Philadelphia-Tampa Bay: Last Season's Tie Shows Eagles Should Be Cautious

If history repeats itself, the Philadelphia Eagles should win Sunday against the 0-4 Tampa Bay Buccaneers considering head coach Andy Reid is 10-0 in his career following the bye week.

However, last season’s tie against the Cincinnati Bengals is the perfect example why the Eagles should be extra cautious against the Bucs on Sunday, even if they are winless this season.

In a Week 11 matchup against the 1-8 Bengals, the 5-4 Eagles came to Paul Brown Stadium as heavy favorites. With a high-powered offense led by quarterback Donovan McNabb and a strong Eagles defense looking to take advantage of Bengals quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, who is nowhere near the type of player Carson Palmer is.

Instead, the two teams settled for a 13-13 tie after Bengals kicker Shayne Graham missed a 47-yard field goal in overtime. It would be the first tie since the Falcons and Steelers finishing 34-34 in 2002.

On paper, the Eagles were heavy favorites and should have blown out the Bengals. Instead, they struggled to put up any points and kept their streak alive of never winning in Cincinnati (0-3-1).

McNabb threw for a career high in pass attempts (58) but also managed four turnovers to the Bengals defense, including three interceptions.

The game against the Bengals is a similar situation the Eagles find themselves in when the Buccaneers travel to Lincoln Financial Field on Sunday. This time around, they hope to have better results against rookie quarterback Josh Johnson, who will be making his second career start for the Bucs.

The Buccaneers first four games of the season were difficult considering they already played the other three teams in the NFC East (Giants, Cowboys, and Redskins). The Eagles will be their final NFC East opponent before opening up their first divisional game against the Carolina Panthers in Week Six.

What should the Bucs expect from the Eagles on Sunday?

Well, the league’s second-ranked offense in points-per-game (31.3) returns two star players in McNabb and Westbrook—who both were in need of an extra bye week to recover from injuries.

McNabb has been out since Week One after suffering a fractured rib against the Panthers while Westbrook sat against the Chiefs in Week Three to rest the same ankle he had surgery on in the offseason.

If both players return at full strength as expected after having a solid week of practice, the Bucs could be in trouble while the Eagles increase their record to 11-0 after the bye week during the Andy Reid era.

Dan Parzych Is the Eagles Fan Voice for NFLTouchdown.com