Just minutes before the Birds kick off the 2007 season, I can’t help but remember an early-season game ten years ago, also at Lambeau Field, when the Birds beat the then-highly favored Packers 10-9. I can distinctly remember listening to the end of that game on the radio in the driveway of a buddy’s off-campus house. Ten years later, I live with that same guy in an extremely off-campus house (in Seattle, to be precise). Crazy how things go around and come around.

Anyhoo, while I’m cautiously optimistic that the Eagles will win this afternoon (score prediction below), one can’t help but be nervous ahead of the First Real Game Of The Season.

Sure, we think we know who can play and how they’ll perform, but until it’s Actual Football, you never really know. And it doesn’t help that the Eagles have traditionally struggled in Week One.

Thus shall I lay out the items that will cause me to shout the television this afternoon (in no particular order):

1. Green Bay scores on their first drive: nothing will be more ominous than Green Bay marching down the field and getting points on their opening drive. Nothing. That means that all the defensive shortcomings from last season are still there, and we’re likely in for a long season on the defensive side of the ball. Maybe the Packers will do us a favor and drop the ball.

2. Reggie Brown drops the ball on a slant and/ or quick out: Reggie Brown will have a huge year if he can just catch the freakin ball. He does well with the tough ones down the field, but he needs to make sure he takes care of the relatively easy ones as well. Don’t make me raise my voice on this.

3. The Packers score a touchdown on a screen and/ or dumpoff that involves Chris Gocong horrifically missing tackles: the whole team should know this is coming. The Packers saw the preseason tape on Gocong, and they know he’s lousy at tackling people in the open field. I really hope this doesn’t trigger more than one touchdown for Green Bay.

And that’s that. Game time is in 15 minutes. I like the Birds to win and cover. Call it 27-17, good guys.

Go Birds.