I Hate Being an Eagles Fan Sometimes

Yay, we swept the Giants.... or not yay. Not yay at all, because we have a lower draft pick now. Not yay at all, because we will play a second place schedule instead of a third place schedule. Not yay at all, because instead of playing the Rams in London, we'll play Seattle out there. I hope that 35-30 win felt really good.

Had the Philadelphia Eagles lost yesterday, they would have finished 6-10, instead they are 7-9. The win made the Eagles the second place team in the NFC East, meaning next year they will host Atlanta and visit Seattle, while the Giants will get to play St. Louis and New Orleans. The Giants get to pick ninth, the Eagles 13th in the draft.

Obviously this is hard, because no self-respecting coach or player is going to throw a game. Should Pat Shurmur, who is probably fired today, have played all back-ups? Yeah, I'd say so. Does that mean the Eagles would have lost? Tough to tell. You know that in a week where their coach was fired, there was a pride issue in the Eagles locker room, and a desire to show they really do have talent. They went out and played hard, and got a win, which is what you hoped for all year.

Unfortunately though, for the second straight year, a meaningless Week 17 win in the Meadowlands means the Eagles give up draft slots. This year it cost them scheduling too. On next year's schedule now are playoff teams Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Washington, Seattle, Green Bay, and Minnesota. Tack on .500 Atlanta, and four other division games, and it's a tough schedule. The Eagles would be underdogs at least three times at home, right now, and probably be a toss-up in four of the other five games.

Well, at least they played hard, and won a game, and swept a season series, or something. I hope it was good entertainment.