Amidst my “euphoria” at the Eagles getting outplayed by the mediocre Green Bay Packers, and after my “elation” at them needing a 4th down miracle to beat a team that is only IN the playoffs due to the charity of the lowly Arizona Cardinals….I had a thought.

As the jack-a-ninnies around me celebrated as if the Eagles actually had done something they hadn’t in the last three years, or even deserved to win…my mind drifted.

“WE’RE NUMBER ONE!” some SuperPhool exclaimed as we squeaked out a game we had no business winning. He then went on to tell me how superior the performance, and the team are…my mind continued to drift…

It ended up in Toronto.

Even though he has been a household name in these parts for over a decade, ask someone in Toronto who Mitch Williams is, and 99 out of 100 probably can’t tell you. But any Maple Leafer will tell you who Joe Carter is.

Joe Carter is the Herculean slugger that hit a titanic blast to win a World Series!!

No one there remembers that his “blast” was hit off an 82 mph not-so-fastball thrown by a rifle-armed pitcher, that, despite his tremendous heart, was simply out of ammo. Mitch IS the story of the World Series in Philadelphia, Joe Carter is in Toronto…the truth is probably in the middle…

The point is, as much as the Eagles “won” that game…the Packers lost it. Mostly by way of a gift interception thrown on first down, by a team that was running the ball very effectively all game. In Green Bay, there will be little mention of how great the Eagles played, or 4th down miracles, or Dawkins incredible “nose” for the ball. They will talk how Favre “chucked” another one up for grabs, when he didn’t need to. How the Hall of Famer let another one slip by with a bad decision.

So, while you celebrate the victory, and by all means you should celebrate ANY playoff victory…keep it in perspective. The Eagles have essentially matched the playoff win of the Falcons last year. I’m as excited as I was then, no more, no less. After the Falcons in ’03, you said to yourself, good win, but they will have to play MUCH better to beat Tampa Bay, even if the game is at home….

So here in 2004, I’ll say, good win, but they will have to play MUCH better to beat Carolina, even if the game is at home….

I hope they do!

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