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Thursday, September 18, 2008
UH, OH, IT'S AN AFC PLAYOFF TEAM
Assuming that the Pittsburgh Steelers are going to be an AFC playoff team this season -- it would be foolish to assume they're not going to be -- this is a chance for the Eagles to end a streak that has endured during coach Andy Reid's tenure as the head coach.
 
The Eagles have lost 14 straight games to AFC playoff teams, a dubious streak that includes their Super Bowl loss to the New England Patriots in 2005. What's worse is that many of those games haven't even been close. The Eagles have been outscored 431-210 in the 14 losses. Nine of them have been by double digits and eight were by 21 points or more.
 
The last time the Eagles beat an AFC playoff team was Nov. 23, 1997, when they were aided by a controversial call in a 23-20 victory at Veterans Stadium.
 
Reid's teams are 0-13 against AFC playoff teams, including a 27-3 loss to Pittsburgh in 2004.
 
By contrast, the Steelers are 13-2 in their last 15 games against NFC opponents. Pittsburgh backup quarterback Charlie Batch said he thinks it is the Steelers' 3-4 defense that gives NFC teams so much trouble.
 
"It's a much different style of 3-4," Eagles offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg said before practice today. "They're more penetrating and maybe more aggressive scheme wise. Forty-three (Troy Polamalu) is a terrific player. That thing is built around a lot of guys because they have a lot of really good players, but 43 is all over the field and he's a big cog in that defense. They move around much, much more than a typical 3-4 team."
 
Perhaps the worse news for the Eagles is that they are probably going to have to block the Steelers' 3-4 scheme without Pro Bowl guard Shawn Andrews, who missed practice for the second straight day because of lower back spasms. It does not appear as if Andrews will play, leaving Max Jean-Gilles starting at right guard. Jean-Gilles played the second half Monday night against Dallas.
 
The Eagles have also practiced without center Jamaal Jackson the last two days. He has been excused for personal reasons and is expected to miss practice again today, but be ready for Sunday's game.
 
 
Posted by Bob Brookover @ 5:23 PM  Permalink | 10 comments
10
Comments   
Posted 10:05 PM, 09/18/2008
PinkGargoyle
Losing streak? Are you serious? They won 1, lost 1. Seriously, who write this garbage?
Posted 10:28 PM, 09/18/2008
mjb
I believe the headline referred to the fact that they've lost 14 straight against AFC playoff teams.
Posted 11:08 PM, 09/18/2008
fugazi3000
That just means they're due for a win. GO BIRDS!!!
Posted 12:16 AM, 09/19/2008
p-diddy
Should be a good game, and a real test for the O-line for the second week in a row. The Eagles really need to play with a chip on their shoulder this week especially, because the Steelers will. That 27-3 loss from 2004 still lingers as a bad memory, as a fan at least.
Posted 12:46 AM, 09/19/2008
nsidious
I have a horrible flash back for Eagles' fans. Maurice Jones-Drew at the Linc, in a punch in the face loss. Steelers are that kind of team. "Hello, my name is Enigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die." No way the Birds win this game, unfortunately. They'll be better at the end of the year, and might pull off such a victory against such a team, but not this week. POUND, POUND, POUND went the steel trains. And I'M AN EAGLES' Fan!
Posted 02:08 AM, 09/19/2008
jimqk
Yeah, it's time to break the streak. If the Eagles want to win the Super Bowl this year, they better dominate these Steelers. Yeah, the Steelers a good team, but so are our Eagles. In fact, it would be nice to see the victory come in convincing fashion. No heart attacks this week, please.
Posted 02:41 PM, 09/19/2008
whiteMike
Funny, when the Eagles win a close one with close calls, they are always " aided by a controversial call " in the media. But when they lose a close one, possibly with some bad ref calls, the fans are called cry babies and whiners for suggesting it and told to "deal with it" .
Posted 03:23 PM, 09/19/2008
dgordonjr83
That means AFC teams are more battle-tested than NFC teams. Power is concentrated at the top for the NFC, whereas the AFC has more than six teams worthy of going to the playoffs. If the Eagles want to be in the Superbowl discussion, they need to beat the Steelers and end this streak (we won't know that the "streak" ended until after the regular season, but still, beating "good" AFC teams mean something). We are at home so there are no excuses.
Posted 03:37 PM, 09/19/2008
Jake_Golden
I'm a little concerned about McChoke this week.
Posted 07:54 PM, 09/19/2008
gordy
I'm worried about our Defense. Not just because of last week but even in the pre-season they ran a very vanilla series and pounded it down our throat, and yes, Dawk looked flat footted on that touchdown pass. I;m just saying.......
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About Birds' Eye View Blog

Bob Brookover, left, is in his seventh year of covering the Philadelphia Eagles after spending 15 years covering the Philadelphia Phillies for the Inquirer and two other newspapers. The 45-year-old Brookover lives in Delran with his wife Francine and roots for Notre Dame and Michigan State, the two schools attended by his children, Justine and Ryan. When Notre Dame plays Michigan State, he cheers for the school of the child he likes more at that particular moment.

Jeff McLane, right, joined the Eagles beat in April 2009 after two years of covering colleges, namely Penn State football. Before that he covered high school sports for The Inquirer. Before that he worked in the mailroom (not quite). Informed that his father is no longer covering the Lions, McLane's eldest, three-year-old son said, "You mean Simba, Scar and Mufasa, Daddy?" His two-year-old son -- excited about the move to the Eagles -- said, "Go, Deigo, Go!" or something like that. His wife of five-plus years, however, had a different take on the new job. "Another five years is in question," she said. Check out McLane on Twitter and Facebook for instant updates on the Eagles.
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