But last rites are for losers, and it is hard to believe that the Eagles are losers. The season is not over, even after last night's 20-12 loss to the Washington Redskins. This is not the end, even at 0-2.
"We've had a little bit of everything over the 9 years," Reid said. "Have we been 0-2? Yeah, we've been 0-2 [most recently, in 2003]. Do we need to change it? Yeah, we need to change it.
"They're all different. Every year is different. We have new things to work on that are different than that [2003] team."
They have a dozen things to work on if they have one. But what you can say is that this figures to be a blueprint for the future. This game, this one here, in all of its pathetic glory, has every chance of being replayed by the Eagles, week after week after week. The outcome will change but the style really might not.
The style: bludgeons at 20 paces.
The Eagles do not seem capable of sustaining any kind
of offensive lightning right now. They have one touchdown in two games. The quarterback, Donovan McNabb, still isn't there, not entirely. But the Eagles don't really want to discuss this - besides, what's the alternative?
"I don't think Donovan McNabb is the issue," tight end L.J. Smith said. "I just think collectively we need to improve."
The wide receivers have approached invisibility and it really is hard to know what to think. There are many, many plays when they get no separation. Jason Avant (five catches, 55 yards), who has been the most productive, said: "It wasn't that they were covering us so great. Sometimes they're just
in a great defense for our plays . . . And we didn't capitalize on a couple of opportunities."
They can only lean on running back Brian Westbrook so hard. He was terrific last night - 17 carries for 96 yards, eight catches for 66 yards, 25 touches overall - but you cannot just pound him and pound him and pound him. If you do, you will be left with dust by December.
