Leaders of Men?

Everybody thinks they could do a better job of coaching their favorite NFL team. Regardless of who the coach is, he isn't perfect, he makes mistakes and we Monday-morning-quarterback him to death.

But there are some coaches who just seem to invite more second guesses. Their game management seems nonsensical. Their play-calling is illogical. They look funny on the sideline.

Don't look now, but a lot of those guys that get ridiculed are leading their teams into the post-season.

With a week to go in the season, here are the teams who are headed to the playoffs, along with their head coaches:

• Saints (Sean Payton)
• EAGLES (Andy Reid)
• Vikings (Brad Childress)
• Cardinals (Ken Whisenhunt)
• Cowboys (Wade Phillips)
• Packers (Mike McCarthy)
• Colts (Jim Caldwell)
• Chargers (Norv Turner)
• Bengals (Marvin Lewis)
• Patriots (Bill Belichick)
• Jets (Rex Ryan)
• Ravens (John Harbaugh)

At least four of those men will probably never get respect from fans and talk show hosts - Reid, Childress, Phillips and Turner. They get belittled and even vilified on a weekly basis.

Caldwell is getting killed this week for white-flagging Sunday's game against the Jets (which really does seem like it has the potential to crush his team).

Rex Ryan just read his Christmas list to reporters last week and - like his dear ol' Dad, Buddy - is a bit of a roller coaster ride as a head coach.

Marvin Lewis spent most of the past three seasons conferencing with a bail bondsman on behalf of his trouble roster.

Bill Belichick? Sure, he's a genius, but he seemed more mad than scientist a month ago when he went for it on 4th-and-two on his own 29. Plus, everybody hates his guts.

Mike McCarthy remains a complete and utter mystery to most of America. I really don't have an opinion of him and I don't think you do, either. In this group, that's practically a positive.

But there's more - in the AFC, coaches still in the mix include Jack Del Rio and Gary Kubiak, both of whom could be fired this off-season.

Of the playoff group, only Payton, Harbaugh and Whisenhunt have halfway decent reputations with the fans. I'm sure it's only a matter of time...

My point is that maybe these guys are just the victims of over-scrutiny. Maybe we're just magnifying a couple mistakes and ignoring all the good things they do. Maybe it's not their fault if the quarterback overthrows an open receiver or the left guard misses a key block.

Maybe we're focused on the wrong things.

Maybe they're actually doing a good job. Maybe they know about football than the talk show hosts and the columnists and you and me.

Because these are the guys who are going to decide the world championship in six weeks.

Some Fourth Quarter Mojo

Wow. That game was excruciating. The Eagles looked absolutely awesome in the first half. They had 15 first half first downs. McNabb was way over 200 yards passing. Everything was right.

Everybody was getting excited about how explosive this team is. Before the game, my buddy Mike Lombardi told me he thinks the Birds are just like the Saints - explosive, but with a defense that's a bit shaky. And the Eagles looked just about that good into the third quarter.

And then.... nothing.

It was like they just shut down. Maybe Brian Dawkins said something on the Denver sideline. Maybe the notorisously streaky McNabb just hit a cold sttretch. Maybe they missed the injured Jamal Jackson a lot (this was definitely part of it).

Donovan completed just five of his last 16 passes. The Broncos made big play after big play. They killed the Birds on wide receiver screens. Tackling was sketchy again. Aye aye aye, this game was spiraling out of their grasp.

All of a sudden, everyone's nerves were frayed.

But this year's Eagles seem to have found some fourth quarter mojo. For the third time in their six game winning streak, they staged a fourth quarter game winning drive. When the Broncos had all the momentum, the Eagles rose up and and won the game. Jeremy Maclin made the huge sideline catch to put them in position for David Akers' game winner.

It isn't easy to have a whiplash-like momentum swing against you in the course of a game, recover and then turn it back around. That tells me something.

Hard to believe that two months ago everyone was talking about the Birds' inability to win close games. They've done it a bunch lately and it's another reason to get excited coming down the home stretch of the season.

A Very Brian Christmas

A couple quick thoughts before Santa comes down the chimney.

You may have heard that the two Brians are returning this week - Dawkins in Denver orange, Westbrook in midnight green. I'm sure the Griffins' dog we'll be watching somewhere.

It'll be great to see them both back on the field, but I have to admit I'm not expecting a lot from either one.

