This is another wasted year because Reid made Juan Castillo his defensive coordinator, because the team committed itself to an inconsistent and injury-prone quarterback, because Reid and the front office squandered millions on the wrong players while refusing to lock up DeSean Jackson, because of the perennial failure to recognize and address the linebacker position, because of halfhearted play by key players in big games, because of an epidemic of turnovers and bonehead penalties.
This was the worst coaching job of Reid's tenure, by miles. Not only did his self-promoting team underachieve spectacularly, it did so in a year when the rest of the NFC East was pathetic.
The Eagles have won three in a row, including Saturday's 20-7 victory here. The self-kidders will point to that, along with next week's likely win against Washington, as proof that Reid got this team fixed. They will suggest that this strong finish will carry over to next year. They will be wrong.
Take a hard look. Once the Giants won, Dallas coach Jason Garrett pulled running back Felix Jones and his sore hamstring. Quarterback Tony Romo, who bruised his throwing hand on the first series, stayed on the sideline, too. This game didn't mean nearly as much to the Cowboys as being at full strength for a virtual playoff game against the Giants next Sunday.
There was no pressure on the Eagles. This team had chances to come up big in big games against Seattle and Chicago and Arizona. That's when a two-minute drive like the one that ended the first half here would have meant something.
"I've been around a lot of teams," Michael Vick said, "and I know what it takes to win football games, and I know what type of team and what type of personality and character that you have to have. And we just lacked that early. That's the truth."
