The man refuses to answer questions. When he does respond it's the same empty answers. His tone is filled with smugness and "I know-it-all." During an Andy Reid press conference is he only talking to the media? No he is also talking to and frustrating us fans.
We fans support the team with unmatched passion. Players come and go, but we fans remain the same. We commit our time and money to the Eagles. There is no waiver with Eagle fans. We boo and criticize because we are knowledgeable, we expect the best from our team.
So when things go wrong we want answers. The fans want to know why things failed and how they are going to be fixed.
Unfortunately with Reid we never get these explanations and answers. This is insulting to the fans. If we are going to give the Eagles are unwavering attention don't we deserve more than the same pointless rhetoric every week? Yes we do!
Reid doesn't have to be Mr. Personality or give away the "team secrets." Just give us something to better understand the team. Stop insulting our intelligence. Simple answers and information would allow Reid to connect with the fan base.
At year 10 I am not sure which is more maddening, the coaching or the press conferences. Let's call it a tie. On the flip side, there is plenty of material for Reid's own series of Coors Light commercials!
Is it the players or is it the plays being called that are causing the downfall of the Eagles? When looking at the Bengals game, the answer is difficult to determine.
Reid has been heavily criticized this week for calling 60 passing attempts against the Bengals. Yes the number is outrageous, but would people be complaining if McNabb didn't throw 3 interceptions or wasn't so inaccurate? Couldn't some of those passes resulted in points if McNabb was able to accurately hit the receivers or if the receivers were able to catch a McNabb pass?
Would Reid have been able to call more run plays if his OL was able to run block or if B-West wasn't battling an ankle injury? Was the game plan to pass, pass, pass the result of the short comings of the run game against the Giants? You can't put trust into something that doesn't work.
Either way it doesn't excuse the Eagles for their poor performance against the Bengals. But before we go firing the coach or releasing the QB, we need to first figure out who really is to blame here.
Is it the system or is it the players executing the plays? Funny, either way Reid is to blame. We just don't know if GM Reid or Coach Reid is at fault. 6 more games to figure this out. Hopefully Lurie is paying attention!
Right now McNabb is not a fan favorite. Either his on the field play against the Bengals or his post game OT comments are what have us ticked.
Even if McNabb leads the Eagles to a W against the Ravens, some fans might still be ready to close the door on the McNabb era. It’s time to usher in the Kolb era. It’s time to finally see what the young kid has. But are we truly ready for the suffering that will engulf the franchise if Kolb is another Houston bust? How about a little security at the QB position…and I am not referring to A.J.
How about a return of fan favorite, Eagles hero Jeff Garcia? Makes sense to me. Garcia’s contract with the Bucs runs up after this season. The Bucs were hesitant to give Garcia a new contract before this season, now that he is a year old why would there be a change in their thinking? It’s not as if Garcia is fond of Gruden or was treated well by the Bucs.
The Eagles situation with Kolb would be ideal for the Eagles, Reid, and Garcia. The Eagles need a proven veteran at the QB position, one that if needed can lead the team to victories. If Reid returns next year he can not afford to watch Kolb crumble, he needs wins to save his own hide. Garcia, who would prefer a starting QB job, must come to the realization that at his age, the pickings are going to be slim. Why not then take a job as a back-up, with a team and system you are familiar with, that within a few games could lead to a starting spot.
If McNabb returns this idea is all for naught. But I just have a feeling that McNabb is going to be unfairly made the scapegoat for the 2008 season. If such a scenario arises I feel a lot more comfortable with Kolb and Garcia then Kolb and Feeley!
Maybe the Eagles will do better as the underdogs. It appears that the once mighty and crowded Eagles bandwagon has crashed. Jumping fans and media are everywhere. Maybe without the pressure the Eagles can live up to expectations.
Prior the to season a lot of people had the Ravens game circled as a win. The Ravens were supposed to have an aging defense. The offense was being lead by a rookie QB from Delaware. The team was being run by a rookie coach who never even held a lead coordinator position. Despite being a road game all signs pointed to an easy Eagles victory. 12 weeks later, my how things have changed.
