Professional Football Researchers Association Forum

I'm sure it'll come down to '02 & '03 (both 12-4 top-seeds). Or will any of you say '01 (giving Rams good game in StL)?

2008, by some chance, despite the 9-6-1 finish? Hey, they almost made it, beat top-seeded defending-Champ Giants along the way. Beat the SB-Champs-to-be...

I got to go 2001.

2002 and 2003, honestly, those teams were lucky to even be top seeds. They only got #1 seeds because the Packers/Rams, respectively, both screwed up in week 17.

Going into the '02 NFCC, I had no reason to believe the Eagles weren't going all the way - up against a TB team at home who they only haven't been better than the past few years, but simply had their # as well. And then it would be 22-year SB-revenge vs Callahan's Raiders. Not to be, however. Their next installment, after that slow start, is likely equal to '02 (NFC East was tougher) but had they got past Carolina, they would have had to face NE who of course beat them Week #2 as well as beating them in SBXXXIX the following year. Absolutely no reason to think Eagles win a hypo-'03 SB (and without TO mind you) vs them. 2002 seemed like their best chance under Reid.

Or maybe it was that 9-6-1 installment after all. Perhaps it may have been me simply worrying too much (and it wasn't just because what Eagles did to them in Week #3), but I was real worried about Steelers having to face Eagles in the Bowl, 2008 (Cards/Fitzgerald, of course, giving me quite enough stress thank you very much). Eagles historically have always played Steelers well and the way they entered post-season whipping Dallas in that play-'in' finale and road-warrior-ing it at Vikes and especially at NYG! They also beat Giants in Meadowlands regular season and torched the Cards as well. They seemed dangerous going into the desert that January. According to Football Outsiders, '08 Eagles were best team in league "play-for-play".