Every loss hurts, but some losses hurt more than others. Each week, we pick the team that was the biggest loser of the weekend.
This was the week the Eagles fully realized nothing about this season is going to be easy. There are no automatic wins. If they are going to make the playoffs, they are going to do it the hard way.
Losing two straight home games is bad enough, but losing a 20 point lead to the inept 49ers offense drives the point home that no game is safe. The only game the Eagles have won this year came against arguably the worst team in football -- St. Louis. There are no automatic wins for Philly.
Nnamdi Asomugha is struggling. Michael Vick is backing out of radio shows. Howard Eskin is committed to a long ride on a banana seat.
This doesn’t mean that the season is lost or that even title hopes are dashed. But it does change expectations. The NFC East is going to be a slugfest. Only one team may get in, and they all have a decent shot. There won’t be any 59-point outbursts in Washington this time around.
With difficult out of division games left against the Bills, Patriots, and Jets still left, it’s hard to imagine any scenario the Eagles earn a playoff bye. The Eagles need to start winning soon before the season spirals and it won’t be easy with two road games in Buffalo and Washington next up.
The Eagles got the nod as the worst loss of the week in part because they are so banged up. Michael Vick finally finished a game healthy, but two Pro Bowlers (Jason Peters and Trent Cole) are now out a while. Cole is arguably the second most valuable player on the team.
Perhaps the loss to the 49ers will be a turning point for a team that hasn’t exactly struggled to move the ball on offense. No matter how the Eagles respond, this loss will leave a mark.
The Eagles expected to be one of the best teams in football. Instead, Philly will have to do battle with getting over .500 for a while.
Previous winners of this honor: The Chiefs and Jaguars. I forgot in Week 3 and have decided to blame my newborn baby for scrambling my brain.
We’d like to thank the Rams, Cowboys, Bills, and Jets for their strong candidacies this week.