The Eagles kicked off the season in Washington today.
The first Sunday of white-knuckle viewing, analogous to having your eyelids taped open while taking a 16-year-old driver on his first trip on the Schuylkill Expressway: a steady diet of “what did you do that fors?” and “oh my Gods” and “watch outs” and “I’m gonna pukes”.
I sat on the couch for the inevitable three hours of swerves, curves, potholes, accidents, and near-misses.
After a promising start, the Eagles missed an extra point, and you JUST KNEW that was going to cost them the game even though they led 13-0 at the time.
By this time, the poor dog had his first taste of watching the Eagles with me. I kept disturbing Leo’s siesta. At one point while I was petting him, the Eagles made a first down. I figured that was THE good luck charm for the day. But after two more noogie rubs, he wandered into the kitchen to resume his five-hour pre-dinner nap.
And then their prize acquisition, Ronald Darby, went off the field on the injury cart.
Bad Leo!
The only surprise was it was not Carson Wentz. Yet.
And the officials’ calls were going against them because the league hates the Eagles. Everybody knows THAT!
Sure enough, Washington took the lead, but the Eagles grabbed it back.
Big whoop. The Big Tease.
Washington got the ball late in the fourth quarter with a chance to win, and Eagles fans JUST KNEW this was going to turn out badly.
But the Eagles scored on a turnover and, despite a review, the play stood! Those refs will some ‘splaining to do to back at Zebra HQ!
I released my death grip on the pillow and sat in silence, stunned that we had made it off “the road to victory” in one piece. I thanked Leo for his contribution with a treat.
On to next week’s trek.
The Q-View 