What's the key to betting the Ravens? The obvious answer is to follow the blueprint of the G-Men. I know, easier said then done.
The obvious keys on defense...shut down the run and pressure Flacco into making mistakes. Last week against the Giants the Raven RBs were limited to 64 yards and Flacco threw 2 interceptions. It can be done. The Eagles are the NFL leaders in QB sacks (36) and are also in the top 3rd in stopping the run.
The Eagles offense, well they need balance and to limit turnovers. Please Andy, run the ball. If B-West isn't healthy run Buck, make B-West the sub. The Eagles cannot go into this game with another unbalanced attack that relies to heavily on the pass.
The Ravens pass defense enters the game tied for second in the NFL in interceptions with 15 and ranked third in yards allowed.
In the Eagles' 5 victories, McNabb has thrown 8 TDs and 3 interceptions and been sacked 6 times. In the Eagles' 4 losses and 1 tie, McNabb has thrown 6 touchdowns and 5 interceptions and been sacked 9 times.
And with the Eagles you also have to wonder how successful the Eagles offense can be if the lowly Bengal defenders knew what plays were coming from the Eagles. Just think what could happen with a top ranked D and a coach who use to coach for the Eagles. Yikes!
Can the Eagles win, sure they can. Is it too late to revive the Eagles buzz, not yet. One game at a time. One win at a time. The Eagles need to win. Desperation can lead to pretty amazing things.
The cries are everywhere. Reid must go. Reid is an idiot. The fat guy can't do anything right. Such opinions are usually followed by the wish to replace Reid with the likes of Steve Spagnuolo or Bill Cowher. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. Just be careful what you wish for.
Right now Spagnuolo is a hot commodity. He resume is smoking. He lead a defense to the Super Bowl and then minus some major stars he is again leading a top ranked defense this season. Everyone wants him. The calls will be many this off-season for Spags. I can't argue against him being a good selection for the next Eagles coach. I would actually welcome it.
Bill Cowher is another story. Yes he did win a Super Bowl, but if you look closer at his career you will see results that are similar to Big Red. In Cowher's first six seasons the Steelers made the playoffs six times. After those 6 years, Cowher went on to miss the playoffs 4 of the next 6 seasons. It wasn't until year 14 that he was able to capture the Lombardi.
Such fluctuation in the win column reminds me of one Andy Reid. You can't win every year. There are highs and lows in a coaching career. Right now Reid is on a extreme low, on his way to missing the playoffs for the third time in 4 years. Is there a Super Bowl in Reid's future? Who honestly knows. Maybe Reid too needs an extra 4 years.
I am not here to argue that Reid needs to stay. My opinion is that Reid has taken the Eagles as far as he can and now he is only digressing. But to be fair, in comparison Reid is no better or worse than the heavily praised Cowher.
I just know it. It's going to be a repeat of the 2007 season with these Eagles. The team is going to fall out of playoff contention and then with 3-4 games remaining the Eagles will finish the season with a BANG! I can see 8-8 all over again.
Remember the 3-1 finish last season. The hot finish was supposed to carry over into the 2008 season, bring the team confidence, and make us all believers that the team was headed back to the top. Wrong, wrong, and wrong!
The end result of the strong finish was a middle of the pack first round draft pick (which of course the Eagles traded). Instead of a possible top-ten pick where impact players are a plenty, we got nothing in the first round.
A similar situation shouldn't have been a problem this year because the Eagles have two 1st rounders. The Eagles were counting on a strong season for themselves (because of their 3-1 finish to 2007) and another lousy season by the Panthers. Just our dumb luck, the Panthers currently boast the second best record in the NFC.
So in order to cash in big-time on one of the two 1st rounders, the Eagles have to be the team with the crap season.
Like clock work, our Eagles fan luck will no doubt strike again. The Eagles will finish strong when there is nothing left to play for. The Eagles will then miss out on a top-10 impact player, instead having to gamble on middle and end 1st rounders.
So my prediction for the season...8-8, 2 crappy first round selections, and an off-season filled with empty comments about how the team has momentum to make a title run in 2009.
