Philadelphia Eagles: Is Their December History a Cause for Optimism?

Andy Reid and the Philadelphia Eagles have a remarkable record during the month of December. This year, they are going to need a great December to have a shot at the playoffs. The odds are stacked against the team with so many key injuries and two teams ahead of them in the NFC East standings.

But if you look at past history, there is cause for optimism.

From 2001 through 2010, the Eagles had a very impressive 32-12 record in regular season games played in December. During that same time period, the New York Giants' record in those games was 20-24, while the Dallas Cowboys' record was 17-24. The Cowboys played three fewer games in December because of their games on Thanksgiving Day.

Looking at this another way, the Eagles had only one losing record in December, in 2005. The Giants had only two winning Decembers, one under Jim Fassel and one under Tom Coughlin. The Cowboys' only winning record was in 2001, when Dave Campo was head coach. Even Bill Parcells couldn't get through any December with a winning record while he was with the Cowboys. He ended up with a 7-9 total December record.

History does not always repeat itself. Each year's team is different from the previous ones. However, with the Eagles' December heritage, the path to the playoffs, winning the NFC East with a 9-7 record, doesn't seem so unlikely.