First, Westbrook. The Eagles have said that they'll ease him back in, and everything points to exactly that happening. I'd be shocked if he had much more than eight touches. And if his performance earlier this season is any indication, he'll look a little rusty. The only time he really showed that ol' giddy up this season was in the first Redskins game, just before he suffered the concussion.

But I think it's okay if Westbrook looks a little pedestrian. The Eagles goal should be to get him ready to be fully unleashed by the second week of the playoffs. If they suddenly have an effective/explosive Westbrook, opposing defensive coordinators will be in significant trouble. Hopefully, we'll be talking about that down the road.

Now, Dawkins. It's going to be awesome to hear the reception he gets on Sunday. I can't wait; he's always been one of my faves and you just know it'll be an electric moment.

I was sad to see him go last Spring but not as angry as some. Tactically, I thought the Eagles made the right move; B. Dawk was a real liability in pass coverage, and Jim Johnson spent much of last season devising ways to hide Dawkins.

As for this Sunday, I can't figure out what's going to happen. This is just about the worst match-up in the League for Dawkins. The Eagles bring speed, speed and more speed to the table, which would seem to render him ineffective. On the other hand, he has always risen to meet a challenge, and so he just might do that again in his return to Philadelphia.

But don't be surprised if the Eagles speed burners go whizzing by him a couple times. It would be a bittersweet, watershed-type moment. If that happens, it'll be like the Eagles turning the page on the past and heading into an explosive future.

If it happens, it'll be crushing for us as Dawkins' fans. But if it happens, it'll be exhilarating to us as Eagles' fans, because it'll be yet another sign that these Birds are bound for glory in 2010.

Not Exactly What I Wanted For Christmas, But I'll Take It

The Eagles played far from a great football game today against the 49ers, but even with a mediocre performance, 27-13 over a halfway (but not full-on) decent team is not too shabby in today's NFL.

But that said, they played like a young team. They played like this was a trap game and they were trapped.

It was far from a resounding performance - they looked a little full of themselves and little unfocused. (I think that's why Andy went for it on 4th and 1 from his own 29 in the first quarter. God knows I can't think of any other reason.) The most unfocused moment of the game was clearly Leonard Weaver's end of the first half argument with one of the Niners when the clock was winding down and the Birds were out of timeouts. Just a colossal brain fart and way out of character.

The whole game was Twilight Zone-ish. Because of the gargantuan snowstorm and the way the post-storm light fell on the stadium, it was almost spooky - like the game was being played in secret.

McNabb was... meh. Twenty-one out of 36, 308 yards, one touchdown, two picks. Was never really on target all day long. Yeah, it was windy, but he just didn't quite seem "on." And he might be getting a little obsessed with DeSean Jackson - understandable, but he forced a few times.

But they won. They won comfortably. They have five straight in the pocket. They clinched a playoff spot. If you can do that when you aren't at your best, that's probably a sign that you're a pretty good football team.

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

I am giddy.

The holidays are here, I have some down time from the real job, it's going to be a very White Christmas and the Eagles are surging down the regular season stretch drive. I just moved six tons of snow off my driveway and I'm prepping for the Eagles' game with the Niners.

Things is good.

Let's just hope the Eagles aren't feeling this way. For the Birds, they have to overcome the temptation to feel good about themselves. They have to stay on the right side of the confident/overconfident line.

Some key things to watch today:

Will the weather be a factor? I don't think it will. It should be a clear day and the field should be in decent shape, thanks to the extra three hours before kickoff.

Can the O-line keep improving? San Fran put on a pretty fierce pass rush Monday night against the Cardinals, especially from the linebackers. Jason Peters has been playing very well the last couple weeks. Let's hope he avoids dings and keeps on mowing people down.

Will the Eagles tackle better than last week? Well, I can't imagine it could be worse. I think they'll bounce back. As a side note, why do you have to practice tackling? When you slam into the guy, put your arms around him - why does that require practice? It's a body slam combined with a hug. If you have the body slam part down, the hug should be easy.

Can anybody slow down DeSean Jackson? Finally, an easy one - No.

Enjoy the game, and be safe getting there.

Classic Game. Classic Game-winning Drive

A classic drive. When the Eagles needed to come through in a huge NFC East battle - a game that was already shaping up as a classic - they put together a classic drive.