I remember writing after the Falcons game about how much I loved the passion and fire that Reid showed after the referees called an idiotic penalty against Trent Cole for roughing the passer. It was the first time that I witnessed Reid showing some real emotion. No smugness, no typical cocky Reid, just pure intensity, and the fans loved it. He was one of us.
Today it was reported that Reid had a pair of intense meetings with his players to assure that the players' focus was still on the season and not on the off-field circus. Reid's meeting was then followed by a players meeting called by Dawkins. There is no one better than Dawk to second your message!
The question now is, is Reid still able to unify his team? Is the big guy able to provide the spark to motivate his players or has his voice and messages become stale in the locker room? Or like calling an effective game plan or building a dominate roster, has Reid also lost this ability?
If the Big Guy can no longer motivate his team, what reasons are there to keep him as coach? What have we seen since 2004 that warrants keeping a coach that is on his way to missing the playoffs for the 3rd time in the past 4 seasons. Nothing.
Here's hoping that Reid's message get across to his players. Otherwise hello 5-5-1.
The 2008 season wasn't supposed to be like the 2007 season. We were promised a title, instead the Eagles are fighting just to get to another 8-8 record. To avoid the 2009 season being like the 2008 season, here's one fans' thoughts on how to improve our Iggles...
- It won't happen but Reid has to go. The Eagles need to hire a GM and a coach. The coach should be defensive minded. Please just hire Spagnuolo. This game, like every game, is defense first.
- Trade or let McNabb go. He is physically and mentally regressing. Usher in Kolb, but grab a veteran backup other than Feeley.
- See if there is a market for Westbrook. There is still talent there, but he is too injury prone. If they keep B-West they need a complimentary big back for 10 carries a game and short yardage situations.
- Finally admit that drafting Reggie Brown was a mistake. Trade the clown.
- Bye, bye L.J., welcome to your new starting position Celek. To compliment Celek bring in a TE who does nothing but block to make him a factor in establishing a run game.
- Get a FB who is a FB. So simple.
- Bring in competition to challenge Akers and Rocca. Their jobs should not be guaranteed.
- Thank Tra Thomas for his many years of service and say goodbye. Maybe move Herremans to LT, but address the mess that is this O line with draft picks. Have someone who isn't Reid picking them and someone who isn't Castillo coaching them.
- Dawkins retires. Get younger and faster at Safety with a guy who can cover someone faster than me.
- Bid Lito farewell. He looks very soft to me, like he is playing half speed on purpose. Reid should have taken care of this mess this past off season.
- Get a fat guy to man the DT spot. They get pushed around too much up front.
Is this really to much to ask?!?
A tie against the lowly Bengals, whacked-out play calling, players not knowing the rules of OT, and coaches yelling at players. It's been quite a week. The ultimate cure-all would be a victory over the Ravens, but in the short-term, how about a nice chest bump....
Can we please end the conversation about McNabb's comments on not knowing the rules of a tie game. McNabb acknowledged today that he has no regrets over making the comments and if nothing else, everyone in the league is now fully aware of the rule. Issue closed.
The post-game comments had no affect on the outcome of the game. The coaching staff was aware of the OT rules and was calling the plays into #5. McNabb then carried out the plays, as evidenced by the Hail Mary Pass.
And can we also please stop blaming the entire 2008 season on McNabb?
- Did McNabb cause the front 7 of the D to allow 200+ rushing yards against the Giants?
- Did McNabb cause the DBs to blow coverages in the Cowboys game?
- Did McNabb cause the OL to not be able to open a hole for one lousy yard against Dallas, Chicago, New York, and Cinncinnati?
- Did McNabb cause the WRs to be at the top of the NFL in dropped balls or be unable generate separation?
- Did McNabb prevent the TEs from collectively having only one quality game this year?
- Did McNabb cause the coaching staff to forget how to coach and play call this season?
- Did McNabb cause the Front Office / GM to enter the season with a roster full of holes?
The answer is no. McNabb was not at fault for these things. And McNabb's tie comments were most certainly not at fault.
Don't get me wrong, McNabb is a part of this mess, but he is not the whole mess as others are trying to make us believe. Time to move on. Ravens this Sunday!
