Snap Judgments: Week 17
Donovan McNabb led the Eagles to an easy win over the Cowboys, and the No. 6 seed in the NFC.
AP
PHILADELPHIA -- Musings, observations and the occasional insight as we watch the total demolition of the Dallas Cowboys play out before an absolutely delirious throng of Eagles fans at Lincoln Financial Field ...
• This is why you should never, ever, ever give up on an NFL season, until they pull the mathematical rug from beneath your feet. Because even after an ugly Week 11 tie at Cincinnati that supposedly buried you, and a crushing Week 16 loss at Washington that all but eliminated you, a Sunday like this one can still unfold in Philadelphia.
In a span of about four hours, the Eagles went from having their playoff hopes on life support -- an almost breathless blip on the NFL radar screen -- to coasting to the NFC's final invitation to next month's Super Bowl tournament. It's the kind of wildly unexpected turn of events that makes Week 17 so captivating each and every season.
The Eagles came into Sunday needing a Raiders upset win at Tampa Bay. They got it. They needed a loss by either Minnesota or Chicago, and the Bears cooperated, dropping their finale at Houston. And they needed a homefield win over the equally desperate Cowboys, an outcome that was all but decided by the second quarter.
Of course, as it almost had to be, it was that much-derided tie in Cincinnati that made the difference in the end for the 9-6-1 Eagles. Without it, they're home next week, rather than playing in a first-round playoff game at Minnesota.
Donovan McNabb led the Eagles to an easy win over the Cowboys, and the No. 6 seed in the NFC.
AP
PHILADELPHIA -- Musings, observations and the occasional insight as we watch the total demolition of the Dallas Cowboys play out before an absolutely delirious throng of Eagles fans at Lincoln Financial Field ...
• This is why you should never, ever, ever give up on an NFL season, until they pull the mathematical rug from beneath your feet. Because even after an ugly Week 11 tie at Cincinnati that supposedly buried you, and a crushing Week 16 loss at Washington that all but eliminated you, a Sunday like this one can still unfold in Philadelphia.
In a span of about four hours, the Eagles went from having their playoff hopes on life support -- an almost breathless blip on the NFL radar screen -- to coasting to the NFC's final invitation to next month's Super Bowl tournament. It's the kind of wildly unexpected turn of events that makes Week 17 so captivating each and every season.
The Eagles came into Sunday needing a Raiders upset win at Tampa Bay. They got it. They needed a loss by either Minnesota or Chicago, and the Bears cooperated, dropping their finale at Houston. And they needed a homefield win over the equally desperate Cowboys, an outcome that was all but decided by the second quarter.
Of course, as it almost had to be, it was that much-derided tie in Cincinnati that made the difference in the end for the 9-6-1 Eagles. Without it, they're home next week, rather than playing in a first-round playoff game at Minnesota.
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