— An unscientific poll of Philadelphia Eagles following Sunday night's 19-17 victory over the New York Giants reveals most of the players are not spending a whole lot of time thinking about why they've won all the close ones so far.
They all have their theories, of course, but all they really know, all they really care about is that they're somehow pulling out victories now in games that went the other way 100 percent of the time last year — after this nucleus was hastily assembled following a long labor stoppage and played like a group that was, well, hastily assembled.
By the time they became a bona fide team, it was too late to do anything about the lost 2011 season.
"I've kind of stated this from the end of last season that I thought one of the positives that this team had going for them was they can maintain that attitude that they finished the season with," coach Andy Reid said. "We were lucky enough where we were able to maintain most of that football team, personnel-wise, and then add a few young guys in there. They were able to do that.
"That carried them over through the OTAs and brought them through training camp, pretty tough training camp, and it's helped them, I think, through the early part of this season. Every week's a challenge in this league. These guys, they've got a good attitude, though. They're tough. There's a toughness about them, a certain mentality about them that you appreciate."
No question that toughness has been the only reason why this team has overcome all its flaws and misplays through the first quarter of the season to win three of its first four and take over first place by itself in the NFC East.
"Honestly," wide receiver DeSean Jackson said, "this is how we like it. Coming down to last plays and last series, that's usually when really the best comes out of us. As long as we just keep playing with our intensity up and continue to play the way we know how to play and score as many points as possible and help our defense out, who did a really great job today."
Cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie senses it too.
"You look at last year, we blew a lot of games in the fourth quarter," he said. "And ... we stayed together in the offseason, everybody got to know each other, we got to fighting and [there were some] tempers. We went through that last year, so we already knew how to overcome it."
"I know this team is different mentally," wide receiver Jason Avant added. "This team is a lot different mentally than last year's team. We believe that a game is [never] over. ... I don't know if we're winning games that we didn't win last year or not, but we're just different mentally."
A stronger mind-set might be the only way to explain the enigma that is the first-place Philadelphia Eagles.
Quarterback Michael Vick's passer rating is a miserable 72.7. He's tossed two more interceptions (six) than touchdown passes. The offensive line has been ravaged by injuries. They can't cover kicks to save their lives and they've already cut one punter. On top of all that, their play calling gets exponentially worse the closer they get to the goal line.
Yet they're 3-1 and leading a division in which nobody has a losing record.
However, big questions remain about how long the Eagles can keep winning despite teetering on the brink. The players all have internal alarm clocks. Some of them have already gone off.
"We have to have some blowouts," tackle Todd Herremans said nervously. "We've been very fortunate, very fortunate."
Can the Eagles keep winning with fourth-quarter comebacks throughout the course of a 16-game regular season and the playoffs?
Absolutely not.
The holes in their roster and their game plans will eventually be exploited by a league that evolves 10 to 20 times faster than any other professional sport we'll see in our lifetimes.
Unless they can cover them up, they'll be no better at the end of this year than they were at the end of last year.
How they should do it has been covered ad infinitum — better run-pass balance to take pressure off Vick and an offensive line that has to learn on the job; running straight ahead or dropping straight back to pass at the goal line; exploring other options in their kicking game; looking to deal one of their surplus defensive ends or running backs before the trade deadline for a player or two who might be able to help them elsewhere, such as offensive line or safety/special teams.
They have a chance to become much better than they really are. They also have a chance to become much worse.
The only certainty is that they won't stay the same.
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