In the end a tie is not a loss. The tie with the Bengals gave the Eagles a record of 5-4-1. Despite our unhappiness with the team, the record is still defined as a winning record.
And with a winning record comes an interesting statistic when playing the Baltimore Ravens...
- From the Carroll County Times: The Ravens have averaged 102.4 yards per contest against teams with winning records, including a season-low 51 yards on 19 carries for a 2.7 average per carry in a 31-3 loss to the Indianapolis Colts (6-4), 132 yards and a 3.5 average in a 13-10 loss to the Tennessee Titans (10-0) and 103 yards and a 3.1 average in a 23-20 overtime loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers (7-3). Conversely, the Ravens have averaged 185.4 yards against teams with losing records.
Does this paper stat mean anything come Sunday? Who really knows, but at this point I'll take anything to build-up confidence in our Eagles.
Well I've been trying to figure out how to evaluate the Eagles/Cincy debacle, and I came to one (out of many) conclusion. Our offense is way too predictable.
I have been an Eagles fan since I was born and never have I been able to predict our plays as much as the Eagles/Cincy game. It was ridiculous!
People can say it was Donovan's low completion percentage, Westbrook's inability to make the Big play, too much playaction, etc. However, there is no way in any football or sports game, that a fan should be able to predict every single audible, play action pass, etc.
I mean if we the fans know what Reid and the Iggles next move is, then just imagine what the opposing D is thinking! It's just ridiculous! It seems Reid and the offense are beginning to see this as well, thus the abundance of trickery on Sunday. Unfortunately the tricks were no treat, proving to be only tricky to the Eagles.
So is our offense too predictable? Can we produce the "The Big Play" in the coming weeks? Who better to answer the question that a former coach boasting one of the leagues top defenses. I am scared for this offense come Sunday!
Calling all Eagle Fans. Give the team one more game. Put your hate for Reid, put your disgust with McNabb aside for one more game. Don't give up just yet.
Look at it this way...in reality the Eagles have a better chance of winning this Sunday then Reid being fired after the season. We might as well put our passion towards something that can actually happen.
I understand that playoff wishes are probably far fetched reality at this point, but why give up when the Eagles are only 1/2 game out of the last spot and still control their own destiny. What happens if the Eagles go down to Baltimore and whip up on the Ravens Sunday? Don't lie, there will be excitement again for the Eagles. One win at a time.
Despite our hatred with the team right now we are all still going to watch on Sunday. We love the Eagles. They are an addictive habit. We need them on Fall Sundays. They need us fans on Sundays.
Just one more game. The performance of the Eagles to date doesn't warrant such faith, but Game 11 is just too early to pack it in. It's football, anything can happen.
But if they lose, then I agree, time to blow this thing up. No one is safe in the rebuilding process. Another year without the playoffs is unacceptable to this fan base. Just no rebuilding before November 23.
Pick number 203 of the 2008 draft (6th round) is no longer a Philadelphia Eagle. Some may better know pick number 203 as Mr. YouTube sensation. Others may simply know him as Andy Studebaker.
The Kansas City Chiefs have signed Studebaker off of the Philadelphia Eagles practice squad. Studebaker will make his Chiefs debut Sunday at home versus Buffalo.
Speaking of LBs, anyone see Joe Mays lately?
In honor of Studebaker...
*Thanks to the beautiful and talented Joann Klinkner for the new Bleed Eagles Green banner. Need graphic / logo designs, shoot her an email*
I see McNabb, Reid, and the Eagles and I instantly think Allen Iverson, Billy King, and the Sixers. This could be a confusing analogy, but here's my logic...
A.I. took to the Sixers to the finals. The Sixers were one of the hottest tickets in the city. Following the Finals appearance, the performance of the Sixers and AI began to decline. The team managed to remain a playoff caliber team, just no longer a championship contender. They would bring in a marque FA (Chris Webber, Glen Robinson) hoping to appease the fan base and bring one last title run. It always failed.
Finally the Sixers realized the error of their ways. The franchise was doomed until changes were made. The star, Iverson, was traded. The GM, King, was fired. The initial result was a lot empty seats down at the Wachovia Center and a season and a half of mediocrity. But the bad times didn't last long.
