No introduction is necessary for this game. Unless you’ve been hiding in a cave for the past few weeks, you know what’s at stake. You know who’s playing. All you need to know is the three keys to Sunday’s main event:
Will He? Won’t He? It won’t matter
I’m talking, of course, about Terrell Owens, who has dominated the headlines for the past week and a half. It now appears that T.O. will play-against the advice of his doctors. While no one can blame him for putting his career at risk for a chance to win football’s greatest prize, he seems to have neglected one important point: it won’t matter.
Owens will not be a major factor in Sunday’s contest. Forget the fact that he’s not going to be anywhere close to 100 percent healthy; all you need to know is 5 for 44. Remember those numbers. Those are the numbers that a 100 percent healthy Marvin Harrison put up against the Patriots’ D three weeks ago. Call me crazy, but a healthy Marvin Harrison is better than a banged-up T.O.
The Real Threat
Forget about Owens. Brian Westbrook is now the Eagles’ biggest threat, and he will have to be successful both running and catching the ball if Donovan McNabb wants to keep that tenacious Patriots’ rush off his back.
Easier said than done, though. In the past two games, the New England defense has held Edgerrin James and Jerome Bettis to 39 and 64 yards, respectively.
If Westbrook doesn’t near the century mark on the ground in addition to getting his yards through the air, it is going to be a long day for the Philadelphia offense.
Pressure, Pressure, Pressure
The team that does the best jobof pressuring the quarterback could very well be holding up the Lombardi Trophy on Sunday night. Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Johnson is going to have to devise a scheme that will allow Jevon Kearse and company to get to the statuesque Tom Brady quickly enough not just to pressure him, but sack him.
On the other side, the Patriots can’t give Donovan McNabb all day to throw the ball. Not only will this allow his receivers to get open against a still-depleted secondary, but it will also give McNabb a chance to run the ball at will.
McNabb has Michael Vick-like ability to run, but he also combines this with his intelligence, picking and choosing when to tuck the ball and take off.
If New England can apply consistent pressure, they can essentially make his decisions for him.
One last note
If this game comes down to the final minutes, it will be interesting to see who gets the ball last with a chance to win. We all know what Brady can do.
It will be intriguing to see what McNabb does with the game on the line and with a city’s championship hopes on his shoulders.