Why Birds are going to the Super Bowl
The Philadelphia Daily News - Eagletarian
Why Birds are going to the Super Bowl
Daily New staff
5 REASONS EAGLES WILL WIN
1. Donovan McNabb, of course. In the win over the Giants, McNabb was by far the better quarterback. He was resourceful, tough and made plenty of correct decisions … playfully answering the Giants’ phone not being one of them. He’s getting great protection, something that shouldn’t be taken for granted.
2. Have you noticed how much smarter Andy Reid sounds these days at his (once-annoying) news conferences? Yep, you’ve got a winner in town. And Reid’s newly found genius might be too much for Cardinals second-year coach Ken Whisenhunt.
3. How good is this Eagles’ defense? Best ever? Better than the Reggie White-Jerome Brown top-ranked defense? Statistically, this year’s defense is not as good. Lately, this year’s group is coming up with one enormous play after another — as your replay of the Giants’ game shows.
4. David Akers was strong at Giants Stadium and he will be headed indoors in Arizona. That will shorten the field for the offense, and make them a threat to score frequently. Field goals are gold in a tight, defensive game.
5. With each week and each victory, fate is a factor. It’s not easy to believe in such things, but evidence continues to mount and, that’s right, the Super Bowl is in Tampa. Without the Bucs’ collapse, the Eagles don’t even make the playoffs. We make that point without once bringing up the Phillies and Tampa Bay Rays.
5 REASONS CARDINALS WILL WIN
1. Arizona’s Larry Fitzgerald might be the best receiver on the planet. He is big, strong and tough. He has made some of the season’s great catches in the playoffs alone. He goes up in the air with a defender, or two, and comes down with the ball.
2. Edgerrin James’ return to the offense has coincided with Arizona’s dominance. James is one of the NFL’s great backs and if he has a big game — and Brian Westbrook does not — the Cards have a great chance to win.
3. The Cardinals’ defense is underrated because no one knows their players. In the regular season, the Cardinals’ defense was ranked 19th. In the playoffs, they are ranked second and against Carolina it seemed they were getting turnovers every other possession.
4. Kurt Warner is a Super Bowl-winning quarterback (good for Cards). He is 37 years old (maybe bad for Cards). In the playoffs, he has completed 62.5 percent of his passes. He did even better in the regular season (67.1). If he stays upright and cool while the Eagles blitz their brains out, they might be partying in the desert.
5. If the Eagles players are as overconfident as their fans, and play that way, the Cardinals will win. It’s easy to look past the Cardinals, who were crushed at the Linc on Thanksgiving night. Just as the Eagles aren’t as bad now as they were in Cincinnati, the Cardinals aren’t as bad now as they were that night.
-- Chuck Bausman
To read the transcript of Sam Donnellon's chat from Arizona, click here.
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OK you foreign guests pretending to be Eagle Fans and talking about choking. The Eagles as the lowest seed - 6th - played against themselves in two games and won. Minnesota who had our former O coordinator as Head Coach plus our former D backfield coach as D Coordinator. They knew us better than anyone and we won. Then we go to our divisional rival with another one of our ex-coaches as the Giants D Coordinator and beat them. All on the road with a dome included. Oh that D coordinator is now a head coach. Only because we beat them he was able to get the job. I know you have some of our ex-players on the Cards. But that is not enough. We'll have DMAC give you a call when he gets on your bench to tell you it's OVER. Lastly in another 5 years all of our games will seem like scrimmages because all of our staff and personnel will be on all the remaining winning teams..think about that!— aden- This will be an intense game needing controlled emotions...cool heads and the will, would be the key to overcome deficits. I believe like some others that the Eagles have forged themselves over the last 2 months and that can't be denied or overlooked. I believe the difference is that the Cards have a strong desire competing against a team with determination and will. Cards may have three options including big play WR QB & RB. The Birds (only 1 Bird in this group)have 8! Fast ball or slow ball and that is not including the D.— aden
- mcnabb will choke again...2 picks (one pick 6) and a fumble for mcnabb— eaglesfan in DC
- i see mcnabb losing a fumble and throwing a pick 6. he's gonna choke as usual.— eaglesfan in DC
- I believe it will come down to who plays QB better. Whatever defense can hurry the QB will cause mistakes and that will determine the outcome. If both defenses get pressure on the QB then we'll see a close game coming down to late FG. McNabb has to play smart and not turn it over and we'll win.— greenflyer
- lamewolf and mcdumblish aren't eagles fans. they're fans of disaster who like losing. they want to see the eagles lose so can they say "I-told-ya-so". What exactly is 'playing with house money ?" If I get to keep it I'm playing with MY money. This isn't an exhibition game. If the Cards play as if it doesn't matter if they lose........that's what will happen...they'll lose ! !— bleedgreen
- I don't see any evidence of overconfidence from the Eagles, right down to them saying they are not even watching tape of the previous matchup with the Cardinals. If they lose, it won't be because they took Arizona lightly. History has proven that with these Eagles, in this town, nothing is a given. (and honestly this is all a bonus from a magical Week 17 anyway)— D3Keith
- The Defense is going to come up big again. No way we turn it over like Carolina did. Arizona may get a couple big plays out of the passing game, but there will be constant pressure and we will win the turnover battle. Eagles 30-17.— GHOSTPHAYCE
- Fedphilafan......Eagles eat Cardinals.............— flabird1954
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- Let's Go Flyers— JSaq