The Sixers came together at the mid-point of last season and made a playoff appearance with their young nucleus. Fast forward to the 2008 season, the team remains headed in the right direction and title hopes are more a reality than a dream.
Kinda sounds like our Eagles.
Since the Eagles Super Bowl appearance the franchise has struggled to stay above .500 (currently 1 game over) and to just qualify for the playoffs (1 appearance). Free agents have been brought in (Howard, Curtis, Samuel) but the end result is the same. The team is mediocre at best and a Super Bowl title is a distant dream.
The solution? Follow the Sixers model. Trade McNabb (the star) and remove the GM position from Reid (Lurie won't all out fire Reid). It's time to rebuild. There is still some veteran talent on the roseter (B-West equals Andre Miller) and a nice young nucleus (front 7 on D, Desean) on which to build upon. Fans would be willing to rebuild for a year or two if the trade off is another strong 4-5 year championship run. Hell, we are starting to become accustomed to missing the playoffs now anyway.
Just my idea. The blueprint is already there to follow. The Eagles just need to take the first step and admit the error of their current ways.
From a reader's email...Knowing the weather conditions, the ranking of the Bengals pass and rush D, and McNabb's accuracy (following the 1st quarter of course), I devised a drinking game with my buddy. For each incomplete pass thrown by McNabb we would drink. 5 seconds (to honor #5) for an incomplete pass, 10 seconds for an interception.
When I saw the final box score of 58 pass attempts I thought my eyes were lying to me because of my current drinking state. It was no lie, 58 passes Andy?!?
Maybe McNabb should seek out the advice of his Offensive Coordinator on how to deal with an OT blunder. Or maybe it was Marty who was teaching the rules of OT to McNabb.
Whenever you are feeling down Eagle Fans, just think Detroit Lions. It's always so much worse in Detroit.
Flashback to November 25, 2002. The Lions were playing the Bears and the game goes into OT. The Lions win the coin toss and coach Marty Mornhinweg elects to punt, citing the wind factor. What?!? Chicago converts the opening drive into 3 points and wins the game. On that game winning drive Marty also provided the Bears with an extra down after accepting a 3rd down penalty. Idiot!
Marty's decision to take the wind and kick-off made him a national joke. Marty was ridiculed by players, fans, and the media. After the season Marty was fired.
Marty's situation sounds all too familiar to what transpired on Sunday. This time it was an idiot comment by McNabb about not knowing games could end in a tie (has the man never looked at the standings in a newspaper, what did he think the T stood for?). Now McNabb is the national joke. And after this season (unfortunately) McNabb too will be looking for a new home.
So Donovan, my advice, just blame it on Marty. Everything already thinks he's an idiot.
Less than one game, .5 to be exact. That's how far the Eagles are removed from the playoffs right now. Thinking playoffs with this 2008 squad is probably ridiculous. But the flip side is thinking about what lies ahead for the Eagles franchise. It could be a long time before the Eagles are this close to playoff contention again.
Think Kansas City Chiefs of 2008. A veteran coach, a young defense, a stud RB getting old, and a QB position looking to be solidified. Sounds like a glimpse into the future for the Eagles of 2009.
We are all in agreement that changes need to be made to the Eagles. Maybe even a total blow-up of the team. At this point most have come to the realization that McNabb is gone after this season.
Does anyone honestly trust Kevin Kolb to step in and win immediately? With little or no regular season experience it's a crap shoot a best with #4. Even if he is going to be great it's gonna take some time to learn the NFL, read the D, and make the correct decisions. There goes the 2009 season.
The only possible answer is to squash any remaining playoff whispers this season with a loss to the Ravens and the Cardinals. Then the Eagles have to play Kolb the final 4 weeks. They have to see what they have. Is he a bust or is there something there to build upon? Week 1 of the 2009 season is too late.
If Kolb struggles, well you then have the off-season to bring in some competition or a replacement. Maybe a Derek Anderson can be had? Who isn't an upgrade over the option of Feeley?
So as much as the 2008 season sucks, let's not be so quick to squash all hopes. Once those hopes are squashed it could be a while before the Eagles again think playoffs. Very depressing.
