Now we get to find out what this Eagles team is made of, if Nick Foles is the real deal, and if Chip Kelly has what it takes to take a 4-win team last year to the playoffs.
The Birds come off their bye week winners of three straight, and united behind Foles, newly anointed by Kelly to be his starter the rest of the way.
It’s hard to argue with the choice. Foles was just named the NFC Offensive Player of the Month. He’s been lights out since returning to the lineup from the low point of his career, suffering a concussion after a thoroughly ugly effort against the Cowboys.
Now the Eagles have a five-week span against some very good teams, starting Sunday against an equally hot Arizona Cardinals. Now the Eagles have a five-week span against some very good teams, starting Sunday against an equally hot Arizona Cardinals.
The Eagles were virtually tied with the Cowboys, who held the tiebreaker edge with a win over the Birds. But the Cowboys added a little cushion with their Thanksgiving Day win. Now the Eagles must win to keep pace.
The key to Foles’ success has been his ability to avoid turnovers - he still has not thrown an interception this season, while quickly reading the defense and distributing the ball to Riley Cooper, DeSean Jackson and his tight ends, something Michael Vick struggled to do.
With Carson Palmer and Larry Fitzgerald, the rapidly improving Eagles defense will be challenged more than they have since early in the season.
The Cardinals have a history of now playing well when they have to fly to the East Coast, and the teams they have beaten on this recent streak haven’t been great to begin with. I think the Birds get it done, and keep pushing toward a date with the Cowboys on the final Sunday of the season.
The Pick: Make it Eagles 24, Cardinals 19. There will be a lot of field goals in this one, which means it is not the week for erratic kicker Alex Henery to struggle. He could wind up being the difference in the game.
Last Week: The Birds had the bye, but before that they kept their hot streak intact by once again rolling up a huge first half lead over the Redskins, then coasting to the win. Robert Griffin III brought the Redskins back to within a single possession by scoring twice and converting two 2-point conversions, only to inexplicably toss an easy interception into the end zone with the game on the line. There’s a guy who looks like he’d like to be just about anywhere else.
Season Record: I loved the Birds vs. the Redskins, and it paid off. They snapped a 10-game losing streak at home, and my record improved to 7-5 with the win. The Eagles went back over .500 as well. They now sit at 6-5, but they fell a little father behind the Cowboys in the NFC East after The ‘Boys won their traditional Thanksgiving Day game. Any way you look at it, a pretty impressive rookie season for Chip Kelly. If he gets this team into the playoffs, he should be coach of the year.
Game by Game: Eagles 33, Redskins 27 (My Pick: Redskins 31, Eagles 23)
Chargers 33, Eagles 30 (My Pick: Eagles 33, Chargers 17)
Chiefs 26, Eagles 16 (My Pick: Eagles 31, Chiefs 23)
Broncos 52, Eagles 20 (My Pick: Broncos 41, Eagles 27)
Eagles 36, Giants 21 (My Pick: Eagles 29, Giants 26)
Eagles 31, Buccaneers 20 (My Pick: Eagles 26, Buccaneers 17)
Cowboys 17, Eagles 3 (My Pick: Cowboys 33, Eagles 23)
Giants 15, Eagles 7 (My Pick: Giants 26, Eagles-23)
Eagles 49, Raiders 20 (My Pick: Raiders 23, Eagles 13)
Eagles 27, Packers 13 (My Pick: Eagles 29. Packers 16)
Eagles 24, Redskins 16 (My Pick: Eagles 33, Redskins 27)
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