December 2- 8, 2004

naked city

how they'll lose

Week 12 vs. Green Bay

by Brian Hickey

(Mr. Hickey's Season record: 1-10)

Back when "Fourth and 26" became a part of Philadelphia sporting lore, I figured Freddie Mitchell's miraculous catch was a symbol of fate, of destiny, of an impending championship. I thought I was wrong—until Monday night. Turns out I was paying attention to the wrong team.

Say the Eagles lost a tough playoff game one year but had an opportunity for revenge mere months later. Think the team would be frothing at the mouth? Welcome to the world of the Green Bay Packers.

The Eagles unceremoniously ripped their hearts out at the Linc last year, but the Birds' biggest sin was not cashing in on the opportunity. (Carolina, anyone?)

Now, the Packers are on a tear. Call it a mission, this six-game winning streak they extended with a 45-17 prime-time thrashing of the St. Louis Rams. Brett Favre smells opportunity in this B-league called the NFC. He knows that knocking the conference leaders off would go a long way toward securing a playoff game at Lambeau and a good shot at another Super Bowl. Only an unsophisticated mind would presume the Eagles are ripe for a letdown since they already clinched the NFC East. They still have to worry about home field throughout the playoffs. But with a one-game cushion over Atlanta, they won't pack the same urgency the Pack'll cart into town.

Quite simply, the Birds are coming up against a team that's even hotter than they are—a squad that can run, throw and play defense unlike the patsies they've been trouncing week-in, week-out.

Packers 38, Eagles 24.