Your eyes weren't lying to you (though when you looked at the scoreboard you wish they were) on Sunday. That was a Chris Clemons sighting on the field. I guess after 10 weeks the guy was finally able to learn the D and graduate from special teams. What you were expecting more from one of the Eagles marque FA signings?!? Time to earn that paycheck.
In one game Clemons was able to match his sack total for the entire season. True he entered the game with one sack, but he has to start somewhere. If you look back to last season with the Raiders it was also a week 11 game where Clemons took off. In his final 4 games Clemons notched 4 sacks. Not bad.
And I liked the way JJ had Clemons lined up all along the front 7. Keep the defense guessing where the pressure was coming from. Use the speed of Clemons. It all worked to the tune of 8 sacks, vaulting the Eagles to the top of the NFL in QB sacks. Hello 2007 G-Men...just kidding, the season is still doomed.
Can Clemons finally stay on the field and continue to make a contribution? The Eagles had better hope so. After a fast start, Juqua Parker has managed only 0.5 sacks in his last for games. A rotation of Parker and Clemons (which we all expected from week 1) can be a nightmare for opposing QBs.
Now if we could only get Booker to start contributing. OK, if we could only get Booker on the active roster again!
I think the nickname "Reggie the Clown" would actually be a compliment at this point. Clowns are at least funny, Reggie's play is absolutely pathetic as of late. Reggie Brown was never a stud WR, but he was never this bad.
Coming into the season I was hoping for another year of slow and steady, continued improvement from Brown. In each of the previous seasons his reception totals increased from the prior year. His involvement in the offense made him an ideal #2 or #3 WR. Nothing great, but a nice piece to a WR group.
This year the Eagles are getting NOTHING from Brown. I understand injuries hindered his start to the season, but what's the excuse for his recent dismal performances? In his last 3 games he has 3 total receptions for 22 yards, including yesterday's 1 catch, 0 yard performance.
Brown, like everything else Eagles, is moving backwards. Can he no longer get open? Are the coaches not calling his number? Has Donovan lost all confidence in him? With 13 total catches on the season it's gotta be all three.
It's scary, but I would actually put Greg Lewis ahead of Brown in productivity this season. Yikes! Brown was a 2nd round draft pick. Remind me again why the Eagles were afraid to part with a 2nd rounder for Gonzalez?!?
Yes this 2008 season has been brutal on us fans. But thankfully for us, World Series memories are still fresh in our minds. Unfortunately for Brian Dawkins there is no happy place for him to escape to. He is stuck in the mediocrity that has engulfed this 2008 Eagles team.
Dawkins deserves better than this. There have been some "old-man" moments for Dawk this season, but overall he still remains a leader on the D, he can still back up his talk with his play. If this is truly his last season with the Eagles, what a crappy send-off for a potential future Hall of Famer, one of the greatest Eagles do ever line-up on the D.
At times the defense has been madly inconsistent, but overall, they remain a top ten unit. I believe you can be a playoff team and win in the playoffs with this D. They can generate pressure on the QB, force the turnover, and are above average in defending the pass and the run.
Dawkins doesn't deserve to be lead by a coach who has lost it. No longer am I confident in Reid to game plan, make personal decisions, manage the game or clock, or unify this team.
Dawkins doesn't deserve to play opposite an offense that can't find a short yardage game, can't establish a run game, can't catch passes, can't avoid the turnover, and can't mount a 4th quarter comeback.
Dawkins is all that is right with Eagles football. Dawkins is why we love hitting, love pregame introductions, and why we bleed the green. After struggling through family and physical issues in 2007, Dawk had us all pumped for this season. Unfortunately we all forgot who was coaching this team this season.
Fast forward to 2009, and no I am not taking about the opening wild card weekend for this season. The opinion of the masses this morning, following yesterday's tie, is that it's time to blow this team up. Specifically it's time to retool this offense. The D, though inconsistent, should just need some minor tinkering.
So just how will the 2009 Eagles offense look? Here's one fan's opinion of who will be sticking around on offense from this year's 53 man roster...
