Marques Colston hauls in one of his two scores on Sunday.

For a half, you thought the Eagles would have a chance to pull out a win even without Donovan McRib.

Then, two costly turnovers by Hobbs and Kolb made Eagles fans want to sob.

Ellis Hobbs started the second half by fumbling the opening kickoff, and the Saints then marched into the end zone to take a 24-13 lead. Kevin Kolb, who had played well for a half, followed that with an interception, leading to another touchdown and a 31-13 advantage for Drew Brees and the Saints.

Those two miscues cost the Eagles the game, pure and simple. They changed the momentum and the Eagles never recovered.

Taking away the turnovers, Kolb (who threw two more late INTs) seemed to play well. He made good throws, stayed in the pocket and showed he can be a competent No. 2 quarterback. He earned the right to start again next week if McRib is out — a likelihood since the Eagles have a bye the following week.

CAUSE FOR CONCERN: The offensive line, the defense’s tackling ability and the special teams.

With three projected starters missing from the first unit today, the offensive line was in shambles. Winston Justice continued to play well in place of The Beast, Shawn Andrews. He is the lone bright spot on the line. Max Jean-Gilles looked OK in place of Stacey Andrews, however, the man with the $40 million deal better learn how to block so he can get on the field soon. The fact is, the line needs to gel and the continuity to do so.

The defense missed Weapon X Brian Dawkins today, and it showed. Dawk wrapped people up and put their a$$es on the turf. The secondary couldn’t have wrapped a Christmas gift today.

On special teams, Ellis Hobbs’ fumble was inexcusable and he did not redeem himself with the 65-yard return toward the end of the third quarter. Sav Rocca is inconsistent and his long punts do not outweigh his piss-poor short punts that are reminiscent of a 10-year-old soccer goalie’s kicks.

REASONS FOR OPTIMISM: Kolb, Jackson and Celek.

Again, Kolb looked solid, if not spectacular. His 391 passing yards were 12th-most in Eagles history according to Ray Didinger of Comcast SportsNet. Yes, the guy threw three interceptions (one was a Hail Mary to end the game), but only one really cost the team.

DeSean Jackson had 100-yards and a touchdown and is showing no signs of a sophomore slump.

Brent Celek outplayed the overhyped Jeremy Shockey by hauling in eight receptions for 104 yards. He is starting to remind Eagles fans of a young Chad Lewis. The Birds could only be so lucky.

PLAYER OF THE GAME: Drew Brees, QB, Saints. Brees tossed for 311 yards and three touchdowns. With nine touchdowns in two games, Brees could be on the verge of one of the most prolific passing years in NFL history in terms of TDs and yards.

GOAT OF THE WEEK: Ellis Hobbs, KR, Eagles. His fumble to start the second half turned the game around.

NEXT UP: The Kansas City Chiefs, a 13-10 loser to the Raiders today.

The Eagles defense needs to bring the pain today.

The Saints bring a high-octane offense to town today, while fans will truly see what they have in Kevin Kolb. Who will pull out this NFC clash, which could affect playoff seeding in January?

Quarterback — Edge: Saints. Drew Brees is coming off of a six-touchdown game against Detroit. The Saints signal caller is one of the most prolific in the game today. The Eagles don’t know what hey have in Kolb. They are about to find out. If McRib was playing, we’d call it a push. But, he’s not.

Running Back — Edge: Eagles. Mike Bell/Pierre Thomas can get the hard yards inside, while Reggie Bush will be looking over his shoulder for Sheldon Brown. The Saints backs can gain the yards and make plays, but so can Shady McCoy and Brian Westbrook. BWest 36 is better in the flat than Bush, so we give the Eagles the edge.

Wide Receivers — Edge: Eagles. Marques Colston is the beast that Shawn Andrews wishes he was. Otherwise, the Eagles have more depth and overall speed with Jackson, Maclin, Curtis and Avant. The loss of Kendra Wilkinson does not diminish the Eagles corps, and the Birds wideouts will have a field day against the Saints defensive backs if Kolb can get them the ball.

Tieght End — Edge: Push. Shockey is overrated, and Celek is underrated.

