Offseason

Anyone else excited that Wade Phillips interviewed fro the Cowboys job and Norv Turner may also interview?

 

Regardless of what happens in offseason from here on out we are certainly the pick for the division – Eli who is struggling and no more Tike and more Coughlin.  Jason Campbell looks pretty good, but still very young.  Romo came back to earth and no more tuna which means T.O. will probably be more of a circus (and it's his 2^nd season which we know is likely to end badly).

 

 

I would say we are prohibitive preseason favorites to win the division. The only thing that could stop us would be a 3-ring circus like the '05 season, except it's driven by Angelo and the 'IP guys calling for Garcia to start.

i just can't imagine how could this offense could be if McNabb is 95% of what he was in Sept and Oct, and with Marty calling the offense, and with Stallworth, Brown and the others at the wideouts.

 

Hard to imagine how good that offense would be.

it's really simple, actually, what the Eags need to do on the offensive side of the ball. And it's really very little that they need to do. The most work in the offseason that they had to do is rebuild the defensive front 7.

 

Garcia vs. McNabb

Garcia ain't a McNabb, and the odds of converting a 4th and 15 with Garcia are far worse than 4th and 26 with McNabb.

 

It's impossible to overstate how much of an impact there was by taking the play-calling away from Andy and giving it to Marty. Seriously, we have to make sure that Marty comes back as offensive coordinator. That's probably the single biggest, most important thing we have to do in the offseason.

The whole season changed, even clock management, in game 9, when Marty started calling plaqys. That was the Skins game at home when we ran out the clock the final 8 mins with a drive that was all running.

So, the point is, I think there's a decent chance we win 4 of the final 6 games with anyone passable at QB. Not to shat on Garcia, he was great, but Marty was the key to the resurgence.

It's incredible to think what Donovan could do in a full season with him calling the plays and No. 5 making the plays.

Seriously, does anyone doubt this assertion by me: we would be in the Super Bowl if we had No. 5 under center all season.

 

How Dumb Can the Eagles Be?

I saw something today that said the preliminary plan is to move Gaither back to MLB and begin phasing out Trotter, reinserting McCoy back at weakside and Gocong at strongside.

 

Gaither is only 235 pounds, 25 lbs. lighter than Trotter. Add McCoy back in and it is possible that our starting LBs will be even smaller than the ones that started this year.

 

Stallworth wants to sign with the Eagles. But they just won’t do it. Amazing. Also, since Gaffney had a break out post-season should we be questioning Eagles’ evaluation of him and decision to cut him?

 

Not how i thought the Forsberg Era would end

My brother says that he’s heard the looming Forsberg trade is a rent a player deal and we would try to re-sign him after the season.  He apparently likes Philly and would like to re-sign here.  Send him to contender and then get him back next season. That’s really not bad.

 

No Stallworth?

My gosh, they’re really not going to make much of an effort to re-sign Stallworth. They’re content on going with Brown, Baskett, G. Lew, and Avant. What a disaster. Stallworth, Brown, and Baskett is a respectable receiving corps. I love Brown as #2 and Baskett #3. Without Stallworth, though, it is weak…I mean, Greg Lewis as your 3^rd WR? Please. There goes the deep threat.

 

Is Andy Reid trying to ruin McNabb?

 

BTW, did you see the size of the Aussie rules football punter we signed? 6’5” 243 lbs. He’s bigger than most of our linebackers!

 

 

 

Real Clock Management

Rewatched the Colts winning drive last night. Speaking of clock management. Do you realize they got the ball back with 2:17 to go and managed to run 4 plays before the 2 minute warning!!!!

 

In fact, in that span they drove 69 yards – from their own 20 to the 11. admittedly 12 of those yards came on a penalty, but that is remarkable.

 

They then ran the ball 3 times – with the patriots calling 1 timeout in that stretch – after the 2 minute warning. They scored with 1:00 to go.

 

They ran 7 plays and drove 80 yards in 1:17 – and without calling a single timeout. Impressive drive, impressive clock management.

