Phillies Clinch...Something; Also: Eagles/NFL Stuff

Even though the Phillies have lost two in a row (to the whiny New York Mets, no less) they still clinched a playoff berth today after the San Diego Padres lost. The explanation is here, if it's important to you. It's not important to me. I've decided to save my post-clinching drinking for when they reach their real goal for the regular season, the NL East title. They've clinched a tie for it thanks to Atlanta's loss today. Tomorrow the Phils are in Washington (weather permitting) and the Braves are home against Florida. A Phils win or a Braves loss and I start downing rum and diet cokes and writing up a blog post while under the influence. It's now a yearly tradition, with a bonus drunk post after another event of some significance, so be sure to read it!

Meanwhile, a 28-3 pounding of the Jacksonville Jaguars has the Eagles at 2-1, and all by themselves in first place in the NFC East. While the Eagles played quite well, I don't think Jacksonville is very good, so I'm still not entirely sold. And even with Donovan McNabb, Washington is 1-2 after they lost today. McNabb brings his new team to town next week, and then the Eagles go to San Francisco, a team that would have been better off getting McNabb from the Eagles instead of sticking with Alex Smith at QB, and a team with a coach, Mike Singletary, that I've come to believe to be highly incompetent. I think the Eagles will be 4-1 going into their game against Atlanta (currently 2-1, having won at New Orleans today) and we still won't know how good they really are. They lost to the only good team they've faced.

I think the league is mostly wide open this year. There are five unbeaten teams -- 3-0 Pittsburgh and Kansas City, 2-0 Miami (playing the Jets as I write this), 2-0 Chicago and Green Bay (they play each other tomorrow). Of those five, only Green Bay and, to a lesser extent, Pittsburgh seem to be for real at this point. Some highly touted teams -- Minnesota, NY Giants, Dallas, Cincinnati, New England -- have some issues. I think that, and the disaster zone that is the offensive line, is why Andy Reid decided to stick with Michael Vick at quarterback even after Kevin Kolb's concussion symptoms went away. That will work now, against weak competition. We'll see how Vick does when he has to face a real defense again.

By the way, I've been eliminated from that WIP Suicide Pool. I went with Washington this week. Thanks, Donovan.