Reid, Birds back in familiar place

EAGLES FANS are way too impatient to put things in perspective year by year. The tendency is to make series-by-series snap judgments ... and sometimes there is overreaction to every play.

In such a short-sighted view, it was a little surprising when this big picture emerged: This will be Andy Reid's fifth NFC Championship Game in 8 years. It's a remarkable record for any coach, especially this one, a candidate for the highway just 2 months ago in some critics' minds.

Here is a look at Reid's four other trips to the NFL title game:

Eagles at St. Louis Rams

Rams 29, Eagles 24

The setup: The Rams were the Greatest Show on Turf and the Eagles were happy to be there after beating Tampa Bay and Chicago.

The reality: The Eagles were much better than advertised and had a chance for a huge upset. Correll Buckhalter, their featured back, sprained an ankle in the second quarter. Troy Vincent had an injured groin coming in and was burned by Kurt Warner. Marshall Faulk ran wild for the Rams.

What we wrote (Daily News sports columnist John Smallwood): You think about their valiant effort ... and feel this is more like a beginning than an ending.

You see the consistent growth of third-year coach Andy Reid, the emerging brilliance of quarterback Donovan McNabb, the fearsome defense that ranks among the NFL's best.

Tampa Bay at Eagles

Bucs 27, Eagles 10

The setup: It was the final game at the Vet and the Eagles were ready to win after coming so close last year.

The reality: Duce Staley scored on a 20-yard run two plays after Brian Mitchell returned the opening kickoff 70 yards. But, Bucs receiver Joe Jurevicius caught a short pass over the middle and went 71 yards to set up the go-ahead touchdown. Ronde Barber's 92-yard interception for a TD finished off the Eagles.

What we said (Daily News columnist Bill Conlin): The Eagles were supposed to mail this one in against a Tampa Bay Bucs team perceived by many as their concubine, a sniveling bunch of offensively punchless, warm-weather wimps who turned into abominable throw-men in gelid Veterans Stadium. Well, this mortal lock of a mail-in job was returned to sender, addressee unknown.

Carolina at Eagles

Panthers 14, Eagles 3

The setup: After the disaster against Tampa Bay, the Eagles had learned their lesson and this game was in the bag.

The reality: Ricky Manning Jr., and the other tough guys in the Panthers' defensive backfield pounded the Eagles' receivers. The next season, Terrell Owens was the Eagles' new receiving sheriff in town.

What we said (Daily News columnist Rich Hofmann): It had all just played out, a frightening tableau, again. In this town, for this terribly star-crossed fan base, the Eagles had just managed to turn impossible sorrow into the routine. Expectations had filled another evening, only to crash on the rocks. Hope, heart and history had again combined to pack a stadium and make it tremble, but the last thing anyone felt was the vibrations caused by 65,000 pairs of feet as they began another sullen march toward the future.

Atlanta at Eagles

Eagles 27, Falcons 10

The setup: OK,

this

was the Eagles' time. For real. Seriously. No doubt.

The reality: Everybody was right. The Eagles dominated. Chad Lewis caught two TD passes from Donovan McNabb and Jeremiah Trotter led a defense that bottled up Falcons quarterback Michael Vick.

What we said (Daily News Eagles beat writer Les Bowen): The Eagles were determined, after three successive NFC Championship Game losses, two of them on their field, that it [confetti] would come down this night. They led at the end of every quarter, and outscored the Falcons, 13-0, in the second half, slowly but surely washing away the bitter legacy of those previous disappointments.