Bob Ford: Birds seize the opportunity in Texas (Philadelphia Inquirer)

Posted the Mon, 13 December 2010 Bob Ford Inquirer Sports ColumnistARLINGTON, Texas - the Eagles had to saunter away from shoot at their hotel in Cowboys Stadium Sunday afternoon, but at the time when they really on board the bus and obtained for large vessel in the prairie as the Sun approached, less they knew exactly the opportunity was before them.

It does not support a student mathematics advanced knowledge that a deadlock has been created by NFC teams with similar records, hoping to at least one metacharacter tie-up in the playoffs. Predict how it will shake three weeks is dangerous and there are teams that are left are surprisingly and teams that are surprisingly encouraged. There is also a representative of the Western division, which seems not entirely fair - its leaders are currently linked to 6-7 - records but nevertheless.

Eagles concluded on Sunday night with Dallas as a bubble teams playing at the Conference, who are fighting for the head of the division with the Giants and travel the world for one to two NFC wild-card sites.

They emerge behind come victory 30-27, no guarantee, but with a bit of an edge, they did not before. The opportunity was there on the dashboard, with the results of the games over early in the day, and they have benefited from it.

The losses are absorbed by bears and Packers, the Eagles were able to improve their position in relation to these teams will be in the wild-card race. They do still know if their position has been improved by the Giants, the game was delayed on Monday evening by the great Scandinavian God of Minnesota - but Eagles want perhaps while waiting for the result.

Giants-Vikings game moved to Detroit, where the laws of physics were applied on the roof of Metrodome, and that means New York gets a day below to retrieve and to prepare for the Sunday showdown against the Eagles in the Meadowlands, which might have to reveal to nothing less than the Championship Division.

It would be nice to report that the victory over the cowboys, in addition to being mathematically useful, is a victory of Eagles character, but this is not the most rousing performances. This is good for the soul, perhaps, and good for the classification, but not entirely good.

At one point, it is difficult to keep saying that the Eagles are well coached when they continue to be very stupid things that lead to penalties. Discreditable conduct sentence DeSean Jackson for his tribute to Greg Louganis at the end of construction-91 catch and run a hit is the most obvious example of unnecessary stupidity with coarse helmet by Jorrick Calvin finish second.

But those who are not even worse, in some respects, as sentences flow-of-the-game released for first three downs for cowboys and led directly to 10 points in Dallas. It is the lack of different discipline, but it's a leak in the Eagle that Andy Reid did not appear to connect game.

And once again, the defence was not close enough good and could not stop yet another team that should have been closed at the end. Upcoming 30-20 at Midway through the fourth quarter, the Eagles have steps prevent Jon Kitna taking Dallas 80 yards for a touchdown. As a last drive by the offence a necessity rather than a luxury.

The Eagles won Sunday night because the offence was able to produce just enough large parts to the points of the Board of Directors and thwart the unused resources of their defence. Large parts of winning games, but the Eagles are too often in their. Twenty-four to 30 points was on drives which included parts of Monster. Remove one of those, and they lose the game.

A part of the problem is that the defence is not at full strength, particularly the absence of Asante Samuel. Now that knee "tweak" has caused him miss three games, it is fair to ask when it will be able to return. The situation did not get more easy Sunday evening when Stewart Bradley dislocated his elbow right and Brandon Graham came down with a knee injury.

In addition, what is not applicable if the Eagles are a better way to protect Michael Vick. It took too much abuse and, yet again, the situation of the wound has a role in this. Out Winston and King Dunlap inserted at right tackle side of Vick is as dangerous as walking on Highway Slackwater your eyes closed.

Vick kept back, even though and liable to large parts, just enough for victory. It was at stake here on the ground, and they played it. They played through their mistakes and their own stupidity, but they took advantage of what was before them. Most bears and the Packers could say. Contact columnist Bob Ford at 215-854-5842 or bford@phillynews.com. Read his recent work at http://go.philly.com/bobford. FB.init ({ID: appID status "118770388153276" //philly: true, / / check connection status cookie: true, / / enable cookies to allow the server to access the session xfbml: true / / parse XFBML});