NFL History: Ranking the 30 best wild card teams in NFL history

Ranking the 30 best wild card teams in NFL history: 19. 2008 Philadelphia Eagles

“I’ve never been part of a tie. I never even knew it was in the rule book. I was looking forward to getting the opportunity to get out there and try to drive and win the game. But unfortunately with the rules, we settled with a tie.” -Donovan McNabb after a Week 11 tie against the Bengals.

It was one of the most infamous quotes in the history of the Philadelphia Eagles franchise. Donovan McNabb was getting on the Philly fan’s last nerve because of his inability to deliver a championship for the city. Now, he makes this bonehead remark to the media on the 2008 Eagles. The team struggled against a bad Bengals team, and now they were fighting for their playoff lives.

This “controversy” must have sparked something in the Eagles. They won four of their last five games. The last day of the season needed to go perfectly to make the playoffs. The Eagles needed the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Chicago Bears to lose, and they needed to beat the Dallas Cowboys who were also playing to make the playoffs. It all happened, and the Eagles snuck in as the last wild card.

They still went into the playoffs as the underdog playing the Minnesota Vikings. Tavaris Jackson could not get anything going, and he finished the day throwing 15 for 35 in a losing effort. The Eagles then went on to play the New York Giants who easily won the NFC East. Eli Manning was unable to muster even one touchdown drive, and the Eagles held the Giants to just 9 points (the Giants added two points on a safety). The Eagles improbable run went into the buzzsaw that was the 2008 Arizona Cardinals. It was two unlikely teams facing off, but once again, Eagles fans would be upset with McNabb’s performance in a big game. McNabb would last one more season in Philadelphia, but he got one last run in before the end.