Eagles excel in Playoff type atmosphere to improve to 9-3

Bring on the COWBOYS!!!

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It's hard to believe the Eagles are where they are once again. As the defending Super Bowl champs lose their 7th game, the Birds take charge and move to the top of the NFC. Seven straight victories have given the Eagles a 9-3 record to tie with the St. Louis Rams for best records in the NFC. Tie Breakers put Eagles in the coveted #1 seed. While this ultimately didn't equal the Super Bowl last year. Gaining the top 2 spots will be VERY important this year in the wild world of the National Football League.

Andy Reid Watch Once again Reid has spread the offense around. He has used the 3 back offense to his benefit as Donovan spread passes to 9 different receivers. But more importantly Reid has kept this team together through all the injuries and the turmoil off the field (Donovan, Front Office issues with Taylor and Staley). That above may be the difference between champions and also rans. He'll face Bill Parcells this weekend, and Reid Rarely loses twice to the same team in the same year. Kotite-esque Sub-Par Servicable PlayoffBound Excellence    ?  ?  ?  ?  ?  ?  ?  ? ?

Here's the Breakdown:

Place	Opponent	Oppt's Record	Network
Ericsson Stadium	Carolina Panthers	8-3-0	FOX
TIME	DATE	Philly Coverage	Philly Radio
4:05 (EST)	Nov 30, 2003	Fox 29	94.1 WYSP
NFL Site	Web Action	Eagles Site	Opponents Site
NFL Site	Web Action	Eagles	Panthers

	1	2	3	4	F
EAGLES	7	3	3	12	25
Carolina	3	0	7	6	16

HOAGIES -- Stars of the Game

1. WR - Freddie Mitchell -- Hollywood Freddie is slowly becoming Donovan's go to guy. Only Donovan doesn't need a go to guy. But his 3 catches for 40 yards were HUGE important catches. Tough ones over the middle. Important plays.
2. QB - Donovan McNabb-- It wasn't Donovan's greatest performance. And surely because of the interception on the first play from scrimmage had Rush Limbaugh recalling better days. But he played solid the rest of the game. Making tough plays when they mattered. And more importantly playing like a true leader. I think he's turned the corner from young superstar to grizzled veteran. Welcome to Mr. McNabb's prime!
3. LB - Nate Wayne-- 6 tackles plus 1 sack that forced a fumble DEEP in Carolina's red zone allowing the Eagles to score easily. Clearly the play of the game.

KRIMPETS -- Soft players of the Game.

1. K - John Kasay -- Missed 3 FGs and 1 XP. Normally we don't put opposing players in this list. But stand out performances require us to do so. Clearly those 10 points are the difference between a win and a loss. David Akers was perfect going 4 for 4 with a long of 48 yards. In the playoffs, kicking games are HUGE.
2. DT - Corey Simon -- Once again the Eagles have given up another 100 yard rusher. It all starts with the defensive line. Also with 8:36 to play in the game, Simon hit Jake Delhomme after he completed a 11 yard pass to Mushin Muhammad. The personal foul gave Carolina the ball at their own 46, shortening the field for the Panthers who score on the drive. A missed extra point put the Panthers in striking distance only down 6 points.

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Keep an Eye on'em:

DE Jerome McDougle-- Only one tackle for the 1st round draft pick. But it was a nice play on an end around that he followed all the way through. It's not the athleticism that we're commending, but the intelligence. This is the kind of play from an experienced down lineman not a rookie with limited snaps. A healthy McDougle should prove important as we head to the playoffs.

Numerology-- Key Stats

1. 9 Receivers. Once again, McNabb has spread the ball around. This forces the defense to key on the system rather than players which allows the Eagles to mix up their plays.
2. 118 yards rushing by the 3 running backs. Stephen Davis carried the ball for 115 yards. Think this 3 back offense works?
3. 7 straight wins. That's a team with a mission. This is an amazing ride.

Cheesesteaks -- Key Plays

1. Chad Lewis's catch with 2:35 left in the game was huge. Not because it was 3rd and 8. But because he fell to his knees to stop his momentum from taking him out of bounds as he was hit so the clock would continue to run. Heck of a play.
2. James Thrash's had a lot to do with his turning up field and making an extra effort, it had a lot MORE to do with the Carolina defense tackling which propelled him into the end zone.