Vikings vs. Eagles Postponed: Pros and Cons Surrounding Roger Goodell's Decision
Today was a good day when I woke up. The sun was shining, there was a brisk chill in the air that primed a set stage for the Philadelphia Eagles to clinch the division.
Then word broke loose that NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell was pondering on delaying the game to a further date, but nothing was set in stone at that point; the show was to go on.
I went into a frenzy trying to find out what I could by speaking with different players on the social networking sites, but the answer seemed unanimous—everyone was getting ready to battle in the snow with the Minnesota Vikings and giving the fans of Philadelphia their money's worth.
Lets begin looking at as many pros and cons as I can think of and feel free to add your own down in the comment section!
Posponing Pros: First Up, Fan Safety
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I've come up with five sound arguments to why the decision to push this game until Tuesday evening was a good one.
To start off the list of reasons why moving this game is a good choice is obviously fan safety. With the Philadelphia area anticipating approximately 20 or more inches of snow, fans might have been left stranded at Lincoln Financial Field until the snow was removed.
Everybody wants to get out and enjoy the weather while watching their favorite football team man handle the Minnesota Vikings. This much is true, and something I can always respect!
However, it's more important that everyone would return home, and the thought that fans might not be able to make the return trip was part of the reason the game was moved.
Eagles Remain Healthy
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Next up on my "Pros" list is the fact that the Philadelphia Eagles won't have to play in the snow which easily increases their chances for injury.
Muscles tighten and cramp more often, the impact of a hit seems to intensify and bones seem more brittle increasing the chances of broken bones. Any of these could have happened to any of the Eagles members if the league didn't decide to move the game.
Injuries occur almost every game ranging from a simple twisted ankle, to a broken or pulled muscle, up to something for more extreme; this much we are all completely in tune with, cold temperatures simply increase those chances.
Also, the Eagles swagger can't afford to lose anyone this late in the season. If they win out the final two games of the season, they will have the second seed in the playoffs with a first-round bye.
If There Is One Thing That Could Stop Vick...
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There hasn't been many teams capable of slowing down QB Michael Vick and the high-powered Philadelphia Eagles offense as they've averaged just over 400 offensive yards per game, but tonight could have been a completely different game than what we fans are used to seeing.
If the league would not have postponed the game, the snow could've caused him to be much less mobile as we've seen from him this season.
Now include the 40 to 50 mph wind gust whipping through the Linc and this game could've quickly become a disaster. Michael Vick might not have scrambled as well or throw the ball nearly as accurate. The Vikings could have pounded it out with running back Adrian Peterson and short passes.
Tuesday gives the Eagles the best chance of playing the Vikings under "normal" circumstances, and I don't want anything getting in the way of the Eagles winning out the rest of the season.
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Eagles Notch Sixth Division Title
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Congratulations are in order to the 2010 Philadelphia Eagles organization on the sixth division title in the Andy Reid era.
That's a huge task that many teams and coaches through out the league could only dream of saying, and we as fans are blessed to be apart of something as special.
To make it even more satisfying, the Eagles notched this task while watching football from the comfort of their own home; they didn't have to do a thing today except sit back and watch the Green Bay Packers steam roll the New York Giants 45-17.
Now, the Eagles can begin to finalize their success on Tuesday with a win at home over the Vikings and then again the following week with a season-ending finale versus the Dallas Cowboys. From there, it's a bye week and time to heal from the two games in a one-week span.
Brett Favre Could Play on Tuesday
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This might make you want to ask if this actually makes things worse for the Eagles, and I completely understand where you're at with that thought. I do agree that Brett Favre gives the Minnesota Vikings the best chance to win, even with all the injuries and media surrounding him for the wrong reasons.
However, Brett Favre versus the Philadelphia Eagles sucks. There's no sugar coating it or way to finagle what the facts prove.
As B/R's Bryan Swartz pointed out in an earlier story, Favre is 2-4 when facing the Eagles, averages a sad 12.7 points per game and has two touchdowns with 11 interceptions. Not much is known about QB Joe Webb who is a sixth-round pick of the Vikings.
If I'm part of the Eagle front office, I'm hoping Favre is ready to go on Tuesday!
Cons: I Only Have Three
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I'm starting off this list with the least important to the most important (in my opinion) of reasons why postponing this game sucks.
The least important, and don't hate me, but is our own feelings about the delay. I've heard reactions on Twitter and Facebook from hundreds of fans, and the vast majority of us feel that this move was a B.S. move.
I know I look forward to Sundays for two reasons—getting the day off of work and watching the Eagles with family and friends.
I got to spend a bunch of time with my son, but we didn't get to watch the Eagles so we were both bummed about it. Instead, we spent the day sledding!
Vikings Provided with Time
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As we get deeper into my short list of cons, I reveal to you the fact that this decision of Roger Goodell's provides the Minnesota Vikings more time to come up with a more precise game plan to battle the Eagles in their territory.
The Vikings have had a rough season with a record of 5-9, so they will take what little help they can get from wherever they can get it from. In this case, the league handed them a belated Christmas gift of time, but I don't believe for a second it will have an extreme impact on the game!
However, don't ever under estimate a team that is fighting for pride. The Vikings have absolutely nothing to lose and will pull out all their cards in an attempt to end their final two games on a good note so the Eagles can't afford to overlook them.
Short Week for Season Finale
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The last con that I can think of, remember to add your own in the comment box, is the short week the Eagles have to prepare both mentally and physically for the grand finale versus the Dallas Cowboys.
Philadelphia will have just five days to recoup and regroup to pull out a victory at home, hopefully, in the same fashion as 2008 (44-6) and clinch themselves a first-round bye. If they can do that, it increases their odds of going further into the postseason, having more time to game plan and heal.
Even though the Eagles have won their sixth division title, they can't afford to get to comfortable. They have to stay alert and continue playing as if it's their last game and bring home the hardware that has eluded Philadelphia Eagles fans over the years!
In Conclusion
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The Philadelphia Eagles have a 14-point spread in Tuesday's matchup, but I have a feeling it's going to be much uglier for Vikings fans.
The Eagles are first in the league with total yards per game leveling out just over 400 yards, third in rushing with an average of 149.7 yards and second in points per game coming up just shy of 30 points.
The Vikings, on the other hand, don't come close really—not in any category. The Eagles are the better team statistically speaking, and they are looking for a power trip explosion when they face off with QB whoever and the Minnesota Vikings!
My prediction: 34-13 Eagles
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