THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
PHILADELPHIA -- All the ingredients are there for the Philadelphia Eagles to go deep in the playoffs except for home-field advantage.
They have a stifling defence that creates game-changing turnovers. They have playmakers on offence who come through in key spots. They have a reliable kicker and a dynamic returner.
With five wins in their last six games, momentum is on Philly's side, too. There also are intangible factors such as basically playing with house money.
The Eagles (10-6-1) weren't even supposed to make the playoffs, let alone be one win away from reaching their fifth NFC championship game in eight years. Just a half-hour before they kicked off in Week 17, it seemed the Eagles would be eliminated.
But lowly Oakland rallied from a 10-point deficit in the fourth quarter to beat Tampa Bay, and Houston held off Chicago to keep Philly alive. The Eagles then trounced Dallas in a do-or-die game to secure the No. 6 seed.
That meant they would have to win three road games just to get to the Super Bowl. Daunting? Certainly. Impossible? The New York Giants did it last year and Pittsburgh did it in 2005. Both teams not only reached the big game, they won it.
Cross the first step off Philadelphia's list after a 26-14 victory at Minnesota in Sunday's wild-card game. For the Eagles to duplicate New York's remarkable road run of a year ago, they now have to beat those Giants.
The division rivals will meet Sunday for the third time this season. They split the first two games, each winning on the road. The Giants (12-4) beat the Eagles 36-31 on Nov. 9, securing the victory when Brian Westbrook was stopped on fourth-and-1 at Philly's 45 with 1:55 left.
That loss started an 0-2-1 stretch that left people wondering if it was time to fire coach Andy Reid, get rid of quarterback Donovan McNabb and rebuild.
A month later, Philadelphia dominated the Giants 20-14 in a game that wasn't as close as the score. That win turned around the Eagles' season and gave them playoff thoughts.
Beating New York twice at Giants Stadium in a six-week span won't be easy.
"I think they will be as good as ever this weekend," Reid said Monday. "I would expect a knock-down, drag-out NFC East brawl. And they will be ready and we'll be ready."
.The Eagles displayed all their strengths in the victory over the Vikings. The defence shut down Adrian Peterson and overwhelmed Tarvaris Jackson. Peterson had 83 yards rushing on 20 carries, including two touchdowns. But he got 40 of those yards on one run and was held to 2 yards or fewer 12 times.
Pro Bowl cornerback Asante Samuel returned an interception for a touchdown, the defence's third score in two weeks. A rejuvenated Brian Dawkins, no longer showing signs of slowing down at 35, sacked Jackson and forced a fumble that was recovered by the QB.
On offence, McNabb was solid -- 23-for-34 for 300 yards -- and Westbrook broke the game open with a 71-yard TD catch on a screen pass. The Eagles will have to do better at converting inside the red zone, however.
Kicker David Akers made all four of his field goals, including a 51-yarder. Rookie DeSean Jackson set up the first field goal with a 62-yard punt return.
With every facet clicking for the most part, the Eagles are a tough opponent no matter where they are playing.
"Every game is different," Dawkins said, referring to last month's win over the Giants. "We do understand that it can be done and not too long ago we did it. That means we are going to have to go up and play physical ball against a physical team. It's going to be a tough game, a physical game, which it always is against the Giants. We feel good right now."