How far hockey has fallen

Just noticed tonight that the nhl allstar game was on LAST NIGHT.  Yes, a wednesday night. Not on network tv, but the Versus channel.  What a shame. This sport is dead in America.

 

It's That Simple

Until his injuries in '05 and '06, no QB had won more games this decade than McNabb.

It's that simple. All he does is win. Period.

The problem is WIP and their need to gin up controversy. Simply put, the problem in '06 wasn't McNabb, it was Andy Reid -- and that's what the 2nd half of the season proved, going 6-2 with Morninweg calling plays.

It's just that simple. With Donovan at qb, I really don't doubt that we'd be in the Super Bowl.

 

McNabb and the Saints Game

One example of the difference w/ McNabb and which drove me crazy about what people said after the Saints game.

 

I was talking to a friend when the Eagles had 4^th and 10.  Then when it was 4^th and 15 I said I had no problem punting.  Citing that we had 2 timeouts left – which as we know was a miracle considering our clock management over the past 5 years.  I commented this is why you save your timeouts – or something like that (I was about 12-14 vodka tonics into the night).  Afterward everyone is up and arms and brings up this is the same team that converted a 4^th and 26.  What?  No it’s not. That team had a QB with a cannon as well as a remarkable ability to make the impossible play.  Completely different team.  McNabb is a playmaker.

 

If Manning wins – the argument changes to – good thing Indy didn’t run him out of town for not winning in his first few years.  Same goes for Cowher in Pittsburgh.

 

McNabb's rep denies report

Regarding Bob Brookover's article in yesterday's Inqy, I have a hard
time believing that Trotter and Runyan are in favor of Garcia over
McNabb. maybe they said they were in favor of "keeping" garcia - as the
backup - and the press turned it into a controversy.

in other news, Harbaugh got "promoted" from special teams coordinator to
defensive backs coach. is that promotion? from special teams to a
position coach? if so, it's taken a long time for harbaugh who has been
one of the best special team coaches in the league for 9 years.

Excerpt: Reid: McNabb stories were made up

By Bob Brookover
Inquirer Staff Writer

Reports of Donovan McNabb's discontent with the Eagles aren't just
greatly exaggerated, they are entirely fabricated, according to coach
Andy Reid and the quarterback's agent, Fletcher Smith.

"I think people are making a lot of things up here that aren't true,"
Reid said yesterday in a conference call from Mobile, Ala.

"None of it is true," said Smith, also in Mobile attending Senior Bowl
workouts.

Since Reid canceled a McNabb news conference that had been scheduled for
Friday, Internet and newspaper reports have said the quarterback is
unhappy with the Eagles. One said McNabb was in "a squabble" with the
team about his rehabilitation from the knee surgery that cut short his
2006 season.

A rumor reported on a football Web site said that McNabb was, at some
point, behind in his rehab and that he blamed trainer Rick Burkholder.
The Web site said, "There's a school of thought" that Reid canceled
McNabb's press conference, in part, because of "concerns that McNabb
would blab about the brouhaha."

The report also said veterans such as Jeremiah Trotter and Jon Runyan
had expressed support for Jeff Garcia to remain the Eagles' quarterback
next season.

Eagle Fans Start Early

My nephew. He actually thinks "Uncle" Donovan McNabb is a family relation. And no, i can't compare to that kind of Uncle competition.

24

One of my favorite shows – in addition to Prison Break, which I highly recommend just before 24 on Monday nights.

 

From the show the other night:

 

 

Graem = earphone = loser

 

Jack = flip cell phone = American hero

 

 

   -- either way great product placement for Sprint
 

 

Manning Protects McNabb...So Far

Along those same lines as my earlier post on the whole McNabb craziness, I would really like to see Tony Dungy win the super bowl. Just a kind, decent gentleman. But that would mean Manning wins too and not only do i care less about Manning winning, Manning’s lack of post-season success has been a terrific defense for those of us who defend McNabb. When the naysayers argue McNabb stinks and they want a new QB – a “winner” - they always point to Manning – which allows us to point out that Manning has a demonstrably worse post-season record than McNabb. That would not necessarily be true if the Colts win next week. (Of course, by the nonsensical standards of Wolffie and his ilk, the only two QBs worth anything are Brady and Roethlisberger since they are the only recent ones to win SBs. And you’re not going to be able to land Brady or Roethlisberger for the Eagles.)