A championship drive.

12 plays. 91 yards. Seven minutes, 24 seconds.

Ball game.

The Eagles never had a 3rd down on this drive. They walked down the field. Against a team that has talent. Against a team that was desperate. Against a team that likes nothing better than to beat the Eagles.

When they had to, they rose up. They crushed the Giants. They took their will and crushed it. They (probably) won the division.

Here's The Drive that just might define this season:

1-10-PHI9	(13:12) L.McCoy left end to PHI 12 for 3 yards (J.Tuck, O.Umenyiora).
2-7-PHI12	(12:37) D.McNabb pass deep left to D.Jackson ran ob at PHI 32 for 20 yards.
1-10-PHI32	(12:05) (No Huddle) L.Weaver right guard to PHI 34 for 2 yards (M.Boley, O.Umenyiora).
2-8-PHI34	(11:30) L.Weaver left tackle to PHI 44 for 10 yards (B.Kehl, T.Thomas).
1-10-PHI44	(11:00) (No Huddle) L.Weaver right end to PHI 47 for 3 yards (J.Tuck, B.Johnson).
2-7-PHI47	(10:19) (No Huddle) D.McNabb pass short right to L.McCoy to NYG 43 for 10 yards (B.Cofield, D.Clark).
1-10-NYG43	(9:34) M.Vick at QB. (Shotgun) D.McNabb pass short right to B.Celek to NYG 39 for 4 yards (D.Clark). M.Vick handoff to L.McCoy who pitches to D.McNabb lined up at LWR.
2-6-NYG39	(8:50) D.McNabb at QB. (No Huddle, Shotgun) D.McNabb pass short right to L.Weaver to NYG 31 for 8 yards (M.Boley, B.Kehl).
1-10-NYG31	(8:07) D.McNabb pass short right to L.McCoy pushed ob at NYG 25 for 6 yards (M.Boley).
2-4-NYG25	(7:31) D.McNabb pass short middle to R.Brown to NYG 6 for 19 yards (M.Boley).
1-6-NYG6	(6:39) (Shotgun) M.Vick right tackle to NYG 1 for 5 yards (J.Tuck, B.Kehl).
2-1-NYG1	(5:54) D.McNabb at QB. L.Weaver left guard for 1 yard, TOUCHDOWN.
(Pass formation) TWO-POINT CONVERSION ATTEMPT. D.McNabb pass to J.Avant is complete. ATTEMPT SUCCEEDS.

The Eagles are 9-4. They have won four straight. They are in December, a month they own. They are rolling towards the post-season.

The players believe.

You should believe too.

Halftime at the G-Men: Big Plays, Bad Refs, and Hakeem Nicks' Hands

What a wild first half - big plays, tons of excitement - but I'm more than a little nervous.

The Eagles have show the nation again that they are the best big play team in the NFL - DeSean Jackson, Sheldon Brown, Michael Vick - big plays have the Eagles on top. McNabb is nine for 15 for 142 yards and a touchdown.

On the flip side, ugg. The defense looks really ragged. They have given up 257 yards at halftime - 257! Bunkley and Patterson are getting blown off the ball by a Giants o-line that has been mediocre all season. Jacobs and Bradshaw are gashing them (89 rush yards so far). When Eli goes back to pass he has all the time in the world. Not the best half of defensive line play we've seen this season.

But wait - there's more! Quintin Mikell has had a colossally bad first half - two penalties and a missed tackle on Nicks touchdown catch and run.

That said, the first penalty on Mikell was awful. The refs (and I never say this) look like they are completely in the bag for the Giants - the no call on Celek in the end zone was unbelievably unconscionable. It clearly cost the Eagles four points because they had to settle for a field goal. And on the final play of the half, they should've had three seconds left after the fumble recovery, giving them a chance at a long Akers field goal. If I may use a technical football term, that's what we call a "first class boning."

Thank God Hakeem Nicks can't catch. And thank God for Sheldon Brown and DeSean Jackson.

Now, how about some defense?

Andy - King for Life

The news that Andy Reid got a new three year contract extension was barely news. There have been times over the last year where some people thought that maybe Andy might not be the coach forever. But he has weathered those storms the same way he coaches the team - with resilience and a steady hand. And he's very likely going to be running the Eagles for the next generation.

