The fact of the matter is that a football team which is no better than the Eagles is probably going to make the playoffs. The key to mid level teams , like the Eagles, making the playoffs is winning ugly games.
The Eagles don't have the talent of the New England Patriots or the Dallas Cowboys, so they must win all the games which they outplay their opponents. They must win the ugly games, like the one against the Redskins. Unfortunatley they've blown two games which they outplayed their opponents. The losses to the Packers and the Bears will probably send them home in January.
For years the Eagles weren't a lot better than they are now, but they edged teams out by beating them on special teams and in other intangibles. Their defense never allowed an offense to go 97 yards at the end of a game for a score.
The Eagles special teams are among the worst in the league. Their kickoff team is the worse group in the league. The offense averages starting at the 20 yard line which is tied for the worst starting point in the NFL. The punt return teams cost them a game against Packers. That never happened in the years they were going to the playoffs.
The defense has forced only 11 turnovers in nine football games which is second worst in the league. As in their playoff years the Eagles offense has been stingy when it comes to giving up turnovers. If the Eagles were having as much success getting turnvovers as they had in the past, they would be in position to go to the playoffs again.
The 2004 team with the explosive offense is the only one which doesn't fit this model. It also doesn't help that this year's Dallas team is the best squad which has been in the division for a long time.
