MCNABB, EAGLES AREN'T STIRRING IT UP

by Moondog, The World According to Moondog

There was a time when the NFC East championship was won by going through Philadelphia, or at least that's what Donovan McNabb was quoted as saying last season.

As the Dallas Cowboys and Eagles prepare for an early season showdown Monday night at Texas Stadium, McNabb sounded a little more diplomatic.

"We're looking forward to it but we won't look at it as a test to see where we're at," McNabb said. "At this particular time of the season it's important that you try to master the fundamentals, to make sure the chemistry is where it's supposed to be."

No one has ever made the mistake of comparing McNabb to Socrates.

It's obvious McNabb doesn't want to provide the Cowboys with any bulletin board material heading into the game. But make no mistake, each team is well aware that a victory means a huge step up in the NFC East race.

With the Cowboys being the favorite to represent the NFC in Super Bowl XLIII, McNabb acknowledged the NFC East championship probably goes through Dallas now instead of Philadelphia.

"They're a confident bunch and they're an experienced bunch. There's a reason they won 13 games last year. We know that it's going to be a battle. Every time we play it kind of goes to the wire somehow. So we have to prepare ourselves to go out and give a good fight."

McNabb apparently forgot that the first game played between the two teams last season ended with the Cowboys handing the Eagles a 38-17 smack down. That's not exactly going to the wire as McNabb suggested.

In fact, only one of the previous six games has been close, with the Eagles winning against the Cowboys in Dallas last season, 10-6.

Philadelphia opened their season with a 38-3 shellacking of the St. Louis Rams. McNabb had a fantastic game, passing for 361 yards and three TDs.

The Cowboys starting QB, Tony Romo, was equally impressive, passing for 320 yards and one TD in Dallas' 28-10 road victory against the Cleveland Browns.

McNabb, who has a record of 10-5 as the starting QB against the Cowboys, will have a more difficult time duplicating last week's statistics. The Rams are one of the worst teams in the NFL and Dallas will present the Eagles with a much different level of talent.

The Eagles blueprint for victory will more than likely be the same as its been the last several seasons. Defensive coordinator Jim Johnson will blitz Romo at every opportunity and force him to beat the Eagles throwing the ball.

Dallas' big offensive line did a great job last week of giving Romo time to throw against the Browns, but the Cowboys know the blitz packages Johnson will employ are much better than they saw last week.

The key to this game will be Dallas' ability to run the ball. The Cowboys gained 167 rushing against the Browns and they'll attempt to do the same this week. If Dallas can get the ground game going, it will prevent the Eagles from blitzing Romo on nearly every down.

Jon Runyan, the Eagles right tackle and a veteran of 16 Philadelphia-Dallas match ups, echoed McNabb's tactful comments.

"Just another day in the office," Runyan said. "Well, you've got to win your East games and it's a big one Monday night. This is the first one in the East and you've got to win the East to move on in the playoffs. It's a big game because it's the next one."

Sorry Jon, but this isn't "just another day in the office." This game will prove to go a long way in who wins the NFC East, and both teams know it - they just aren't saying it.

NOTES:

Super Eagles fan and all-around football nut CK, alias "The Football Chick" has entered into a friendly bet with me. If the Cowboys win, she has to send me a photograph with her hair in pigtails, wearing a French Maid uniform and sucking on a lollipop write a glowing story about how great the Dallas Cowboys are.

If the Eagles win, I have to write a story about how great the Dallas Cowboys are - OK, I mean the damn Eagles.

We'll post the respective articles on each others site.

In other Eagles news, former University of Tennessee Vols safety Jonathan Hefney was added to Philadelphia's practice squad. Hefney was released from the Tampa Bay Bucs practice squad earlier this week.