Quintin Mikell

Andy Reid was furious. Sitting at a podium Tuesday night after an awful loss that cost the Eagles a shot at a playoff bye, he ripped his team ("terrible"), himself ("pathetic"), and even reporters who showed up late. By Thursday, the team's first day back at practice, the wave of anger had subsided. Reid, his players said, was Reid. "The greatest thing about Coach Reid is you can have the greatest win in the world, or the worst loss," but when the team resumes practice for the next game, "he's the same person," said tight end Brent Celek.

A FEW HOURS OF reflection after the Eagles' despicable loss to the Minnesota Vikings Tuesday night did not soothe the beast, but Andy Reid was a bit more reasoned. In the moments after the Birds' 24-14 loss that locked them into the No. 3 seed in the NFC playoffs, Reid snapped that his team was not "good enough" to rest players for a now meaningless regular season finale against Dallas. Yesterday, however, Reid seemed far more open to the idea that it might be in the Birds' best interest to rest some players against Dallas and get them healthy for the playoffs the following weekend.

Pathetic. Terrible. Two days after clinching the NFC East with help from the Green Bay Packers, a disgusted Andy Reid used those words to describe a flat, sloppy, 24-14 loss to Minnesota on Tuesday night that cost the Eagles any shot at a first-round playoff bye and that left quarterback Michael Vick limping with a bruised thigh. The Eagles are now locked into the third seed in the NFC and will host a wild-card game Jan. 8 or 9 against the Packers, Giants, or Buccaneers, depending on the outcomes of Sunday's games.

There will be no Joe Webb on the road to the Super Bowl. There won't be any Stephen McGee, either. To get to the Super Bowl, the Eagles would have to beat real quarterbacks: guys like Drew Brees, Jay Cutler, Aaron Rodgers, Matt Ryan. They would have to beat teams with everything to play for, unlike the Minnesota Vikings, who had nothing to play for. And now, because Webb and the Vikings embarrassed them on national television, to get to the Super Bowl the Eagles would have to beat three such teams.

There will be no Joe Webb on the road to the Super Bowl. There won't be any Stephen McGee, either. To get to the Super Bowl, the Eagles would have to beat real quarterbacks: guys like Drew Brees, Jay Cutler, Aaron Rodgers, Matt Ryan. They would have to beat teams with everything to play, unlike the Minnesota Vikings, who had nothing to play for. And now, because Webb and the Vikings embarrassed them on national television, to get the Super Bowl the Eagles would have to beat three such teams.

The Minnesota Vikings are the perfect reality check for an Eagles team that is suddenly a real threat to go to the Super Bowl. Not because the Vikings are an especially daunting opponent. They aren't. In fact, they are a big leaky trash bag full of toxic waste and combustible chemicals, as apt to burst into caustic flame as to fall apart all over everything nice. But just 11 months ago, this hot mess was hot stuff. The Vikings were one awful Brett Favre pass from the Super Bowl.

Kurt Coleman shot through the gap. He hit a startled Ahmad Bradshaw, who dropped like a stone 2 yards behind the line of scrimmage. That forced the Giants to pass, which led to a fumble, which led to the Eagles' first touchdown. None of which happens, perhaps, if the Eagles' seventh-round rookie safety didn't play with the confidence of the second-rounder he replaced. Nate Allen's fine rookie season ended Sunday when he ruptured the patella tendon in his right knee. Allen underwent successful surgery Tuesday.

Trent Cole loves to get after quarterbacks. The Eagles defensive end piles up sacks like DeSean Jackson collects touchdowns. So when Cole was seen chasing after Giants wide receivers on Sunday, it seemed a little unusual and, well, counterproductive. On one play, he was caught covering New York's Derek Hagan and was beaten for an 11-yard reception. When Cole caught up to the receiver and tackled him, the end jumped up and punched the air. It was difficult to discern if he was upset because of the play - and the fact that the Giants were about to go ahead, 17-3 - or if he was just ticked that he had to cover a receiver 55 pounds lighter.

The Eagles used the 13th and 37th picks in April's NFL draft to bring in two highly regarded rookies who were supposed to bolster the defense. But as the team heads toward the playoffs, the Eagles who were drafted 220th and 244th will have key roles for a defense that still needs improvement, particularly against the pass. Safety Nate Allen - the smooth player taken 37th - went on the injured reserve list Tuesday after tearing a right knee tendon against the Giants. He joined top pick Brandon Graham, lost the week before to a torn right knee ligament.

It takes problems on both sides of the ball to dig a 21-point hole against a division rival in the biggest game of the year. And it takes big plays from both sides to roar back. While Michael Vick and DeSean Jackson have deservedly received much of the credit for the Eagles' rousing comeback over the Giants on Sunday, the defense also made several crucial plays in the second half to keep the rally going in a 38-31 win. It came as a result of renewed aggressiveness, several defensive players said.