- QB: Kevin Kolb, A.J. Feeley (Sadly I think Reid stays, while McNabb goes)
- RB: Westbrook (you have to hope the 2008 season is a mirage for B-West)
- FB: The search continues
- WR: Curits, Jackson, Baskett, Avant (Goodbye Lewis. Goodbye Clown)
- OL: Andrews, Runyan, McGlynn,Herremans, Jackson, Cole (Thank you Tra)
- TE: Celek (I hope you saved those millions L.J.)
If only his coach was this smart. Maybe then the Eagles wouldn't be NFC East basement dwellers. The media and fans are all over McNabb for his post-game comments about not knowing the rules of OT. I say, brilliant move Donovan.
There is just no way that a 10 year veteran doesn't know about a game ending in a tie. And if you don't know, no one can be stupid enough to admit their stupidity to the nation! I just don't by it.
So I am going to give McNabb credit for finding a way to take the spotlight off of his game performance yesterday. Remember the 4 turnovers, the deflected passes, a completion percentage of under 50%, the goofy smile, and tying the Bengals! Way to deflect the attention McNabb.
Wait, he wasn't kidding. McNabb really is this clueless. Well that's OK. Such idiocy could be the answer to all of McNabb's struggles. Maybe he doesn't know games begin in the first quarter, that games don't end after 58 minutes, or that his teammates wear green and not orange. I mean not all of the QBs on the field yesterday went to Harvard.
It was one hell of a run. A big thank you to Reid and McNabb for turning this Eagles franchise around.
We will always have the memories. Myself, I actually got the chance to attend 3 NFC Championship games, including the Super Bowl appearance clincher. But now we must say goodbye. The ride is over. We are moving backwards. The Eagles are no longer an elite team.
What is the point of hoping for the playoffs? The Eagles aren't on the level of the Giants or the Panthers. It would just be one and done. Enough teasing us, it's time to blow this thing up.
Changes need to be made. "We gotta keep firing." Right on, Reid. Now which one of you gets fired? Is it Reid or is it McNabb? Or is it both? Mr. Pedal to the Metal it's your call. The Eagles franchise has become a joke and hated in the city. Yes, Mr. Lurie it was you (not Biden) that we were booing last weekend.
The Phillies are the Gold Standard in this city. Despite it being football season, the Phillies remain the focus of the Philly sports fan. Hell, the Phillies were even able to announce a raise in ticket prices with zero backlash. What happens if the Sixers or Flyers follow the Phillies lead...are we back to the days of the Kotite Eagles?
The one positive from today, at least this wasn't a home game. Can you imagine the boos echoing throughout the Linc? And give the Eagles credit for making the Cardinals game a black-out game (fans encouraged to wear black). A perfect funeral setting for the Reid / McNabb era.
Thanks for the memories.
I knew today's date was November 16, 2008, but as I watched the game I kept thinking the year was 1999. Watching McNabb's performance today, there is no way the guy is a 10 year veteran. No way a vet makes these mistakes, we have to be back in McNabb's rookie season.
But since we are in 2008, McNabb should use some of his hefty paycheck to buy the D dinner, a new suit, a gold rolex...whatever they want. The D wasn't able to win the game, but they sure kept the Eagles from losing it.
Four turnovers (and could of been more). Inaccurate and tipped passes leading to numerous 3 and outs. Bone-headed clock management. McNabb was the Bengals greatest asset today. Maybe knowing he was helping his buddy Chad was the reason McNabb was smiling in OT.
There is no babying McNabb today. McNabb always screams that he wants to be the man, wants to shoulder the load, that this is his team. McNabb was given that chance today (58 pass attempts) and against the 1 win Bengals, the best he could manage was a tie. I don't care about past accomplishments, today he was pathetic!
So how does one factor a tie into the Eagles playoff picture? Easy. There will be no playoffs for the Eagles, so it doesn't matter. Best part of today, we are now one day closer to pitchers and catchers reporting...90 days.
Is today's performance a shocker? Not if you been watching the Eagles this season. The same problems again doomed the Eagles offense. 0-3 on 3rd and 1. Too heavily dependent on the pass. Drops by the WRs. Entering the 2nd quarter without a first down. McNabb's maddening play, but still he smiles. Playcalling that is only tricky to themselves. And on and on.
