With half a season left to play, it's hard to say the Eagles' situation is as desperate as the Phillies' was, but this still is an opportunity for the Birds to make a statement about what they want the rest of the year to be.
"We are playing a very good team," Eagles running back Brian Westbrook said. "They are at the top of the division, and we're playing the team that is the world champ, so it's a big opportunity for us to go out there.
"It's almost a statement game, where we can go out there and prove some things to ourselves and other people - that we are a team to be reckoned with."
I'm not big on the term "statement game," but I am big on taking advantage of opportunities when they are presented.
And there is no question that the game against the Giants presents a huge opportunity for the Eagles.
If the Birds (5-3) beat New York (7-1), they will be right back in the hunt in the NFC East Division and the NFC playoff race.
If they lose, they won't be "stick-a-fork-in-them" done, but the path to the playoffs will become exceedingly more challenging.
As it stands right now, the Eagles are a woeful 0-2 in the division and an acceptable 4-3 in the conference.
A victory puts them within a game of the Giants and vaults them toward the top of the NFC standings.
A loss will do the opposite.
As a rule, coach Andy Reid tries not to emphasize one game as any more important than another, but even he realizes the perceived significance attached to this one.
"I can see that," Reid said when asked whether he understands why this is viewed as a statement game for the Eagles. "That's OK. We'll all be excited, but we have to take care of business.
