As 2012 Eagles Season Closes, Fans Still Have Rooting Interests

The 2012 Philadelphia Eagles season comes to an end this week. It's been a long, torturous season in the aspect of watching this team fail, but the suffering will soon end. Then, a new kind of suffering begins...that of no Eagles football until August!

Though some folks might be glad to just get this sad season over with and don't really care what happens this Sunday, there are still angles to root for this week. If anything, it gives us something to think about as we watch this last game.

Which of these sounds most like you?

#1. Michael Vick gets one last chance to start.

After a spectacular run as an Eagles starter in 2010 that earned him a new mega-contract, Vick has been anything but spectacular the past two seasons. We can point to all kinds of excuses as to why, but the fact is he's merely hovered around mediocrity in 2011 and 2012.

At times he has risen slightly above mediocre, and other times he has sunk below it.

Most people -- and even Vick himself -- believe this will be his final game as an Eagle. I know there is still a faction of fans out there that believe in Vick and will back him no matter what.

Therefore, if you're one of those fans, you can root for him this week, Root for him to perform well individually and perhaps convince the next Eagles coach to keep him, or at least give NFL personnel one last piece of game tape to consider when thinking about signing him come March.

#2. Final game for Andy Reid.

Yeah, most fans can't wait to see the big guy leave, but I know that most people do have a certain respect for the man. This is his last chance to give Eagles fans a win (unless or until he's our opponent).

Andy Reid has his faults as a head coach. But, if you've ever heard him in interviews when he's much more affable and have listened to things players have said about him over the years, you'd realize that he's a good man.

His reason for a failing to win a Super Bowl certainly isn't for a lack of trying. Plus, the man has gone though hell with his family (drugs, prison and ultimately death of his son). Reid has given Philly all he's got.

And for that, maybe you'd like to see him go out on a positive note and get one last notch in the "W" column.

More after the jump...

#3. You're just a die-hard Eagles fan and want them to win no matter what.

This one is self-explanatory...you just want the team to win every time they take the field. You may or may not be a fan of any particular player or coach, you're just a Philadelphia Eagles fan, period!

#4. Draft position.

Do you have the mindset that says: "Since we can't make the playoffs, we might as well lose as much as possible so we get the best draft slot possible"?

This one is tough because it's basically counter-intuitive to root for your team to lose. However, as I like to say, I don't root for them to lose, I just prefer it.

So, what's at stake this week? About four or five slots in the draft, depending on what plays out this weekend.

Currently, the Eagles hold the fourth overall pick in the draft (courtesy of Blogging the Beast). If the Eagles win this week, they'll be in danger of dropping to the eighth slot.

Fortunately, getting the eighth overall pick in the draft is the worst the Eagles could do. The best they can do is third-overall, but that will only happen with a loss combined with a Raiders win.

Therefore, you can hope the Eagles just continue their losing ways and that the Raiders can find a way to beat the Chargers this week. Having the third (or at least fourth) overall pick in the draft is still better than the eighth.

#5. You don't want any chance of Reid returning.

Maybe you're one of those "better safe than sorry" kind of people and don't like to leave the smallest bit of doubt in your mind. You are dead-set on Reid getting fired and you don't want one last good game to perhaps confuse Jeff Lurie about his decision.

To be sure Reid is definitely, totally, and without a doubt fired after the next game, you want the Eagles to get blown out or lose in some typical "Andy Reid fashion." Reid is in his coffin right now, and you want to be standing over it with one last nail and a big hammer.

It's for the greater-good, right?

#6. You just hate the Giants.

For all intents and purposes, the Giants seem to have replaced the Cowboys as the team Eagles fans hate the most. You want to see Coughlin's face turn 50-shades of red and have a conniption fit over on the sideline.

You just can't stand Peyton Manning's brother and want to see that dumb, goofy-faced QB get blasted on the field. You're also sick and tired of seeing that friggin salsa dance in the end zone!

Furthermore, every time JPP gets a sack, you're reminded of what could have been. Screw all the other stuff, the Eagles have a chance to ensure there is no way these guys can make the playoffs.

Kill the Giants!

This week is our last chance to see Eagles football for about eight long months. With Reid about to be ousted, we're heading into the unknown. We don't know if the next head coach will bring us the Lombardi or make Rich Kotite look like a genius.

Even though the football season is almost over, we're about to enter the most important offseason for this franchise since 1999.

Follow Dave Stoessel on Twitter for more Eagles news and discussion!