Super Bowl

Well, if my post from a couple of weeks ago is any indication, I don't think too much of the Eagles' chances of winning this. I can listen to as many people hyping the Eagles as possible, and I can hear Terrell Owens coming back gives them some sort of needed edge, and I can hear everything about bulletin-board fodder being a factor (it is not), it comes down to which team prepares better and has more intangible strengths.

The Patriots are, like I've said before, like the Yankees. Unlike the 2001 season where a Diamondbacks team came in and knocked the Yankees off the throne, the Eagles don't have a solid answer that I can compare equally to having Curt Schilling and Randy Johnson in the rotation. The Eagles are also not known for having lots of uncanny role players, like the Patriots do now. Trying to find an advantage for the Eagles in this regard is to deny that the Patriots inherently have the advantage--they are known for having these role players and unselfish types.

So, I'll make it interesting, and try to come up with a way that the Eagles can win. When it comes to championships, you must emphasize your strengths, and with the Eagles it is defense. They must rush and bother Tom Brady like the Steelers did early in the season and the Dolphins did later on. Easier said than done, but when you have a defense like the Eagles that compares favorably to the Steelers or Dolphins, there's a good shot. They must play a field position game. With an adequate offense, the Eagles can capitalize on a short field, and they have a good field goal kicker. But they cannot let Brady throw downfield or it will be a healthy night for Dillon and time of possession--and the Eagles do not have a quick-strike offense, so in this case TOP matters.

But I'm not one to think that these things will magically happen, because as I've said, the Patriots have tremendous personnel. You can't really come up with a weakness. One thing in the Eagles favor is that the Super Bowl is a different game. Less penalties, different pace. The Pats haven't exactly blown their previous opponents out of the water in these games, with two game-winning field goals being the difference. I think the defenses are going to be a little weaker due to the differences, and it might be a lot like last year's game.

Patriots 34 Eagles 27. I say the Eagles get a shot to tie this in the end, but it will be around midfield with very little time left.