Offensive Line– Edge: Saints.The Saints line allowed Mike Bell, a man out of football much of last year, to average five yards per carry against the Lions last week. The Eagles enter the game without three projected starters. The latest to be pulled was Stacey Andrews, who gets replaced by Max Jean-Gilles because he doesn’t understand the blocking schemes.

Defensive Line — Edge: Eagles. The Birds line played well last week, shaking up Delhomme like a baby with a rattle. They should be able to stop the run and get to Brees a couple of times. The Lions scored 27 points against the Saints last week.

Linebackers — Edge: Eagles. Omar Gaither and the linebackers were solid last week. They will need to be just as effective this week. Gaither, in particular, needs to be on Reggie Bush in the flat like Sheldon Brown was three years ago. The Lions scored 27 points against the Saints last week.

Defensive Backfield — Edge: Eagles. Asante, Sheldon, Quintin, and Macho form the deepest group of DBs in the league. Sprinkle in a little Ellis Hobbs and Joselio Hanson, and the Saints offensive juggernaut could have its hands full. The Lions scored 27 points against the Saints last week.

THE PICK: Eagles 27, Saints 24. The Eagles defensive forces two turnovers, which Kolb and company turn into crucial points. Kolb is not spectacular, but effective. Jackson and Westbrook turn a couple of short passes into huge gains. The 12th man at the Linc comes up huge in a defensive stop.

Carolina Panthers (10-6). Jake Delhomme has steered the team to a Super Bowl appearance in the past, but he is aging and injuries have taken their toll. At this point in his career, he is at best a caretaker behind center. Luckily he has a stud receiver when Steve Smith is split wide. The problem with Smith is he seems to get injured and/or is suspended often. Running backs DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart give the Panthers a lethal one-two punch in the backfield, and the makings of a solid ball-control offense. The defense is solid with Julius Peppers, and the unit keeps teams off the scoreboard. When at full strength, the Panthers have the weapons to be in, and win, most weeks. The money here says that the team remains relatively healthy and outlasts the rest of the division.

Matt Ryan and the Falcons look to challenge for the AFC South title this year.

Atlanta Falcons (9-7). Matt Ryan enters his second year in the league and looks to fulfill lofty expectations thanks to a strong rookie season. Roddy White is blossoming into a Pro Bowl caliber receiver, and TE Tony Gonzalez is a welcome addition. Michael Turner and Jerious Norwood compliment each other very well in the backfield, with Norwood providing a legit Wildcat option. The defense is improving and the Falcons will push the Panthers for the division title. On defense, DE John Abraham aims to lay out opposing quarterbacks and put the Falcons in a position to win. Ryan will continue to evolve as a future star in the league, but the Falcons are a year and two defensive playmakers away from truly contending for the Lombardi Trophy.

New Orleans Saints (8-8). A team with one of the most prolific offenses in the league, the Saints should be contending for a trip to the Super Bowl. A questionable defense stands in the way. Quarterback Drew Brees puts up the numbers to rank among the best passers each year thanks in part to the talented Marques Colston. RB Pierre Thomas takes over as the featured back, with overrated Reggie Bush acting as a receiving threat out of the backfield. If TE Jeremy Shockey’s health matched his obnoxious level of confidence, the Saints passing attack would be even better. The defense needs to step up, or another disappointing finish is on the horizon.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-12). After choking on the last day of the season, the Bucs missed the postseason and coach Jon Gruden was sent packing for the warm Monday Night Football television booth. Now, rookie head coach Raheem Morris, 32, looks to rebuild the Bucs. He has a tough job ahead of him, and has already canned offensive coordinator Jeff Jagodzinski. Stability is not in the offensive playbook this year. The team added to a deep backfield by signing Derrick Ward to go with Earnest Graham and Cadillac Williams. However, the squad has no legit receivers outside of Antonio Bryant, who has been waived so often in his career that he has one NFL jersey for each day of the week. Quarterback is a huge question mark entering the season as Byron Leftwich is the starter. Leftwich has never lived up to his potential, and is simply warming the seat for rookie Josh Freeman. A first round pick, Freeman has a long way to go before he comes close to justifying he first round status. The defense must play without the guidance of Monte Kiffin, who bolted to join his son Lane at the University of Tennessee. There are just too many question marks to take this team seriously. Bucs fans, you can go home again. Welcome back to the division cellar.