Marquee Mascot Matchup - January 23, 2005

MARQUEE MASCOT MATCHUP - JANUARY 23, 2005

Atlanta Falcons
(12-5) AT Philadelphia Eagles
(14-3)

Tale of the Tape:

Falcon (Peregrine)		Eagle (Bald)
Falco peregrinus	*Scientific Name*	Haliaeetus leucocephalus
18"	*Length*	38"
40"	*Wingspan*	80"
2 lb	*Weight*	11 lb
Fresh duck	*Likes to Eat...*	Fish, roadkill
Bitch slap	*Kills prey via...*	Puncture wound
4.5 sec at 200 mph	*1/4 mile (flying start)*	22.5 sec at 40 mph
DDT, supersonic shocks	*Primary Threats*	DDT, Al Qaeda
an Eagle	*Smarter than...*	selected rocks
Red Bull, F-16 fighter jets	*Product Endorsements*	Rogaine, U.S. Postal Service

Preview:

There's not a lot of brotherly love flying around the skies of Philadelphia this weekend. We've got a family rivalry in the works as the Falcons and Eagles clash for the NFC title.
Actually cousins, Falcons and Eagles are both members of the Raptor family of large, predatory birds. Both are fearless and prolific killers armed with sharp talons, lots of feathers, and not much in the way of brains. Both teams are coming off convincing pummelings of much larger creatures with big horns (Eagles d. Vikings, Falcons d. Rams). In the end this Battle of the Birds will come down to a clash of speed versus size.
Falcons are all about blazing speed and agility. The smallest type of hawk, Falcons feature long wings and tails that allow them to chase other birds at high speed. The peregrine is the fastest known creature on the face of the planet, reaching speeds of up to 200mph in a steep dive. They are skilled hunters who prefer to kill their prey by swatting them out of the sky and crashing to the earth below. Expect big hits and a lot of trash talking from Falcon corners. The Falcons will look for openings in the Eagle defense, and when available, burst through them with unmatched pace. Allowed to get up to full tilt, they'll be unstoppable and score at will. Defensively the Falcons will be undersized and overmatched by the Eagle line, and will need to exploit speed amongst the linebackers and secondary. Endurance will be crucial, as the Falcons must provide constant pressure in the Eagle backfield and pocket to keep their feathers ruffled.
The Eagles come in with distinct size and home field advantages. At twice the length and wingspan, and more than five times the weight, the Eagles will look to body up the Falcons early and often. The key to Eagle strategy will be the use of braun to neutralize Falcon speed. Look for them to hit the legs of the backs hard in an attempt to slow down Atlanta's momentum. Weather reports are calling for cold and snowy conditions that will favor the more northerly conditioned Eagles. They'll look to buckle down and turn this into a defensive battle where their strength will prevail.
Both Falcons and Eagles are dumber than the feathers on their back, so don't expect anything tricky or surprising here. This game will be decided by the control of tempo and the ability of Philadelphia to react to the Falcons' speed. The Eagles are 1-0 versus fellow birds this season, with a 15-10 victory over the Ravens. The Falcons are 1-1, handling the Cardinals but struggling against the larger Seahawks.

Outlook:

Speed will triumph early in the game. If the Falcons can execute in the first half before the Eagles wear them down and withstand a second half push, look for an upset.

Falcons, 28-24.