I mentioned in my Saturday blog, which I refer to during the football season as 'The Dreaded Saturday Eagles Pick' that the Eagles were looking at a statement game at Lambeau Field in Green Bay on Sunday.
They made a statement, alright. Just not the one I think they envisioned.
I did not expect the Eagles to win. In fact, I picked the Packers. But I did expect the Eagles to be competitive. They were not.
Not at any point in a 53-20 demolition on the "frozen tundra" were the Eagles in the game.
Kicker Cody Parkey lost his balance on the opening kickoff. It went downhill from there.
The Eagles had no answer for Aaron Rodgers and the Packers attack. This one was over early. It was 17-0 at the end of the 1st quarter and 3-6 at halftime.
You might remember that last year when the Eagles visited Lambeau, Rodgers was on the sideline as the Eagles escaped with a win.
They were not nearly as lucky Sunday. Rodgers picked the Eagles defense apart. They got zero pressure on him and Rodgers methodically carved up the Birds.
Rodgers went 22 of 36 for 341 yards before giving way to his backup. He could have been lifted at halftime. The final was 53-20, and it wasn't that close.
Of offense, the Eagles never got anything going, and Mark Sanchez reverted to the turnover machine he developed a reputation for with the Jets. Of course, he was under siege most of the afternoon, including taking a couple of vicious helmet-to-helmet shots that for some reason did not draw a penalty.
The Eagles had one shot to win this game. They needed to control the game with their rushing attack, keeping Rodgers and the Packers off the field. It didn't happen. The results were predictable.
The loss drops the Eagles to 7-3, still tied with the Dallas Cowboys atop the NFC East. Dallas did not play yesterday, and the first of their two dates looms on Thanksgiving Day.
In the meantime, the Eagles will lick their wounds and prepare for the Titans, who come to the Linc Sunday at 1.
But the more troubling aspect of yesterday's debacle is this: This was more than just one loss. It leaves you with a question of just how good this Eagles team is, and how they stack up against the other potential playoff teams.
The ugly answer is this. They're just not that good.Especially on defense. If they can't get pressure on a good quarterback, this team's secondary will be exposed, just as they were yesterday.
After yesterday's shellacking, it's entirely possible this team might not make the playoffs.
And realistically, even if they do, how far can they go.
The answer is not very far.
They went to Lambeau Field and faced the best quarterback playing in the league right now.
It was not pretty.
It's probably not the last time they will be overmatched this year.
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