- I don't care what anyone else says. The Eagles have a deep sense of unity and purpose and they will prevail together as a team...Tough to overcome. The Cards got their home game and Bidwell may be happy about the $$$$ but that's about it. Eagles win.Eagles win.— MJPD345
- Love the Birds either way... just play with all your heart boys the real fans will be there win lose or tie..Go Eagles!!! Do it for Dawk, Runyan,Tra, and D MAC!!!!!— fly4philly
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- What happened? Before and after last weeks games everyone had a lot of confidence. Now that we are the favorite, you are all sticking your head in the sand. Have a little faith in the Iggles, maybe some positive energy will finally get them the trophy!!— Bill R4
- this game is going to be interesting because the last two we played as the underdogs. This time around we are the heavy favorites. Arizona has been playing as the underdog all playoffs and they have been able to step it up every week. Just my 2 cents, hopefully should be an entertaining game— wolfburn
- Da Eggles is this year's team of destiny. I am 57 years old. Grew up in Wilkes Barre going to games with my dad; whose only dying wish was to be buried with his Eagles Hat. Live in Central PA now in Steelers territory AND I FEEL IN MY BONES THIS IS OUR TIME.— Gringo4
- Cards 31, Philly 13. McNabb was last seen choking on a can of Chunky soup during a big game.— phillychokesagain
- eagles 10 cardinals 27— BHite15
- iggles beat az, but then get trampled by afc. let's face facts, philly 2nd rate team just like the city. cheesesteaks is about it.— jet
- it all about the turnovers... in that respect I'll take the Eagles defense to turn over warner and the Cards more so than the cards to McNabb and Birds... 3 turnovers to 1... Birds 31 cards 20— EndTheDrought
- I will be at game sh#$&ing my pants until the outcome is secure one way or the other— funsoaz
- Philly, Don't get too excited, McNabb will break your heart. signed Ricky Manning Jr and Rhonde Barber— MD20202020
- after the eagles beat the giants on sunday everybody on espn said the eagles will destroy the cardinals and now more people on espn are picking the cardinals, its ridiculous. the defense will remind kurt warner that he is 37 years old, westbrook will score on a screen and mcnabb will play well enough to get the eagles past the cardinals and into the super bowl! I predict 24-14 Eagles victory. GO EAGLES!!!— ConservativePatriot22
- from MINNESOTA!!!! GOOD LUCK GREEN BIRDS!!!! we up in the state of hockey will be SHOCKED!!!!!! IF YOU LOSE TO ARIZONA!! SO GOOD LUCK FROM VIKING LAND!!!!!!!— KDANNO11
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- Play 60 tomorrow. Eagles 19 Steelers 13, Enough Said!!!— ChillyWilly
- I truly believe that the Eagles took those previous trips to the NFC Championship games for granted. Therefore, they will be hungrier now than ever before. Kudos to the Cards for a great run, but experience will prevail.— JRusso
- I truly believe that the Eagles took those previous trips to the NFC Championship games for granted. Therefore, they will be hungrier now than ever before. Kudos to the Cards for a great run, but experience will prevail.— JRusso
- I'm thinking this game being on the road is a blessing in disguise. The Eagles, and McNabb in particular, will play a little looser without having to worry about the crowd turning on them at the first sign of any sort of adversity. We all know they SHOULD win this game, but upsets happen all the time; how many people really had the Giants over the Pats last Feb?— JoePAVA
- Play at quarterback play at the "O" line play at the "D" line play on special teams play in the secondary.. thats why it's a team game no one man is going to lose or win this game As for Reid he has made some bad calls but he has also called us into the playoffs How many times?— wolfie1159
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- Any given Sunday.........— quizzmo
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- I'm a Philly Phan. I have 3 dogs. They don't help much.— kat1005
- sarah89, remember that the 2002 Bucs defense had Warren Sapp, Simeon Rice, Derrick Brooks, John Lynch and Ronde Barber. They were a much better defense than the 2008-2009 Cards.— p-diddy
- Eagles 28 Cards 17 Mcnabb will bring his "A" game [i hope] Warner sacked 4-5 times!— wolfie1159
- our defense will not be a problem.. As long as the offense DOES NOT turn the ball over we will be fine..GO BIRDS!!— wolfie1159
- eagles won 48-20 in nov. anyone remember this? I do. Their defense is better than it was , but ours is amazing. eagles-34, cards-23— Will.i.Am
- I bought a dog yesterday.— iggles48
- overconfident? im a nervous wreck, goodness we dang well BETTER win, but this team has me more scared than giants, I just KNEW we were beating the giants no question, but cardnials? im scared to death, everything is falling in our favor, but we not play Detroit this is a sneaky good team, Eagles better bring it 1000%— rayne215
- This thing reeks like 2004 with Carolina. I'm starting to get that sick feeling in my stomach.— bjlindy
- Overconfident, no way man. The Birds lost 3 of 4 NFC title games and I agree with Sarah89, I remember those games like they were yesterday. Especially the Tampa and Carolina games at home. I think with the experience factor and knowing what they did wrong in losing three title games in a row, they won't make the mistakes they did in the past. They have been here many times before and Arizona, it's only the first NFC Championship game in franchise history. I think the Phillies magic rubbed up on the guys across street, hopefully it will rub off on the Flyers as well. I think the Sixers are still a lost cause but are playing better. E-A-G-L-E-S Eagles. Go Birds. Don't Eagles fly higher than Cardinals??????— fedphilafan
- Thank Heaven the Eagles have Asante Samuel back there. Without him covering Larry Fitz, we could be looking at a repeat of what Phoenix did to Carolina. I'm hoping I see more zone blitz's, where our D linemen drop off into coverage. Kurt may have a little more time, but less space to throw into. Very exciting times!— ItalianSausage