At the end of this extended contract, Reid will be one of an exalted dozen coaches in the history of the NFL that have coached the same team for 15 seasons. And for everybody that says Andy doesn't get it done in February, two comments:

1. You're right.
2. At least the Eagles are living in the right neighborhood. They almost always have a shot at winning the Super Bowl. And this year is no exception. At some point, they'll break through. Or they won't.

But as my broadcast partner Kevin Reilly said last week, the Eagles have changed the wiring on the house while keeping the lights on - they've completed reloaded the roster with talent and are now poised for another multi-year run at or near the top of the league. Trust me, Andy's the guy you want running this for the next couple years.

It seems quite clear that he can have this job as long as he wants it. And when he doesn't want it, he can probably have a Bill Parcells-type football czar position.

So, we just may have another two decades - yes, 20 years - of Andy Reid. Really. The Eagles are Andy's world, and you're just bitching in it. The question is, will the haters still be beefing if and when the Eagles finally win the big prize? Or will a Lombardi Trophy change everything?

The irrational hate some people have for Reid makes me wonder.

Eagles beat Atlanta JV - time to believe?

Wow. That Falcon roster sure is thin. The Eagles annihilated the Atlanta back-ups, 34-7. The Falcons were without four of their top offensive players - QB Matt Ryan, RB Michael Turner, WR Michael Jenkins and OG Harvey Dahl - and they just didn't have enough quality players to match up today.

And that points up an important point about the Eagles. Even when the Birds have injuries, they keep on coming. The next guy steps up and a lot of times he isn't great, but most of the time he gets the job done. The Eagles have been slapped with a lot of injuries this year, but they've overcome just about all of them. Sean McDermott has duct-taped together the defense so well that they almost pitched a shutout today.

I know Chris Redman stinks, but as Leonard Weaver just told me in a post-game interview, this is the NFL. If you let your guard down, teams will rise up and beat you. Hey - the Oakland Raiders beat the Steelers today. And the Birds - except for their Oakland game - have done a good job of taking care of business. Today, they never gave Atlanta a chance. They grabbed the lead early and romped. The Falcons (and their fans) threw in the towel after the Birds' end of the first half goal line stand.

And now, they're building confidence. You can say they still haven't beaten a good team, but these Eagles don't believe that. Look - I know the Falcons are horrendous and on the verge of going in the tank, but the Eagles don't care. I know the Eagles haven't been winning pretty, but the players don't care.

They are starting to believe in themselves. And in the NFL, that's big.

Something less than a picture-perfect shutout...

Some quick thoughts at halftime:

- Great job by the defense on that goalline stand at the end of the half. The Falcons offensive ineptness helped, but that was still impressive.

- This game should be a blowout, but the Eagles' continuing red zone issues are killing them. They should've jumped out 28-0, but instead it was just 13-zip. They're down a couple key weapons, but this is getting a wee bit old.

- Chris Redman stinks. On our pregame show Kevin Reilly and I heard conflicting messages about Redman - "he's got a big arm" ..."he's really accurate" .. he's 'cerebral.'" Well, he might be smart, but he is not an NFL quarterback. He's playing like the insurance salesman he was for three years.

- Assante! Keep on hitting!

- For the second straight week, Brent Celek is having a rough game. Blocking? What's that?

- Eagles keeping Tony Gonzalez in check; two catches for 13 yards. I did not expect that. Good work by Macho Harris on him.

- Jason Peters is unlucky. He's got a neck and head injury, and with the NFL buckling down on players returning to games after getting whacked in the head, I'm guexsing he's done for the day. Just when you thought the O-line was coming together.

And in this corner...

As I watched the game Saints-Patriots last night, I couldn't help but wonder: rather than go for young unknowns Ramzee Robinson and Geoff Pope when their defensive backfield got thin, should the Eagles have gone after Mike McKenzie and/or Chris McAllister?

I know McKenzie and McAllister (aging and on the downside of their careers) don't fit the profile of players the Eagles typically bring in in-season. And I know that it's possible that neither one of them wanted to come here. But was this explored?

Because both of them looked pretty good against New England. I went into the game thinking the Patriots had a big advantage because the Saints were banged up in the secondary. But McKenzie and McAllister know how to play and got them job done. They even made plays. They had a positive impact.

From here, it looked like they are just what the duct-taped together Eagles D could use.