A chemistry lesson in Philly.(NFL)

Watch Donovan McNabb and Terrell Owens play, and you'd swear they've been teammates for years. The way these two are clicking, it's hard to believe this is their first season together.

McNabb and Owens already have hooked up for six touchdowns in four games. It was the 11th game before Owens caught his sixth touchdown with the 49ers last season. McNabb has looked decisive and sharp, and Owens has caught everything in sight. I'm surprised the chemistry between them has developed so quickly. Sometimes, that takes years.

For McNabb and Owens it has taken only since March, when the Eagles traded for Owens. The two started off by throwing individual routes with no coverage. That's where a quarterback and receiver start getting a feel for each other. From the quarterback's perspective, how does the receiver come off the ball? How does he get in and out of his breaks? How's his speed on deep throws? Does he have a burst, or is he running at top speed when he's downfield?

Then you get into minicamps and start introducing coverage. How does the receiver react when he has a defender on him? Two defenders? Through training camp and the preseason, the quarterback and receiver keep getting to know each other--tendencies, favorite routes, sight recognitions and so on.

But it doesn't mean squat until you do it in games that count, and that's what has amazed me about McNabb and Owens. They've been in sync since Week 1. They obviously have great confidence in each other. McNabb believes that, given the right coverage and play call, Owens will beat his man. And Owens is confident that McNabb will find him and put the ball where it needs to be.

There's no question Owens has given the Eagles a dimension they had lacked. He's not a great route runner and doesn't have the best hands, but he's last, he's big and physical, and he's deadly after the catch. McNabb has never had a weapon like Owens before.

This 4-0 Eagles team looks like a better club than the one that lost ...