Posted: Thursday, September 18, 2008, 5:23 PM | 10 comments |
 

UH, OH, IT'S AN AFC PLAYOFF TEAM
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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   
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 10:05 PM, 09/18/2008
    Losing streak? Are you serious? They won 1, lost 1. Seriously, who write this garbage?
    — PinkGargoyle
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 10:28 PM, 09/18/2008
    I believe the headline referred to the fact that they've lost 14 straight against AFC playoff teams.
    — mjb
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 11:08 PM, 09/18/2008
    That just means they're due for a win. GO BIRDS!!!
    — fugazi3000
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 12:16 AM, 09/19/2008
    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.
    — p-diddy
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 12:46 AM, 09/19/2008
    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!
    — nsidious
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 2:08 AM, 09/19/2008
    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.
    — jimqk
  • Comment removed.
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 3:23 PM, 09/19/2008
    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.
    — dgordonjr83
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 3:37 PM, 09/19/2008
    I'm a little concerned about McChoke this week.
    — Jake_Golden
  • Comment removed.


10 comments
About Jeff McLane and Jonathan Tamari






Jeff McLane (left) began covering the Eagles in April 2009 after covering college sports and Penn State football in particular. Before that he wrote about high school sports and before that he worked in the mailroom (not quite). Find Jeff on Facebook and follow him on Twitter for instant updates on the Eagles.

Jonathan Tamari (right) began covering the Eagles in April 2010. He previously covered New Jersey state government and politics, reporting and writing about elections, policy debates and the many personalities that drive the Garden State, from three recent governors to the many musicians bidding to write the state song. He has been at the Inquirer since June 2008. Follow him on Twitter at @JonathanTamari.

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