Losing may be only way to save proud franchise

Broncos.

The low mark of the season was the shutout loss to the rival Cowboys at home on national television when the team just quit.

They actually won this past Sunday, pushing their record to 2-7.

Even their win-loss record could be looked at as deceiving.

RON D'ORAZIO

The. Eagles this season are one of the worst professional football teams to ever step on the field.

They lack almost everything necessary to have a successful team including talent, depth, heart and organization. They have maybe one or two good enough players on the entire team.

The team has suffered shutout losses to the Seattle Seahawks and the hated Dallas Cowboys. They were routed 41-16 by the Super Bowl champion Denver

The two wins that the Eagles have racked up were a win over the hapless Washington Redskins and an uneventful 10-9 victory over the now 2-7 Detroit Lions.

Yes, they are wins but they came against teams as bad as they are and the victories were by a total margin of four points.

The Eagles have not looked organized at any time this season, even during the games they won.

The Eagles have problems at every position on the team.

The quarterbacks, Bobby Hoying and Rodney Peete, have been totally ineffective.

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The receivers, including Irving Fryar, have been basically useless.

The running backs are fair, at best, and their offensive line might as well be invisible.

One bright spot is that rookie offensive lineman Tra Thomas may yet turn out to be a good player for the Eagles' future.

The defense, besides free-agent Hugh Douglas and a healthy Brian Dawkins, are overmatched and too small.

Speaking of Douglas, his 10and-a-half sacks in nine games make him the best player of the Eagles first half.

I'll bet that not too many people miss the Redskins' free "big" free-agent acquisitions of Dana Stubblefield and Dan Wilkinson, who have a total of three-and-ahalf sacks put together.

Other than Douglas and young tailback Duce Staley, the Eagles stink.

What the Philadelphia fans

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should do to make this season easier to handle is root for the Birds to lose the rest of their games.

Yes, I said lose.

If they lose the rest of their seven games and other bad teams-like the Redskins, the Indianapolis Colts and the Carolina Panthers-can maybe win one or two games, the Eagles will be eligible for one of the three college prizes: Ricky Williams, Tim Couch or Daunte Culpepper.

The three "prizes" are big-time college players that are touted as the next National Football League stars.

Williams is a running back out of Texas University who is the leading Division IA rusher in the nation. Couch and Culpepper are among the top 10 quarterbacks in Division IA.

With the revived Cleveland Browns getting the first overall pick, the Eagles have to finish with the second-worst record to be eligible for any of the three prospects.

The problem is that the Eagles could use help with both positions, quarterback and running back.

The play of Staley might sway the Eagles in their decision as well as the play of Hoying.

The franchise, if they are smart, will keep their faith with Staley and select either Couch or~ Culpepper.

Whatever they do with the draft and other personnel moves, the key to this season is to lose.

As a proud Philadelphia sports fan, it pains me to ask the Eagles to lose, but quitting now may be the only way to save the franchise for the future.

P.S. Mr. Lurie and company, please do not select another lineman. We need help elsewhere. RonD'Oraziois a seniormajoringin English/communication. Heis oneof Loquitur'ssportseditors.Hecame backto Cabriniforhissenioryearso hecango No.1 in thedraftthisyear.