Cup Check: Week 3

Cup Check is another new weekly column where I'll give reasons why the glass is either half-full or half-empty. Fans of all teams overreact to each game, whether it be positive or negative. It's hard not to, but once the game settles in over a few hours, things calm down. The performance by Philadelphia this week was unacceptable. They weren't prepared in any phase for this game. Is there real reason to panic, Eagles fans? No.

The glass is still half-full.

Check the standings - Along with New York and Dallas, the Eagles are tied for first place in the NFC East. The Cowboys are coming off two weeks of less-than-stellar performance, Washington is hurting big-time, and the Eagles have a chance to take down the defending champions next Sunday night.

After some shaky performances, there's
still reason to believe in this duo

It's the NFL - Even the best teams lose on the road. It's one game, and the Eagles looked impressive last week. The defense was still only responsible for 20 points allowed, and they were put in some tough positions on the field. Juan's group still hasn't allowed a second half touchdown and they seem to be doing a great job making adjustments, unlike last year.

They have the players - In past years, there were gaping holes in the team. Linebacker was always a position under scrutiny. Wide-receiver has been under the microscope, along with the offensive line in some years. The talent is there, more so than in recent seasons. Left tackle and center remain in question, although King Dunlap will be returning sometime soon and Andy Reid has won many games with make-shift centers before (my first and last Mike McGlynn plug-in). The only question mark is Vick, and it's a legitimate one. The other pieces are in place.

Will Vick ever be the answer? - Nobody really knows that yet. Some fans are calling for Foles, some still have faith in their QB. There's no denying that he's struggling with turnovers. The poor performance was collective today, receivers could have ran better routes, the line could have communicated better, and the play-calling could have been more quarterback-friendly. One positive to take out of the first three weeks: Vick seems improved running the two-minute offense, something that shouldn't be over-looked. There will be many close division battles and he's won the close game this year.

Andy Reid's teams bounce back - Here are some examples:

---> In 2010, the Eagles lost an ugly game at home against the Redskins in the much-anticipated return of Donovan McNabb. It was an ugly game, Vick was injured and Kolb stepped in and played safe football only to lose 17-12. The next week the Eagles traveled to San Francisco for a victory and returned home to dominate a good Atlanta team, all of this with their backup quarterback.

The Eagles dominated Dallas
after a brutal loss in D.C.

---> After losing back-to-back games in 2009 to fall to 5-4, the McNabb-led Eagles fired off a six-game win-streak. They followed back-to-back ugly losses with sharp, precise football.

---> In the magical 2008 season, the Eagles looked terrible at many different parts of the season. They suffered a brutal three-game streak in the middle of the season, falling to 5-5-1. After that they followed with three good wins. At another point in the season, the Eagles controlled their playoff destiny, only to deliver another flop, falling to the Redskins in Week 16 10-3. The next week, in one of the more memorable Eagles games, they destroyed the Cowboys 44-6 and made a deep run in the playoffs.

What does this mean? - These examples may not translate into the 2012 season, but history tells us that the team will bounce back. Like every NFL team, they perform poorly some games. The good teams come back stronger the next week.


Follow me on Twitter @Matt_Chastain25 and @eaglesallday95, I'll get you back.