Gifts of the Magi: Eagles in the Playoffs Makes No (Franken)Sense

And there, in the east, three days after celebrating the birth of the Savior, the Philadelphia Eagles received three gifts. Oh, there was a star on the helmets of the opposition, but it was certainly NOT shining. And thus, it guaranteed an after-life to follow this strange season in the City of Brother Love.

The first gift came from a familiar friend, as the former Eagles coordinator and current Tampa Bay head coach Jon Gruden failed to dispatch the Oakland Raiders.

The second came courtesy of Donovan McNabb's hometown Chicago Bears, who fell to the Houston Texans.

The third gift came from the schedule makers, who ended up giving the Eagles a home playoff game this final Sunday of 2008 against their hated arch-rival.

The Eagles, for their part, gladly made good use of their gifts.

And then proceeded to beat the snot out of the hapless Cowboys.

Suddenly, there is Christmas cheer across the Delaware Valley and throughout scattered pockets of fandom across the land.

How unlikely that seemed just a mere month or so ago.

Everyone—from children to grandmas—was screaming for the heads of the coach and QB.  I, myself, concluded that Andy Reid had outworn his welcome. He was too predictable.  Even Tiki Barber claimed he knew what the Eagles were calling against the Giants that dark day (well, it was a night game) when all seemed lost.

But then, something strange happened. Something wonderful.

Andy listened. He learned.

Just like in Dr. Seuss' The Grinch That Stole Christmas, when the Grinch's heart grows three sizes when it realizes that, perhaps, the holiday is about more than all the presents it had pilfered from Who-ville, Coach Reid seems to have realized that there is more to football than throwing the ball. Sure, he had a slight hiccup against Washington, but maybe he needed one last reminder.

Either way, against Dallas, Reid remembered the running game. 

And the Eagles are in the playoffs.

It's amazing the correlation between running the ball and a staunch defense. Running the ball takes time off the clock, lets your defense rest and physically beats down the opponent's "D."

So it doesn't matter that McNabb passed for fewer than 200 yards. He had a QB-sneak touchdown.  On the second try. 

Can any of you remember the last time Reid called a sneak at the goal line, let alone back-to-back when the first didn't work? 

I didn't think so.

It is true that Jim Johnson's defense was the biggest factor in this beat-down. Dallas was quite obliging in coughing up the football. But unlike teams of the past, this Eagles team took advantage of the opportunities—and the gifts—and never let up.

Sound like another team the Philadelphia faithful recently fell in love with?

While it's certainly too soon to start making THAT comparison, it does seem like the Eagles have taken note of the Phillies' championship run. In fact, cameras showed Jimmy Rollins up in the press box as the guest of Mama McNabb.

Rollins, if you remember, got benched mid-season by Charlie Manuel. Rollins also had a run-in with the Philly fans (anyone remember the term "front-runner?").

In Rollins, McNabb may finally have someone with whom he can relate. That can only help the Eagles, because if nothing other than Rollins' easy-goes-it attitude rubs off on the franchise QB, then the Eagles will play loose and confident in the playoffs.

Rollins already helped deliver the gift Philadelphia fans have coveted for a generation. If any of that magic can help end the Eagles' 48-year drought, fans will gladly take it.

But it takes more than a happy McNabb to be effective. 

It takes an upright McNabb.

When defenses have to respect the run and can't pin their ears back to rush the quarterback, McNabb gets to use his many gifts.

So it all comes back to a change of heart in Big Red.

Whether it's the gift that keeps on giving remains to be seen, but the Eagles are in the playoffs. Dallas is not.

Merry Christmas!