NFC East Playoff Scenarios and Game Notes

by JasonB on Dec 18, 2006 3:08 PM EST in Philadelphia Eagles News

Sunday against the Giants the Eagles ran more run plays than pass plays for just the 3rd time according to Ray Dittinger... Funny enough, the Eagles are 3-0 in those games.

Giant's MLB Antonio Pierce sure did alot of trash talking before this game. Whining that he was a more "complete linebacker" than Trotter or Brian Urlacher yet those guys get pro bowls and big contracts.... The Eagles declined to respond and did their talking on the field to the tune of 161 yards on the ground and holding the Giants RBs to under 100 yards total. What did Pierce have to say after that? Suffice to say he was a bit more humble and clearly was not prepared for the Eagles to run so much...

Whenever a team rushes for 150 yards plus, it [the responsibility] starts with the linebackers. They did a great job running up the middle. It was not the typical Philadelphia style. But they did a good job at exploiting our defense. Our defense did a good job for the most part but we did not stop the run. Those are things we have to get better at as a defense and it starts with the middle linebacker. I don't have any problem standing up and saying I made a mistake. Some people don't like to call themselves out. Those two plays, a 30-yard plus run and a 30-yard plus pass, I felt like I was responsible for those.

Did anyone else find it ironic that the guys who made the final pick and were the goats of the first Giants game? Sheldon Brown, who hit Manning and forced the throw was the guy who Plaxico Burress went up over to catch the game winning TD. Trent Cole, who made the pick and took it into the end zone was the guy who kicked Kareem McKenzie you know where and changed the game tying FG from a 50 yarder to a 35 yarder....

The Eagles can clinch a playoff spot next week with a win over the Cowboys or a tie and a loss or tie by either the Giants or Falcons. They can clinch the NFC East by winning their final 2 games or with a win at the Cowboys coupled with a Cowboys loss to Detroit at home in the final week.

A win over the Eagles clinches the NFC East for Dallas.

The Giants can clinch a playoff spot next week with a win and a Vikings loss or tie and a Falcons loss and an Eagles win or tie plus either a Seahawk win or tie or a 49er loss or tie. So the Giants have almost no shot at clinching anything this coming weekend.

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play-off scenarios

I believe that a win win over the Cowboys would, in fact, clinch a playoff berth for the Eagles regardless of what happens with the Giants and Falcons. At 9-7 overall, 5-1 in the division, and with a sweep of the Cowboys and a split with the Giants, the Eagles would win any two-way or three-way tie-breaker within the division. Since the first step of a three-way tie-breaker for the wild-card team is to eliminate all but the highest ranked club in each division, a 9-7 finish by the Falcons would not work to the Eagles's disadvantage in this regard. If the Eagles lose to the Cowboys but beat the Falcons, I think they would lose their tie-breaker advantage over the Giants if they both finish at 9-7 but the victory over the Falcons would clinch a playoff berth nonetheless. So, one win has them in, regardless of when it occurs. The two loss, 8-8 scenario is quite a bit more dicey, but I think the Eagles would be in if the Giants lose to the Redskins and the Packers lose at least one of two, or if the Panthers win their last two games (including next week at Atlanta).

by dave in san mateo on Dec 18, 2006 5:20 PM EST reply actions