The dreaded Saturday Eagles pick

There's a part of me that would really like to put this season behind us. It's been a nightmare ever since the words 'dream team' escaped the lips of Vince Young. From that point on, this prodigious collection of talent has disappointed at every level - front office, coaching and most of all the players.

One thing has not happened this year that I certainly thought would. I have not seen Michael Vick put this team on his shoulders and will it to a big win, as he did in such thrilling fashion against the Giants last year.

Instead, the truth is that Vick has flat-out been a disappointment. He has not played well, looking more like the guy who played in Atlanta, inaccurate, making poor decisions, with happy feet looking to run rather than going through his reads.

The result has been a lot of running - admittedly some of the time running for his life behind a shaky offensive line. When Vick does that you can count on one thing. He will get hurt. And he is currently nursing two broken ribs that kept him out of the lineup for three weeks.

So Sunday, against a very good defense in the New York Jets, you would not think would be the day Vick reverses that pattern. But nothing else about this season has gone the way I've envisioned.

So I say the Eagles manage to squeeze just enough out of Vick and LeSean McCoy to get the win, while Juan Castillo's defense harasses Jets QB Mark Sanchez into a couple of key turnovers.

However, should that not happen, should the Eagles fall behind early, look for the return of the 'Fire Andy' chants before that crowd makes an early exit.

That would be two straight home debacles weighing on the front office. I think this team manages to avoid that fate.

Make it Eagles 24, Jets 23. Still alive. Unreal.

Last Week: The Birds put together one of their better performances of the year, especially on defense, in dispatching the Dolphins. The Fish were so disappointed in being filleted they stuck a fork in head coach Tony Sparano on Monday. Were you watching, Mr. Lurie?

Season Record: Things can't get much worse for me. Actually, you could have made a pretty good living just going the opposite way from my picks. I now sit at a rank 2-11, while the Eagles are limping along at 5-8, clinging to the miracle that they, the Giants and Cowboys all wind up 8-8, which would give the Eagles the NFC Least and a playoff spot.

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