Green Nation: If the Eagles win the next two they only need Atlanta or Tampa to lose a game. I think if any team can make this kind of run it's the Eagles, for the very reason you said. They've done it before. In fact, they go on these late runs almost every year. Last year they didn't make the playoffs, but they did run off three straight wins. In 2006 they won 5 straight and got in the playoffs. Andy Reid's record in December is off the charts, if I remember correct during Monday Nights game they said it was something 24-10... For whatever reason the team just starts to play better and focus more when December comes.


Curly R: Kind of a related question, Philadelphia and Andy Reid/DonovanMcNabb seem to be in a toxic relationship, every season fighting and talking about each behind the other's back all year before deciding breaking up is not worth the hassle. Is Philadelphia just going through the motions at this point?

Bleeding Green Nation: The more I think about this, the fan's relationship with those guys is a lot like the Eagles performance in recent years. Every year starts off hopeful and generally positive about them, at some point things start go south and people lose patience... but then at the end they start to come on and fans start to think twice about running them out of town. There's a certain level of comfort with these guys and sometimes I think people don't realize what they have until it's gone. Clearly, the goal is to win the Super Bowl and this pair has yet to accomplish that... but if you look around the league at some of the awful QB play and poor coaching, it could be a lot worse.


Curly R: Donovan aside, Eagles fans are fortunate to be in the presence of two of the greatest Eagles ever in safety Brian Dawkins and tailback Brian Westbrook. Talk about what these two guys have meant to this franchise.

Bleeding Green Nation: Brian Dawkins is the longest tenured athlete in Philadelphia, he set the Eagles franchise record for games played last week, and was just selected for his seventh pro bowl. So there's no doubt that this guy is a landmark player for the city and the franchise. Maybe it's because he's been here so long, but he really seems to understand the fan base better than anyone.

As for Westbrook, he's got the added bonus of having gone to a local school. He's from the DC area but played his college ball at Villanova. So from the moment he came to the Eagles he had people rooting for him just that bit more... Plus, let's face it. He's a guy from a small (footballwise at least) school who everyone said was too small and would never make it in the NFL. Dare I say... it's a Rocky story? We kinda like those stories here...


Curly R: Was The Benching a desperation move by Andy Reid or a calculated move to spark a veteran team? Is the future of the quarterback position safe with Kevin Kolb?

Bleeding Green Nation: I really don't know. I'd lean more toward it being a desperation move, but it's always hard to tell with Andy with because he reveals almost nothing. It has seemed to spark things, so who knows? Maybe he's sly like a fox.

As for Kevin Kolb... It's too early to say at this point. His first half of an NFL game didn't go terribly well... but whose first half game ever does? The only time we've ever really seem him get time is in preseason, which you can only take so much from. So I'm reserving judgement until he gets a chance to prove himself.


Curly R: The Redskins keep falling behind early, cannot get any rush on the passer and let opponents close out games from ahead. Seems like a tailor made win opportunity for Philadelphia. What worries you about this game?

Bleeding Green Nation: The Redskins run game always worries me. I know injuries and other things have slowed down your run game in recent weeks... but I've seen the Skins run on us too many times to take anything for granted. Our front 7 is going to have to match their effort from the Giants game.


Curly R Bonus Question: So Donovan figured that when games end in a tie we are not talking about menswear. Does he know that sudden death does not actually involve anyone dying? Or that no one actually goes to jail for illegal motion?

Bleeding Green Nation: You certainly don't go to jail for illegal motion... but Donovan's knowledge of the penal system is understandably limited, it's not like he's a Cowboy or something.

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Thanks to Jason for helping me renew an old rivalry, lifetime Eagles fan, season ticket holder and Curly R reader/lurker Wilbert Montgomery and I will be at Redskins Stadium for the game this Sunday, this will be our 19th of the past 20 Redskins-Eagles games and my 17th in a row. I better watch out or this could become a habit.