It's time to panic.
And we're not talking about the weather.
We're talking about the Eagles.
The Birds did what only Philly's representative in the NFL could manage to do. They went belly-up in the gorgeous sunshine of Miami.
In doing so they managed to wipe away the last vestiges of that fleeting memory of a Super Bowl championship just two years ago.
This is pretty simple.
This kind of loss should not happen.
Ever.
But it did, in standard Eagles fashion.
The reasons are many, but the bottom line is this.
This team simply is not that good.
Those 14-2 and 13-3 predictions back in August, puffed up by the mistaken belief that this was the most talent-laden Eagles team in years? Wildly exaggerated.
The Eagles' defense, which had been nearly lights out in successive weeks in facing two good offenses in the Patriots and Seahawks, was eviscerated by journeyman Ryan Fitzpatrick. If you thought Jim Schwartz had solved the Birds' problems in their secondary by getting healthy, you thought wrong. Jalen Mills and the rest got exposed once again.
Instead of realizing his defense was struggling and running the football against one of the worst run defenses in the league, Doug Pederson decided to have Carson Wentz again throw the ball a million times, playing right into the Dolphins' hands and heaping more misery on his defense.
Yes, you will hear again and again today how the Eagles still can make the playoffs simply by winning the final four games on their schedule,including beating the Cowboys.
Don't believe it. If they didn't beat the Fish, this team is fully capable of losing to anyone.
I have looked far and wide for something positive to say about another Sunday afternoon wasted in front of the TV.
I think I found it.
At least I had not spent a fortune to see this debacle in person, making the trek to Florida.
As usual, Philly fans traveled in force, and Delco was well represented, as this picture forwarded to me on Facebook can attest.
I hope they enjoyed the sunshine.
I kind of doubt they enjoyed much about this game.
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