The Saints are finally getting their wish.
Last year, after they fell in that Minnesota Miracle to the Vikings, and the Eagles promptly dispatched the Vikes in the NFC title game, punching their ticket to the Super Bowl, several Saints said they would have crushed the Eagles.
And maybe that had something to do with the message Saints Coach Sean Payton sent to the Birds back in November, when New Orleans left Philly for dead after a 48-7 drubbing in which many believed Payton deliberately ran up the score.
Did Sean Payton ever in his wildest imagination envision the possibility that those very same 4-6 Eagles would now be the winners of four straight and on a serious roll as they return to Nawlins for an NFC Divisional playoff Sunday?
Now it's the Birds' time for some payback.
Make no mistake. This is a big hill to climb. The Saints are very good, and even better when playing in the Super Dome. But I'm not messing with destiny at this point.
I believe in St. Nick, and think he has just enough magic left to beat the Saints.
To do that the Eagles will have to do several things. First, they must get a quick start and hopefully a lead on the Saints. They can't fall behind Drew Brees and company and expect to win a shootout.
A couple of those patented Nick Foles long drives should do the trick.
On defense, the Eagles must help their still-developing secondary by putting some serious pressure on Brees, in particular straight up the middle from Fletcher Cox and Tim Jernigan. That's the plan the Cowboys used to harass Brees into one of his worst performances of the season on a Monday night.
This is not the same Eagles team that was torched by Brees in November. Their defensive secondary is much better. And with Foles at the controls, it's the Eagles who have been controlling games. That will be crucial again Sunday.
Simply put, the Eagles will need Foles to be the best player on the field Sunday, not Brees.
The Saints were the best team in the NFL during the regular season; the Eagles have been the hottest team going into the playoffs.
I'm sticking with the hot hand.
THE PICK: Make it Eagles 26, Saints 24. On to the NFC Championship Game. In the inimitable words of Al Michaels, Do you believe in miracles?
LAST WEEK: Just call it the Doink heard 'round the world. Or, actually, the Double Doink. When Treyvon Hester got his mitt on Cody Parkey's last-second field goal try, it was just enough to send it off line, careening into first the upright, then miraculously the crossbar before falling harmlessly to the turf. No Good. Eagles win. It was the Birds' fourth straight win and sixth in their last seven games. I was on board for another win. On to the Big Easy.
GAME BY GAME: Eagles 18, Falcons 12. (My Pick: Falcons 27, Eagles 13)
Buccaneers 27, Eagles 21 (My Pick: Eagles 23, Buccaneers 13)
Eagles 20, Colts 16 (My Pick: Colts 23, Eagles 17)
Titans 26, Eagles 23 in OT (My Pick: Eagles 26, Titans 13)
Vikings 23, Eagles 21 (My Pick: Eagles 24, Vikings 13)
Eagles 34, Giants 13 (My Pick: Eagles 19, Giants 17)
Panthers 21, Eagles 17 (My Pick: Eagles 26, Panthers 17)
Eagles, 24, Jaguars 18 (My Pick: Eagles 24, Jaguars 23)
Cowboys 27, Eagles 20 (My Pick: Eagles 29, Cowboys 16)
Saints 48, Eagles 7 (My Pick: Saints 37, Eagles 23)
Eagles 25, Giants 22 (My Pick: Eagles 23, Giants 17)
Eagles 28, Redskins 13 (My Pick: Eagles 27, Redskins 17)
Cowboys 29, Eagles 23 (My Pick: Eagles 23, Cowboys 21)
Eagles 30, Rams 23 (My Pick: Rams 31, Eagles 16)
Eagles 32, Texans 30 (My Pick: Eagles 27, Texans 26)
Eagles 24, Redskins 0 (My Pick: Eagles 31, Redskins 17)
Eagles 16, Bears 15 (My Pick: Eagles 23, Bears 17)
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