 

Ugh!!! This drives me crazy!!!!

McNabb as Unhappy as his Detractors?

 

ESPN has a report (excerpts below) taken from the Trenton Times.

 

I am, seriously, on the verge of being unable to talk about this issue rationally. The Eagles have a franchise QB who has been over the past 7 years one of the top 10, perhaps even a top 5 player, in the entire league and a vocal group of idiot fans are going to run him out of town….because he’s “only” won one championship game and taken them to 3 others and didn’t win the one super bowl he was in. To be replaced by a 36 year-old journeyman with a candy arm?

 

This is insanity.

 

At some point, from the McNabb viewpoint, I think it becomes a fair question. Why would I want to play with this team and for this city if this is the way I’m going to be treated? I understand his contract makes any kind of trade nearly impossible, but Philly fans better be careful they don’t get what they wish for.

 

 

“McNabb Reportedly Has Several Gripes with the Eagles”

 

Citing people close to the injured star quarterback, The Trenton Times reported Tuesday that McNabb is unhappy with several things that have happened with the Eagles since his season ended with a torn ACL in his right knee.

Some of McNabb's reported gripes:

• McNabb reportedly is unhappy that Eagles coach Andy Reid didn't allow him to travel with the team to New Orleans for the team's playoff game against the Saints. The Eagles have a rule that players on injured reserve don't travel with the team.

• McNabb also reportedly might be getting the feeling that some with the Eagles might prefer Garcia as the team's starting quarterback after Garcia led Philadelphia to the playoffs and a postseason victory after McNabb's injury.

• And McNabb also reportedly isn't happy with how his mother has been portrayed in the media and by Eagles fans for comments on her blog on his Web site. She wrote that watching the Eagles win without McNabb was "bittersweet."

 

Eagles playoff scenarios

With all these mediocre NFC teams bunched up at 6-8 and still playoff eligible, I started thinking about the NFL tiebreakers. Rather than use best net points in conference games (#9 tiebreaker), or even common opponents (#4), why not settle it in steel cage matches with one player from each team. Who would be selected? Probably a bad-ass lineman for sheer brute force, or more likely your middle linebacker for the combination of size, speed, and nastiness. Imagine settling the AFC North with a match up of Ray Lewis vs. Joey Porter. The matches could be held over New Year's weekend in conjunction with the major college bowls. All-time steel cage players would be Ray Lewis, Reggie White (plus he'd have God on his side), and LT (assuming you could get him all coked up and in that "Let's go out and play like a bunch of crazed dogs!!" attitude, and not the "Frank, your wife is pretty hot" mode). But the all-time best would have to be Chuck Bednarik, right? He's not the athlete that Lewis is -- none of the older players would be -- but he was tougher and meaner than any, just ask Gifford. Who would you take of current and former players for a mano a mano match to get your team into the playoffs?

Lurie and Banner

Bob Brookover had a good article recently on Lurie and Banner’s impressive track record, and yet the city’s odd lack of gratitude toward them. But one thing in his article that Joe Banner said stuck out at me, and I think it is why there are still reservations about the owner and team president. Banner said, “I don't think there's another owner who would have kept this team in Philadelphia for the economic deal we got on our stadium. I'm not trying to belittle the public contribution, but as it relates to what other cities did and other offers we had from other cities, I can't imagine many owners that would have come from someplace else and had the kind of loyalty that he demonstrated to these football fans and this city and the history of the franchise. I don't think anybody recognizes that. I don't think anybody thinks of that."”

 

Now, I certainly don’t dismiss the financial imperatives that drive today’s NFL, but Banner’s comment encapsulates so much about team management and disregards certain realities:

 

1)      Even if Lurie wanted to move, I doubt Paul Tagliabue would have allowed it so soon after the public relations disaster of the Browns abandoning Cleveland.

