The 2001 Philadelphia Eagles: My Favorite Team Of All Time.

But, an Eagles defender, whose name slips my mind right now, miraculously brought Dixon down at the seven yard line, the clock reads...zero minutes, zero seconds. I did not even cheer, I sat in shock, my Eagles had won their first division title in 13 years and were headed to the playoffs.

Ahh, the playoffs. A time we Eagles fans would become quite familiar with. The Eagles were again, playing the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Again, they were coming to the Vet. And again, the Eagles dominated.

Damon Moore intercepted two passes, one he returned 59-yards to seal the deal and give the Eagles a 31-9 lead. For me, there was no satisfaction, the Eagles had done the same thing the year before. I was already looking forward to Chicago the following week.

Chicago. A team I already hated. I don't know why, really. Maybe it was because my 5th grade math teacher was a Bears fan? And I hated math? Who knows?

I will always remember that game, a blizzard in Newark, Delaware. Schools are out for a week, and I got to watch my Eagles walk in to Chicago and stun the Monsters of the Midway and send there fans home crying.

McNabb had a tremendous day in his welcome home game. Throwing two touchdowns and rushing for one more. The defense rendered the Bears rushing attack powerless, and shut the offense out in the second half, en route to a 33-19 win, sending the Birds' to their first NFC Title game since 1980.

That was where the ride would come to a screeching and disappointing halt,

Again, the Eagles were pitted against the Rams, and the Greatest Show on Turf. Again, the Eagles fought valiantly, stunning the St. Louis crowd by taking a 17-13 lead going into the half.

We were holding an Eagles party at my uncles house that day, so it was a frenzy around the TV. Again, me the squirt sitting on the floor, watching nervously. The Rams took a 29-24 lead late in the fourth.

With the game being simulcast on the radio, I heard a call that I will never forget, a pretty insignificant call, but one I'll remember,"The Eagles letting it all go, they are giving it everything they've got." Merrill Reese summed it up the best. The Rams were just too damn good.

Fourth down, seven yards to go, 55 of the longest yards to take the lead. McNabb avoided a near sack and tried to hit rookie Freddie Mitchell across the middle, but the pass was behind him, and it fell into the waiting hands of Rams cornerback Aeneas Williams.

Ballgame.

You could hear a pin drop in that house. Absolute silence. There was anger, heartbreak and all kinds of disappointment. For me, there was no heartbreak, there was no anger. I guess it was because I was so new to this, the Playoffs.

But the Eagles had pushed a team of that caliber in the Rams, who were heavy favorites to win the Super Bowl, to the brink. A young talented team who nearly shocked the world, lost. Sure, there was disappointment. How else would you feel if your favorite team came a couple of defensive stops or a dropped pass away from the Super Bowl?

But for most of the fans, including me, there was utter optimism. We all saw the potential this group had. Sure, it took three more tries, but they finally reached that promised land, only to have the door slammed in their faces.

But in time, it will come, that day will come. That day where the men in green will stand atop that hallowed ground, and hoist that great trophy, signifying them as Champions.

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