A tie. And since McNabb doesn't know what a tie is, here's a clue. It means your season is dead!
We all thought last week's game against the Giants was a big game. It was, but since the Eagles left with an L, this weeks game against the Bengals is HUGE. How do I figure? The Bengals are 1-8. Well just imagine if the Eagles lose to a one win team. Chaos in Eagleville.
I honestly can't see how the Eagles lose today. The stats favor the Eagles in all of the major statistical categories. The Eagles are healthy, the Bengals are not. The Eagles are fighting for a playoff spot, the Bengals are not. But as we all know games aren't played on paper. But again, I don't see how the Eagles lose. And I don't care if it's a pretty win, just WIN!
But if they lose, how does Reid explain this one? If they lose how can the team, the fans believe that this is a playoff team? If they lose, goodbye 2008 season.
If the Eagles lose does it signal the final blow to the Reid era? If the Eagles lose does it signal the final blow to the McNabb era? Let the rebuilding process begin. Why not begin the Kolb era, see what the kid has. Start preparing for the draft and the 2009 season. Philly fans can start their countdown to when pitchers and catchers report.
I told you, a lot of pressure on our Eagles today. I fully believe that a win is guaranteed. But if they don't, remember the date of November 16, 2008.
'Tis the season for scoreboard watching, so how about:
- Cowboys over the Redskins
- Vikings over the Buccaneers
- Broncos over the Falcons
And down at Paul Brown Stadium this afternoon, how about the Eagles just...
Oh 2,104 yards where have you gone?
2008 hasn't been 2007 for B-West. He is in the bottom third of the rushing leaders, can't seem to avoid the injury bug, and has disappeared in games when he is needed most. But the man does have something upstairs, VERY smart to get that extension signed in the off-season. A Villanova education...priceless!
There is still time for B-West to save his season and do a NY Giants punt return on the Eagles 2008 season. I wouldn't doubt him. But just in case B-West doesn't return to being B-West, well it's nice to have DeSean Jackson.
There have been some "rookie" moments for DeSean this season, but overall you just gotta say WOW! The kid is everywhere. First it was back to back 100 yard receiving games. Then it was returning a punt for six points. And now it is being a weapon in the backfield. Running the reverse, lining up in the wildcat formation, the kid is a blazer in the backfield.
In nine games DeSean has collected 973 yards from scrimmage. Not quite B-West of 2007, but pretty phenomenal for a 2nd round draft pick.
So maybe tomorrow is the week that Westbrook gets rolling and then finally stays rolling (the Bengals run defense does suck). A heavy dose of Westbrook and Buckhalter tomorrow. Get the RBs and the OL confident in the run game. Give the D a breather with time eating drives. A rested D equals a D that can stop the run. Use this game as a momentum builder, show the other teams that the Eagles too can play smash-mouth NFC East football.
A healthy #36, with the continued growth of #10 could actually equal 5 0r 6 wins down the stretch.
Tomorrow the Eagles get the first of those 5 or 6. Eagles 30 Bengals 17
I came across these quotes in today's paper...
- "You get into the huddle and you look into his eyes and you know you're going to have a chance to win."
- "There's a sense of ease when he has the ball because you feel like he'll get it to the right place. If the play doesn't look like it's supposed to look, he's going to make something happen that makes it right."
Unfortunately these aren't quotes about Mcnabb, but instead about Favre. The first by RB Leon Washington, the second by Coach Mangini.
It's amazing what a few wins can do for the morale of a team. A few weeks back everyone was all over Favre following a loss to Oakland and a last minute win over Kansas City. Now Favre is again Superman.
Just curious, if you polled the Eagles players and coaches this week, would similar sentiment be voiced for #5?
This week probably not. But give it time. Another 3 game winning streak for the Eagles should do the trick. Then no one will care if McNabb is smiling on the sidelines or conversing with the opponent after the game.
It's still too early to give up on the 2008 Eagles and their QB. Hell it might even be too early to give up on the coach. 6-4 here we come!
