What's the Word: WE'RE IN! The Philadelphia Eagles are NFC East Champions!

There is absolutely no good way to explain this season and I'm not sure how this could've possibly happened, but it did, and myself and Eagles fans everywhere are basking in the sweet satisfaction of the Philadelphia Eagles winning the NFC East and punching their ticket to the playoffs. The win over the Giants on Sunday afternoon sealed the deal and renewed the hope for Philly fans. This season  has been a roller coaster of emotion. Week by week my opinions and predictions for the remained of the season changed.

PC: NFL Twitter

If you would have asked me after Week 1 (a dominating performance against the Redskins) how this season would have played out I would have said the Eagles would win the division at a comfortable 11-5.

If you asked me after Week 7 (an absolutely pathetic performance against the Cowboys) there's a 100% chance I would have told you the season was over and I was losing the will to even watch the Eagles take the field.

If you asked me after Week 13 (an awful loss to the Dolphins) surprisingly, I would have responded with a glimmer of hope based on the Cowboys level of play, but not before I would have cried actual tears after being schooled by the Dolphins.

If you asked me after Week 16 (a dominant win over the Cowboys) I  would have told you we were going to the playoffs after the (future) win over the Giants with an immense amount of confidence in Carson Wentz and our practice squad receivers.

And now, here we are, the week of the first round of playoffs and the Philadelphia Eagles are hosting the Seattle Seahawks at Lincoln Financial Field in just a few short days. It's never easy for opposing teams to play in the Linc, especially in the playoffs and let me tell you, this crowd is going to be just as fired up for this game as the players. The Eagles have won four of their last five and are ON A ROLL. Everything is clicking for this team right now, injuries and all. Carson is playing close to perfectly and the defense has been lights out. On the other hand, Seattle has only won two of their last five and are traveling across the country to following a tough loss the 49ers.

This game just feels like an Eagles victory, but it won't come easy. The Eagles are lacking playoffs experience, not only in the majority of their offense but in their QB. Carson has yet to play in a playoff game due to injury, so the pressure will be on. Russel Wilson is tough to beat and to be honest, our defense has been spotty this season, so this will be a huge test for them. The defense has to come out strong. Neutralizing the run game and eliminating big plays downfield sounds like the stereotypical keys to any defense but it's true, doing these thing will win this football game. I predict the Eagles to win over the Seahawks by a field goal.

Too many times this season I was in disgust after watching the Eagles play. All confidence in this team had gone out the window, but these last four games have been electric. The Birds have their swagger back and it hasn't felt this good since the 2017 season. I am not ready for this to end, and neither is this team. They've showed resilience through PLENTY of adversity, they've rallied late and made big plays when it mattered, all sides of the ball are clicking and while I don't believe this will be the last game of the season, I am very proud of this team and how they have fought to get to where they are now.

Fly, Eagles, Fly

What's the Word: Eagles Fly, Cowboys Cry, also, put some dang RESPECT on Carson Wentz

PC: philadelphiaeagles.com

What a game in South Philly. The Philadelphia Eagles win 17-9 over the Dallas Cowboys, taking control of the NFC East and their own playoff destiny. As I stated in my last blog, I would have never been able to predict the outcome of this season. Injuries have plagued the Eagles offense and the defense has been incredibly unpredictable the entire season. The Cowboys look dominate on paper but ever since week 3 they've been a disaster, full of inconsistency and false hype.

After losing the first divisional match up against the Cowboys in week 7, the Eagles were looking to avoid the sweep. But most importantly they were playing to keep their playoff hopes alive and stop the Cowboys from clinching the division on their home turf. This was supposedly the biggest game of Carson Wentz's career, being that he has not yet been tested in a do or die situation. The motivation proved to be successful as Carson Wentz absolutely dominated Sundays game. Wentz completed 31 of 40 passes, throwing for 319 yards and a TD. He commanded the field from kickoff to the last hand off to, the also dominant, Miles Sanders (which would have been a touchdown had it not been for fantastic attention to the clock and unselfishness from the rookie running back).

