In truth, there were moments during those five successive years the Birds went to the playoffs earlier this decade when seasons hung in the balance, when blunders threatened to derail everything, when points were gift-wrapped for the opposition, more or less the way they were yesterday. Kicker David Akers, who was at the center of lots of the good things and the bad things that happened, invoked 2003. That was when Brian Westbrook's punt-return touchdown beat the Giants at the end of a miserable day, saving a season that eventually ended in the NFC Championship Game.
Finding a way to win has a way of softening sharp edges. Finding a way to win might really have been the biggest difference between those Eagles and the 2008 bunch, at least until the fourth-quarter shadows lengthened in Candlestick Park and the Birds rallied to save their season.
"The last few weeks we found ways to lose,'' said Correll Buckhalter, who played the game of his life filling in for injured Brian Westbrook, 93 rushing yards on 18 carries and seven catches for 85 yards, including a pair of huge screens on the drive for a field goal that finally put the visitors ahead for good. "Today, we found a way to win.''
We won't know for quite a while whether they saved their season for good or just for a few weeks, but make no mistake, they saved it. They are 3-3 with a week off to heal before hosting the Falcons, and Andy Reid is 9-0 the week following the bye. The Redskins and the Cowboys both lost yesterday, so the NFC East isn't running away from the Eagles just yet. It still might, but it hasn't yet; no coaches, quarterbacks or even kickers will be replaced down at NovaCare this week.
