We go through this exercise every year. We write about how successful the Eagles have been in November and December under Andy Reid after their annual slow start, and every year we tell ourselves, It cant keep happening.
And then it happens again. And we write about it again.
So welcome to that story.
In 2000, 1-2 turned into 11-5.
In 2001, 3-3 turned into 11-5.
In 2002, 3-2 turned into 12-4.
In 2003, 2-3 turned into 12-4.
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In 2006, 5-6 turned into 10-6.
In 2008, 4-5-1 turned into 9-6-1.
In 2009, 5-4 turned into 11-5.
In 2010, 4-3 turned into 10-6.
In eight of the Eagles nine playoff seasons under Reid, the Eagles have started out slow, then gone on a huge second-half run. Other than the 2004 Super Bowl season, when they started out 7-0, then lost at Pittsburgh, then won their next six games to clinch home-field throughout, every Eagles playoff season since 2000 has followed roughly the same pattern.
Sluggish start. Huge finish.
There are plenty of theories why this keeps happening. Some believe Reids training camps are so tough and physical, it takes his teams a good couple months to bounce back and hit their stride. Some believe that the Eagles schemes are so complicated it takes the players half the season to really master them. Others believe that Reid simply has an uncanny knack for mid-year adjustments.
Whatever the reason, the results are tough to argue with.
In September (and an August regular-season game), Reids teams are 23-20, barely over .500.
In October, theyre 29-20. A little bit better.
In November, theyre 32-18-1. Pretty darn good.
And in December (and January regular-season games) -- counting only games in which Reid played his regulars -- theyre 37-15.
The trend is undeniable.
The Eagles win 53 percent of their games in September, 59 percent in October, 64 percent in November and 71 percent in December. Since 1999, only the Patriots and Colts have won more games the last two months of the season than the Eagles.
In the Eagles nine playoff seasons under Reid, theyre 59-16-1 in November and December, including a ridiculous 31-7 mark in December.
Breaking it down a little more, the Eagles under Reid are 30-13 in November and December within the NFC East (again, throwing out games the Eagles didnt try to win). Thats 9-5 against the Giants, 10-4 against the Cowboys and 11-4 against the Redskins.
So this year so far hasnt been too different than Reids first 12 years. Theyve taken care of the poor September (1-2) and mediocre October (1-2), and now they open November on Monday night against the Bears at the Linc.
Whats it going to take to win the NFC East? Nothing more than what the Eagles have always done this time of year.