2)      The stadium deal the Eagles got was pretty good. Not as great as some cities, not as bad as others.

3)      Regardless of the details of the eventual stadium deal, the Eagles franchise is worth more now than it would be if it had moved to another city. Either Forbes or Fortune ranked it in the top 5 professional sports franchises, nearing $800 million in worth. So the tens of millions they (may have) lost out on on the Linc has been more than made up in the hundreds of millions in increased value because Lurie owns the most popular team in one of the most populous cities with some of the passionate fans in the country. Does Banner seriously think the Eagles would be worth $800 million in San Antonio? Please.

 

I don’t doubt that Lurie felt some loyalty to the city. And I, for one, appreciate his determination in keeping the team in Philadelphia. But Banner more than anyone should know that aside from loyalty, the decision to keep the team in Philly was a very smart and very profitable business decision. To suggest otherwise, or to downplay the financial angle, is just disingenuous on Banner’s part.

My brother's thoughts

Take away the Jags game and the Titans game –

 

McNabb – 8 games – average just over 28 points per game

 

Garcia – 6 games – just over 25 points per game.

 

 

Take out their best and worst

 

And McNabb still at 28 points per game

Garcia drops to just over 23 points per game.

 

 

I say we are in for about 21-25 points.

 

Think about Dallas – we styioll only scored 23.  Skins 2^nd game – 21 points.

 

If D can get some stops and Garcia can be efficient enough to keep Brees/Bush et al on sidelines then maybe we hold them to 20 and pull it out.

 

Obviously the biggest thing will be TO’s and Red zoine effectiveness – 7 not 3!!!! 

 

That’s what I think.

Experts

I take some solace in that all of the SI “experts” are picking the Saints to win. That is like Jimmie Johnson saying that the Eagles had no shot vs. Dallas and the entire nbc crew taking cowboys before xmas game.

 

Here’s hoping for some timely turnovers.

 

Also, for some odd reason. Garcia plays better on the road? Pressure, or lack thereof? If they can get a score early and quiet crowd that would be very helpful.

Saints

I’m  worried.  My friend likes Eagles this weekend – said he like ML bet.

 

I did like the saints are 4-4 (4-3) at home.  I think we have to play pretty well to win.  No TO’s on our part.  Stopping Brees will be hard – 18 sacks all year.  They are the NFC Colts and we didn’t fare too well against the Colts.

 

Playoff experience should help and we need O-Line to DOMINATE.  Saints only 23^rd against run in league

 

What scares me most is our offense is efficient.  That works well when defense is playing well.  We don’t have dominant D anymore and the saints are the exact type of team we should have trouble with – 3 step drops, get the ball out quick.  Tough between the tackles running and the game breaking speed guy.

 

If we had McNabb I’d feel much much better –because the offense can be explosive with him and it’s just can’t be with Garcia.  We might need high 20’s to 30 to win and Garcia doesn’t get us that.  Be back with stats to that effect soon.

 

BCS Game - 1 Yard!

Did Eagles fans enjoy the BCS halftime exchange Emmitt and Jimmy had last night when discussing Tressel's strange decision to go for it on 4th and 1 on his own 29. Emmitt said, "It reminded me of a play we ran in Philadelphia when I was a Cowboy."  To which Jimmy quickly responded, "Not when I was your coach!"  Somewhere Barry Switzer was cursing them and screaming, "One damn yard!  I wanted to get one damn yard!"

 

Andrews and B-Dawk all-pros...Future Hall of Famers?

Nfl all-pro team came out – 2 Eagles….Shawn Andrews & Brian Dawkins.

 

For what it’s worth, Peter King of SI also voted for Jamaal Jackson for all-pro. The Bears’ Olin Kreutz won, but King said that these two guys are the best centers in the NFL. Funny, and to think we tried to land LeCharles Bentley in free agency. Sometimes the best move you make is the one you don’t.