Orlando Scandrick a most unlikely MVP for Birds

In my regular Saturday item during the football season, "The Dreaded Saturday Eagles Pick," I quipped that it might be time for the Birds to put the wagons in a circle.

Their season looked like it was coming apart at the seams.

They had just been manhandled in successive weeks, first by the Vikings, and then in a prime time Sunday night debacle, dominated by the hated Cowboys.

That's when the finger-pointing started.

A player went to an ESPN personality again with some complaints about the offense.

Things really started rolling downhill later in the week when Orlando Scandrick, who had just been released by the Birds, took a few potshots at his old teammates, in particular defensive team leader Malcolm Jenkins.

All this was in play as the Eagles walked into a rainy, windy Buffalo to face the 5-2 Bills Sunday.

With the conditions in large part dictating a heavy dose of the run, the Eagles basically ran the ball down the Bills' throats.

The Birds racked up 218 yards and scored three TDs in a revamped run game, including a 65-yard bolt around left end by Miles Sanders.

It was so windy that after one touchdown, Doug Pederson actually went for two rather than try to kick the point-after.

It might be a tad early to say this day saved the Eagles' season, but the team desperately needed a win to turn around their fortunes - and perhaps ease some of the doubts that had creeped into the locker room.

They are now 4-4 just a half-game behind the Cowboys in the NFC East.

Who knew that Orlando Scandrick would wind up as the MVP of the season, delivering a wake-up call that apparently jolted the team, rallied the troops, and promptly taking it out on the Bills by ramming the ball down their throat.

For the view of beat writer Bob Grotz, click here.

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