Eagles Already Entering Spoiler-Mode

The Eagles couldn't hang on today, losing 19-16 versus the Bears.

Plenty of sour grapes to go around, and a ton of question penalties (to be fair there were calls on both teams, but I think the Eagles wound up bearing the brunt of the them).

For starters:
- Can't score in the Red Zone.....3 trips inside the 20 and 3 FGs....that's just poor folks. Poor.
- Some gay-ass retard def. holding call in the 2nd qtr. Will James performed a perfect press coverage, clean contact within 5 yards of the line of scrimmage - yet out comes the flag, and instead of punting the Bears get second life and wind up scoring a FG out of it. And it you think 3 pts doesn't matter? On a day when the O was struggling and the game was decided by 3.....
- The most miserable call of the day - a phantom hold on Todd Herremans on a 3rd and 3 with 2:24 left.....Westbrook runs for a first down - and the game is OVER....oh no...there had to be a penalty to call right? Sure thing. The refs whistle up a holding call. Now, I don't know if they called in on the wrong guy, but on the replay, it seems like all Herremans does is let the Chicago LB Briggs fall to the ground with his own momentum....
Well anyway, that call set-up the improbably finish. Instead of watching the Eagles run three plays and rag the clock to zero, we get to see the Bears drive the length of the field and score a TD....

So what now?
The Eagles aren't going to catch the other teams in the NFC East. The Cowboys and Giants have started the season too well. And both are not going to collapse (again). This isn't 2006. 3-3....sure...the Eagles are still within striking distance; but to already have 4 losses by Week 7 - no matter how close the games, there is no special column close losses, this isn't the NHL - it has become a near-impossible hole from which to dig out.

Can they win 10-in-a-row and go 12-4? Unlikely, not with an offense that can't cash-in, and a defense that was oh-so-close today, but just couldn't shut the door. Whatever mojo the Eagles had in the past that would allow them to squeak through these games and emerge on the other side of the season with a double-digit win season is gone. Hell, a 10-6 record would mean going 8-2.....and with the exception of the games versus the Bills and Dolphins, can you think of a game in which the Eagles will be favored? Even factoring in a division split with the NFC East (a tall task since we're already 0-2) that's one loss. Not being able to score above 20 is sure to cause a few more....The way the team is executing - 5 or 6 wins in the final 10 is about as optimistic a prediction as can be mustered. So that's what 7-9, 8-8? That isn't going to do it folks.

The Birds are finding ways to lose the close games they used to find ways to win. Its going be a rough ride for the rest of 2007....I'm still bailing water, though I can imagine the boards will be full of folks bailing out....could be a lonely season for hopefuls like me....

When is the next Flyers game?