Mike Schmidt knew all about it.
He once famously quipped about playing in Philadelphia this way: The "thrill of victory, and the agony of reading about it the next day."
The Eagles did something they were supposed to last week. They dominated the hapless New York Jets.
But their performance, especially on offense, didn't exactly wow the fans and did not alleviate concerns about the team as they head into a crucial three-game road swing against three good teams.
Ironically, on Sunday the Birds will return for the first time to the scene of their greatest triumph with a trip to Minnesota, scene of Super Bowl LII, and a huge game against the Vikings.
Much like two weeks ago vs. the Packers, this is an opportunity for the Eagles to stamp themselves as a serious contender for the next Super Bowl.
To do so they will need to clamp down on a very effective Vikes' running game featuring speed back Dalvin Cook and force the game into the hands of QB Kirk Cousins. Then the Eagles should be able to force Cousins into the kind of mistakes that have defined his career. The Eagles have been very good against the run so far this year, but this will be the best rushing team they have faced.
On offense, this will be a very big challenge for Carson Wentz and the gang. Once again without deep threat DeSean Jackson, they will again rely heavily on their two-tight end formations, with huge doses of Zach Ertz and Dallas Goedert, while you can look for Jordan Howard to handle the majority of the ground game.
This would be a good time for Wentz to break out with a huge game, but without Jackson and against a very good Vikings' defense I don't see that happening.
THE PICK: Make it Vikings 27, Eagles 26. The Eagles certainly could win this game, but that lackluster performance by the offense vs. the Jets is stuck in my mind. Those won't be the Jets on the other side of the line Sunday, and I think the result will prove it.
LAST WEEK: The last thing Doug Pederson and the Eagles needed was a horrendous effort to the Lions. The Eagles didn't do a lot right in this one - and still had a chance to win it with their last possession after Malcolm Jenkins blocked a Lions' field goal. But Wentz's heave to the goal line clanged off the hands of wide receiver J.J. Arcega-Whiteside, pretty much a symbol for the way this season has gone so far. The win over the Jets pushed the Eagles' season over .500 to 3-2, which is where I'm also sitting. You know, it would not be a stretch to say the Eagles should be 5-0. but then, that's why they play the games.
GAME BY GAME: Eagles 32, Redskins 27. (My Pick: Eagles 27, Redskins 13)
Falcons 24, Eagles 20. (My Pick: Falcons 29, Eagles 27)
Lions 27, Eagles 24: (My Pick: Eagles 26, Lions 23)
Eagles 34, Packers 27 (My Pick: Packers 33, Eagles 23)
Eagles 31, Jets 6 (My Pick: Eagles 31, Jets 13)
He once famously quipped about playing in Philadelphia this way: The "thrill of victory, and the agony of reading about it the next day."
But their performance, especially on offense, didn't exactly wow the fans and did not alleviate concerns about the team as they head into a crucial three-game road swing against three good teams.
Ironically, on Sunday the Birds will return for the first time to the scene of their greatest triumph with a trip to Minnesota, scene of Super Bowl LII, and a huge game against the Vikings.
Much like two weeks ago vs. the Packers, this is an opportunity for the Eagles to stamp themselves as a serious contender for the next Super Bowl.
To do so they will need to clamp down on a very effective Vikes' running game featuring speed back Dalvin Cook and force the game into the hands of QB Kirk Cousins. Then the Eagles should be able to force Cousins into the kind of mistakes that have defined his career. The Eagles have been very good against the run so far this year, but this will be the best rushing team they have faced.
On offense, this will be a very big challenge for Carson Wentz and the gang. Once again without deep threat DeSean Jackson, they will again rely heavily on their two-tight end formations, with huge doses of Zach Ertz and Dallas Goedert, while you can look for Jordan Howard to handle the majority of the ground game.
This would be a good time for Wentz to break out with a huge game, but without Jackson and against a very good Vikings' defense I don't see that happening.
THE PICK: Make it Vikings 27, Eagles 26. The Eagles certainly could win this game, but that lackluster performance by the offense vs. the Jets is stuck in my mind. Those won't be the Jets on the other side of the line Sunday, and I think the result will prove it.
LAST WEEK: The last thing Doug Pederson and the Eagles needed was a horrendous effort to the Lions. The Eagles didn't do a lot right in this one - and still had a chance to win it with their last possession after Malcolm Jenkins blocked a Lions' field goal. But Wentz's heave to the goal line clanged off the hands of wide receiver J.J. Arcega-Whiteside, pretty much a symbol for the way this season has gone so far. The win over the Jets pushed the Eagles' season over .500 to 3-2, which is where I'm also sitting. You know, it would not be a stretch to say the Eagles should be 5-0. but then, that's why they play the games.
GAME BY GAME: Eagles 32, Redskins 27. (My Pick: Eagles 27, Redskins 13)
Falcons 24, Eagles 20. (My Pick: Falcons 29, Eagles 27)
Lions 27, Eagles 24: (My Pick: Eagles 26, Lions 23)
Eagles 34, Packers 27 (My Pick: Packers 33, Eagles 23)
Eagles 31, Jets 6 (My Pick: Eagles 31, Jets 13)
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