After two weeks of being force-fed a new offense like a Yuletide turkey, he is going to be carrying, and presumably, receiving the football, and never mind that the offense is alleged to be more complex than a double helix. He is a sturdy lad, but every time he runs, no matter how he may limit those excursions, the Eagles' present and future is at discomforting risk. Much preferable for the Birds if McNabb can spend more time pivoting and stuffing the ball into the belly of a running back who is capable of gaining 2 yards on third and 2. The Eagles, it says here, can win at least once in the postseason, especially if the game is at the Vet and even more especially if the opponent is a Lion, a Saint, or yes, even a Viking or a Ram or a Buccaneer, all of whom are used to playing under a roof or in sunshine. While the Birds are lacking in the ability to run the ball, which is absolutely vital at this time of the year and in the Northeast, they are extraordinarily fortified in the other two areas that win championships - defense and special teams.
Playoff games have a way of coming down to making a stop or making a kick at the very end.
The Eagles are equipped, for the first time in a long time, for either eventuality. Ah, but that all concerns a season that is yet to come, while there is still the regular season to be finished first. It was a season in which many of the Eagles zealots pinned no more than the most modest of hopes for improvement. With luck, 8-8. With divine intervention, 9-7.