Les Bowen: The bottom line after Eagles' loss to Cowboys

Counting Sunday night's game, under Andy Reid, the Eagles are 6-5 in the first game each year against Dallas, 8-2 in the second.

Extra point

 

Once again, the Eagles are a team that needs to dominate to win. Five victories this season, average margin 20 points. Two four-point games, both losses. Andy Reid was asked yesterday about his team being 1-8-1 in its last 10 games decided by six points or fewer.

"That's a pretty good stat, so there probably is some form of a link," Reid said. "I'm not sure what that link is . . . we have to do better in those situations."

Here are some possible links: The Eagles, with their big-play offense, lack confidence in their ability to grind out a drive when the chips are down. Their quarterback must be wearing the heaviest flak jacket in America, or he's aged 10 years since training camp; Donovan McNabb seems uncomfortable and out of sync when hurried, which is going to be the case late in a close game. Gone are the days when McNabb could jump-start a sputtering drive with a ramble.

The defense also plays much better from a dominant position, when it can lay back its ears, knowing the opposing QB has to throw. Its secondary is big on high-stepping interceptions, not so big on denying Jason Witten on third-and-4.

This has been the default personality for a while now.

What was it that Joe Banner said about the definition of insanity?