Eagles-Bengals: A Fan's Three-Year Wait

For most active followers of the NFL, this Sunday's game involving the Philadelphia Eagles and the Cincinnati Bengals means absolutely nothing. At the beginning of the season, this would have been one of the best games of the season—if we looked at it on paper.

The Bengals, who most thought would have one of the best offenses in football, led by Carson Palmer, T.J. Houshmandzadeh, and Chad Ocho Cinco.

The Eagles, who seem to be contenders just about every season, would once again be led by Donovan McNabb, Brian Westbrook, and Brian Dawkins.

At the beginning of the season, most people assumed this game would have much more meaning.

Most fans thought the Bengals would be in the running for the AFC North title. They pretty much have the same exact offense that led them to the playoffs for the first time in 15 years back in 2005.

As far as Eagles fans go, everybody knew the "NFC Beast" would be a tough division to win. With the division representing three teams in the playoffs the past two seasons, the Eagles knew how important each game meant this season. The addition of cornerback Asante Samuel and a healthy defense at the beginning of the season, the Eagles saw themselves as one of the teams to beat in the NFL.

Instead, we are getting two teams who find themselves at the bottom of their division with the Bengals sitting at 1-8 and the Eagles at 5-4.

Only one word can describe the season for these two teams: frustration.

Nobody expected the Cincinnati Bengals to pick up their first win of the season nine weeks into the season.

Everybody knew the Eagles had a tough schedule ahead of them in the 2008 season. However, the fact that the Eagles' four losses this year have been by a combined 19 points shows that this team is better than their 5-4 record.

At this point, the Bengals chances of making the playoffs are about as good as one of my roommates landing a date with Jessica Alba (sorry boys, but that will never happen).

As much as I hate to say it, the only way the Eagles will be playing in January is if they make a wild-card spot. The Giants have shown the league over the past few weeks why they are reigning Super Bowl Champions and seem like they are going to pull away with the NFC East this season.

With all that has happened this season, the matchup between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Cincinnati Bengals means everything to me.

As some of you know, I am currently a senior at the University of Dayton out in Ohio. One of the hardest decisions about attending a college that is about 10 hours away from Philadelphia?

1. Ten hours away from family.

2. Ten hours away from friends.

3. Ten hours away from the Philly sports teams that I have grown up to love.

Yes, I was one of about five fans on campus that actually cared when the Phillies won the World Series. However, just because I am so far away from my favorite sports teams doesn't mean I'm going to act any different about them.

One of the biggest adjustments I made in college was getting used to the idea that my Philadelphia teams wouldn't be televised on a weekly basis. Instead, I had to get used to the fact that football and baseball season meant Bengals and Reds on the sports channels.

One day during my freshman year, I remember browsing the Eagles Web site about upcoming games in the future. When I saw they would be traveling to Cincinnati during the 2008 season, I made a commitment to myself that I would attend the game no matter what.

Just like thousands of other diehard fans, I have been lucky enough to experience numerous Eagles games at the Linc. But how many fans have had the opportunity to see their favorite team play in a different city other than Philadelphia?

Most fans who attend Eagles games on the road have to deal with hotel cost and airfare  on top of the money they spend to get the tickets for the game. Luckily, I'm close enough where it will only be an hour and a half's worth of gas.

Instead of being in an environment where there are thousands of fans cheering along with me for the Eagles to win, I will be in an environment where there will be thousands of fans cheering against my team. If the Eagles score, Bengals fans will have to listen to me cheer. If the Bengals score, I will have to listen to thousands of fans cheer. Either way, it should be an interesting experience.

Nov. 16, 2008, is a day I have been waiting for ever since I came to Dayton in 2005. It has been quite the experience being an Eagles fan in the state of Ohio for the last couple of years.

I haven't been able to watch the Eagles games from my house on a weekly basis like I would if I went to a school in Philadelphia. However, I still don't let the fact that I'm in Ohio now stop me from watching them.

If I'm lucky enough to have the game on Fox, CBS, ESPN, or NBC, I'll watch it with some of my friends from home. If not, I just find a local sports bar with NFL Ticket so I can watch my Birds live.

This week, I get to watch them live from Paul Brown Stadium. I have recruited every Bengals fan I know to attend the game with me (since Bengals tickets are affordable now) to make the experience even more exciting.

I'm not saying the Eagles are going to come out and destroy the Bengals. On any given Sunday, any team has the potential to do the imaginable.

I'm just excited to actually attend an Eagles game while I'm still in Ohio.