PC: bleedinggreennation.com

I am a very active member of Eagles Twitter and for Wentz, this season has brought unnecessary slander to the QB from "dedicated" Eagles fans. The lack of production from his offensive weapons (or lack thereof) has been placed on him and that is simply not fair. This season he is putting up similar passing numbers to Patrick Mahomes and Lamar Jackson (both of which are in the MVP race) with practice squad receivers! The teams record may not reflect Wentz's performance but the numbers do not lie, he is a top 5 QB and I will continue to say that until he proves us otherwise. While I've always been in support of Wentz, PLENTY of Eagles fans have been crying for Nick Foles to return or asking the team to trade our top 5 QB for who knows what. Comically enough, these people are now nowhere to be found as the 2019 scores are finally starting to reflect the skill of Carson Wentz. This man is a leader, he is meant to be a franchise QB and he will lead this team to many playoff appearances. This is just the beginning for Carson Wentz so if you truly believe he should not be the Eagles starting QB...find a different team to follow.

PC: dallasnews.com

Now, back to Dallas. If the Cowboys do not make the playoffs (which is very likely) I truly believe Jason Garrett will be fired within the next two weeks. The team has talent, but it is being wasted. For example, why were Elliot and Cooper sitting out during key drives in the second half? Why was a pass call to Witten called on 3rd and 14, nine yards in front of the sticks? These are calls that cannot be made with the division title on the line. There is absolutely no reason for Garrett to be coaching the Cowboys next season.

The Cowboys will face the Redskins in Dallas next week to wrap up the season and the Eagles will travel to New York to square-off with the Giants at MetLife Stadium. Both games will kickoff at 3:25 central time.

With the Eagles currently perched atop the standings in the NFC East, here are all of the possible outcomes (barring a tie for both games) in the race for the division:

1. Eagles win and they clinch, regardless of the score from Dallas.
2. Eagles lose and Dallas wins, Dallas will clinch.
3. Eagles lose and Dallas loses, Eagles will clinch.

The Philadelphia Eagles control their own destiny from this point on. I expect Wentz, Sanders, and Greg Ward Jr to have another big game next Sunday, sealing their spot in the playoffs. For the Cowboys, I do expect a win, but I also expect a search for a new coach to begin following the end of a very disappointing season for Dem Boys.

What's the Word: It all comes down to this....

What a story line. I mean, come on, I wouldn't have dreamed this season would come down to this but here we are, headed into Week 16 and the Cowboys and the Eagles are going head to head in what will most likely be the deciding factor for the title of NFC East Champion.

PC: lineups.com

This season has been ugly for both teams. The Cowboys were expected to dominate the division while Carson Wentz was expected to have an MVP caliber season to prove why he is the Eagles franchise QB. Unfortunately, neither team quite lived up to their hype. While the Cowboys dominated the first few weeks, they slowly began to fall apart later in the season. Their record now sits at 7-7 as they prepare to head to Philly with the opportunity to clinch the division on their biggest rivals turf.

Carson Wentz has dealt with quite a bit of adversity, losing his top two receivers early and his top running back about midway through the season. Only as of late, has he proved himself to be the type of QB Philly knows he can be (based on his incredible 2017 performance pre-injury). The Eagles also sit at 7-7, hoping for a dramatic win over the Cowboys, which would likely secure the division for the Birds.

This season has been incredibly disappointing as a fan. With not much to be excited about, it only makes sense that the division would come down to two of the biggest rivals in all of sports, battling it out for a playoff spot neither team deserves. Dak and the 'Boys will look to avoid the embarrassment losing would bring to the team and Carson and the Birds will continue to claw their way through this rough season with the hope of landing at the top of the division.

There's no telling how this game will go based on the performance of both teams as of late, and I am quite awful at making game/score prediction but why not throw it out there.....

My prediction:
The Philadelphia Eagles win 26-21 over the Dallas Cowboys with a game ending touchdown drive from none other than Carson Wentz, in what is possibly the biggest game of his career to date.

This prediction would be a storybook ending for this nearly unbearable season as an Eagles fan. If there is a football god watching over me...I hope he has a knack for dramatic, happy, endings. 😏

What's the Word: HAHAHAHA what is happening in the NFC East???

I really can not believe the state of the NFC East right now....the Eagles and Cowboys are all tied up for the first place with a whopping record of 6-7. One of these two teams will walk away with the division in just three weeks. Usually at this point in the season the division winner would be predictable but that is NOT the case. After an embarrassing loss the to Bears on Thursday Night Football, the Cowboys dropped their record to below .500. The Eagles then beat the Giants in a thrilling come-from-behind, overtime victory on Monday night to even the divisional race. Carson Wentz looked fabulous in the fourth quarter and overtime while Boston Scott played the "next man up" card, making a case for a bigger role at running back. Every game matters from here on out. For both teams, it is a must win situation every Sunday afternoon.

PC: nbcphiladelphia.com

The Eagles will face the Redskins, Cowboys, and Giants one more time this season. A win in all three games means a playoff berth for the Birds yet again. (I'd like to note there are many other possible ways the division could be won but let's just keep it simple and say the Eagles need to win out.) While wins over the Redskins and Giants should come easy, the showdown with the Cowboys is sure to be the divisional game of the season. I predict the winner of the Week 16 match up to be the winner of the division. Dak and Carson are going to put on a show while both defenses will look to prove they have what it takes to survive a playoff appearance.

I would have never expected the division to play out like this and while I am sad the Eagles are not playing like they played a couple of years ago, I still have hope. I see glimpses of a playoff caliber team every week (some more fleeting than others). This team has to take it one game at a time. The first step is to win on Sunday.

Fly Eagles Fly.

Whats the Word: The NFC East is like a bad car wreck, you want to look away...but you just can't

By now I'm sure you've gathered that I am a ride or die Eagles fan who will wake up and go to sleep every Sunday rooting for the Birds, no matter the score. I also hope you've gathered that I am logical football fan who likes to analyze the state of the NFC East and create proposals as to how I think the division will play out. I was writing a blog each week because at the beginning of the season this division (and Eagles team) was keeping me on my toes, and I felt like every game played a monumental role towards the outcome of the division. I was excited to talk about each win (or loss) the Eagles and Cowboys earned because they were all different, and the division race was tight. So whats changed? Well....nothing really. The division is still up for grabs and each game matters.

However, the Eagles and the Cowboys have gone from bearable to watch to absolutely awful, and I mean horrendous. I would rather watch paint dry because at least the outcome is something pretty to look at. Before we go further, so we're clear, I am not speaking as the bitter Eagles fan I am by trying to drag the 'boys down with me and my atrocious team, I am speaking as the logical football fan who wants to watch a competitive division. That being said, both teams suck (for lack of better words). The Cowboys can't beat anyone with a winning record even if it was handed to them (they also lost to the Jets which we all know is hard to do). On the other side, I am fully convinced the Eagles entire offense washes their hands with butter before each game because no one can hold onto the dang ball. Let's not forget to mention the loss to the flippin Dolphins (pun intended) which is almost as bad, if not worse than losing to the Jets.

As a fan, of course I would like to see the Eagles knock the Cowboys out of the playoffs. I mean, come on, it's every football fans dream to knock the division rivals out of the playoffs late in the season. But this season? Jesus take the wheel if I have to watch the Eagles play a wild card playoff game against Green Bay, San Francisco, or Minnesota for that matter (all of which are NFC wild card contenders as if week 13). As an Eagles fan, that hurts to say but quite frankly, Cowboys fans should be feeling the same exact way.
This division was supposed to be good. It was supposed to be a dog fight until the end with both teams walking away with AT LEAST 11 wins. But nooooo, this could quite possibly be the worst division the NFL has ever seen, with no help coming from the Giants or the Redskins of course, who are just as awful (minus the higher expectations).

But ya know...this is football. This is what you sign up for when you pick a team and stay loyal. This is how the game works. Any team can win a football game at any point in time, regardless of the odds. So while their level of play has been below average and lack playoff potential, someone has to win the NFC East and with the way the Eagles and Cowboys have been playing, it's still anyone's division.

What's the Word: Week 9 win combined with a Week 10 bye and Cowboys loss ties up the East

The Eagles played great football in Week 9. All sides of the ball were moving exactly the way they are supposed to. The run game was on point, receivers were catching the ball (most of the time) and the defense handled the Bears struggling offense with ease. It was a big win, moving the Eagles to 5-4 on the season.

PC: nbcsports.com

During the bye week, Philly added another receiver in Jordan Mathews. This is Mathews third stint with the team and I'm not entirely confident in this move but I don't think he could perform any worse than how the receivers have played up until this point. The one good thing about signing Mathews is he is used to Carson Wentz and it shouldn't take him long to learn plays and adjust to the climate of the team.

Even though the Eagles didn't take the field in Week 10, movement in the NFC East provided the Eagles with more than good chances to take over the division. As the Cowboys fell to the Vikings on Sunday Night Football, their record also moved to 5-4, tying up the division. While the 'boys technically still sit at the top (because they've played more division games), the Eagles have a much easier schedule in the final few weeks and I expect a shift in the standings to come later this season.

Philly will be tested in Week 11 and 12. Squaring up against the Patriots at home followed by the Seahawks at home, the Eagles will be tested. These two weeks provide a chance to show the rest of the NFC that the birds are here to play. Earlier this week, Tom Brady referenced the chip on his shoulder that remains from his loss to Philly in Super Bowl LII. This is not going to be an easy game for the Eagles but if they can play well rounded football, I think a win against New England isn't out of the question. The Cowboys will take on the Lions and usually I would hand this win to Dallas but I think it depends on which Cowboys team shows up. If the offense is rolling, Dallas will take the win, however if Detroit's defense shuts down Zeke and gets to Dak, I can see the Lions taking the dub.

Every win in the next 7 weeks will be important as the NFC East is still up for grabs. It;s anyone's title at this point.

What's the Word: Week 7 disaster and a week full of locker room drama leads to a massive team win in Week 8

PC: Blogging the Boys

Week 7 for the Philadelphia Eagles was nothing short of a disaster. There was nothing, and I mean NOTHING, good to talk about. For Eagles fans, it was terrible to watch. The Dallas Cowboys destroyed us on Sunday Night Football and every aspect of the Eagles looked awful. They beat us with the run game, our O-Line couldn't create space, our cornerbacks wouldn't have been impressive even if they were playing in a high school game and to top it off Carson Wentz didn't have a great game either. Meanwhile, the Cowboys were firing on all cylinders. The run game was on point, Dak looked good, the defense executed throughout the entire game and the coaching and play calling was clearly better than that of the Eagles. Week 7 broke us.

To make things worse, a few days after the loss, the Eagles cut long time Cowboys CB Orlando Scandrick after just 3 games of playing in Philly. Scandrick clearly didn't like the move and headed to Undisputed (hosted by Skip Bayless, a Cowboys fan) to share his thoughts on what was wrong with the Eagles. He started by bashing Howie Roseman, calling him a snake and said he wouldn't believe a word he says. He then shifted to Malcolm Jenkins, stating he was a selfish player and that he didn't have the best interest of the team in mind. He praised the Cowboys and the leaders in their locker room, saying he would play for the 'boys over the Eagles any day. Scandricks comments lit a fire in the Eagles locker room. Immediately after the comments were made, players took to twitter and spoke with reporters, defending their teammates, attempting to set the record straight. Most notably, Jenkins replied by saying the only opinions that mattered to him are the opinions of those in the locker room. Mills backed Jenkins, claiming that he is one of the best leaders and teammates he's ever had. After the comments, the Eagles held two "players only" meetings initiated by none other than Malcolm Jenkins. Heading into to Week 8 against the 5-1 Bills, it was clear there needed to be changes made, not just on the field but in the locker room.

PC: delawareonline.com

Let me tell ya...those changes were made. The Eagles flew high in Week 8 in a dominating 31-13 win in Buffalo. Everything was clicking. The 218 rushing yards led the offense while Carson Wentz played like 2017 MVP candidate Carson Wentz, completing 17 of 24 passes, including a touchdown. The defense showed up, looking like an entirely different team than the week before.

I do not discredit the Cowboys or their Week 7 performance. They won fair and square and made us look awful in the process. I do however want to thank them for the beating. It gave us life, it woke us up, it lit a fire we so desperately needed. The Eagles are back and I am fully convinced they will to continue to play with dominance. Sometimes it takes a humbling loss and lots of drama to bring a team together and it looks like that is exactly what Week 7 did to the Eagles.

Philly will take on the Bears at home in Week 9 while Cowboys travel to New York to face the Giants. I expect a win from both of the top two NFC East teams this week.