More the Rule than the Exception

For all those taken aback at Andy Reid's cowardice in not telling McNabb directly and to his face that he was being benched, it appears that Reid's actions are more the rule than the exception for high horse head coaches dealing with the players.

TMQ reports:

Donovan McNabb did not find out he was being benched from Philadelphia head coach Andy Reid, rather from quarterbacks coach Pat Shurmur. At a critical midgame juncture, Reid wouldn't speak to McNabb. If you think that's weird -- actually it is surprisingly common in the NFL and in big-college football, where the head coach often has little direct contact with players, leaving the unpleasant interpersonal stuff to assistants. When he was coach of the Dolphins, Nick Saban is said to have sent around a memo instructing that no one from the office staff was to speak to him. A friend of mine has a son playing on scholarship at a Famous Football Factory College; in three years there, he has spoken to the Famous Head Coach exactly once. The young man tried to ask the Famous Head Coach a question. The head coach replied, "Do not speak to me. Talk to your position coach."

LIke a Rock

Donovan made a funny. 

And like all good jokes there is truth and sadness there.

In Defense of the Defense

The Eagles defense is ranked 6th overall in the league for yards allowed and is 10th in points allowed .

The Eagles' offensive and defensive units are both in the top 10 in the league for scoring and yardage. (4th in the NFC defensive rankings, 6th in the offensive conference rankings).

How is this team 5-5-1?!

And I gotta be honest. Those rankings astounded me. Is the rest of the league that bad or the Eagles much better than people give them credit for. A big knock against Andy Reid right now is that his poor drafts and player personnel decisions are coming back to haunt him. And yet, on both sides of the ball his squads are by every definition and measure - save the most important one, the record - is an upper echelon team.

Bizarre Stat

The Eagles haven't scored an offensive touchdown in 9 quarters. The combined QB rating in the last game was a 14. The Eagles are 5-5-1 with a quarterback controversy and a recent history of being unable to gain a single yard when it really matters.

And yet...the Eagles' offense is ranked 9th in the league overall in both points and yards/game. A great bet to make with someone this week. "I'll bet you the Eagles have a top 10 league offense."

Sour Taste

From Tuesday Morning Q B:

Sour Play of the Week No. 1: Trailing Baltimore 22-7, Philadelphia reached second-and-goal on the Nevermores' 1 midway through the fourth quarter. Relief quarterback Kevin Kolb play-faked, then sprinted waybackwards -- you're on the goal line, why are you sprinting backwards? -- before lofting a terrible pass that was intercepted by Ed Reed and returned 108 yards for the game-breaking touchdown. You've got three tries to run 1 yard, why is your inexperienced backup quarterback attempting a pass into the most congested part of the field?

And yet, while I wholeheartedly agree with TMQ, why does he praise the Colts' 4th and goal from the 1 pass play (empty backfield no less) in the same article as a "manly man" play? Probably cause the Colts scored.

And am i supposed to be somehow comforted by the fact passing plays on 3rd and 1 and 4th and 1 are more widespread around the league than previously imagined and not just confined to Andy Reid's confounding play calling? It's insane.

Thanksgiving Night Reception

Just a taste of the fan reaction McNabb could be dealing with Thursday night:

Another dismal performance by a cooked QB who has never been clutch, way too inaccurate, not a team player (see him in sulking in his coat standing all alone like a loser on Sunday), too heavy (can’t move), out of shape, and generally lethargic from kick-off (perhaps because he is yawning moments before half time).  Would you ever see Tom Brady, Eli, Peyton, Favre, Matt Ryan, Joe Flacco yawning like it is time for Sunday afternoon tea?  Nope-but he is now showing his under-belly to all.  His time is done.  You can say what you want about the poor play calling, no running game, etc, but McNabb is the guy throwing the passes into the ground or into opposing teams hands.

It is not all on McNabb, but he was never a great QB.  He was above average in a division that was way, way below average.   He lost NFC title games to the Tampa Bay Bucs and to Jake Delhomme and the Panthers.  Weak, weak heart.  He is a martyr b/c he got booed at the draft.  Boo hoo you stinkin skirt, suck it up and make some plays.  Loser.

We all now know the truth about this fraud of a QB and the fans' misplaced confidence in a guy that I told you would never get it done.

Jaws Says Ahh

A friend writes:

Interesting points made late in tonight's MNF game by Jaws about Donovan.

Remember, we let him see all our game tape in the special Eagles-Jaws relationship. He said that while reviewing tape, he's seen that McNabb is not seeing open receivers down field and not making decisions to get them the ball.

This was something we heard a lot of 6 yrs ago, in the height of the Pinkston-Thrash era. Then it sorta disappeared after TO arrived. Now it's back.

Not sure what to think.

Interesting. I remember a year or two ago some scout saying that McNabb is the type of QB that only throws the receiver after he gets open and not while the receiver is in the process of getting open. My friend is right, all that kind of died down for a while. Now it's back.

The big question that I and and my brother were trying to answer last night is....what happened to the offense? They put up 37 vs. Dallas and looked really good. 27 versus a playoff contending Falcons team. 38 against the hapless Rams. Heck, even three weeks ago they scored 31 against a tough Giants D.

How did it all collapse so quickly where they can only score 13 against a lousy Bengals team and not have a single offensive point vs. the Ravens? What has so dramatically changed from earlier in the season? Westbrook's injuries limiting him as a threat? The complete disappearance of the tight ends?

Someone needs to explain all that.

McNabb's always had the problem with the downfield receivers. But it hasn't been this detrimental to the offense till now. Why? What has changed recently to make that happen?

Blaze of Glory?

Ironically, and I say this as a huge McNabb fan – in the wake of yesterday’s loss and basically being eliminated from playoff contention – questions about Kolb starting were going to come up today regardless of the second half substitution. In fact, I thought about it in the first half when they looked so pathetic. I was thinking that if they lost – that was going to usher in the Kolb era but would they really start Kolb on a short week?

It should be interesting to see how he plays Thursday night. Here’s hoping he lets it all hang out, with nothing left to lose…cause, really he doesn’t. and oh what a supporting cast he will have. Westbrook and Buckhalter are missing practice this week with their injuries. The starting backfield could be Lorenzo Booker and Dan Klecko.

It seems obvious that this will be McNabb’s last game starting. Kolb will come in for the Giants game after a week and a half of preparation. Can McNabb carry the team on his back one more time? Probably not if his performance this season is any indication but here’s hoping.

The Party's Over

A friend wrote to me yesterday:

At 3 pm today the Donovan McNabb era ended in Philadelphia.

Benched at halftime, Kevin Kolb is now under center. Barring injury to Kolb in the next 5 games, it's hard to see how McNabb will ever play again as an Eagle.

And, it's nice to see how little changed. They came out throwing, throwing, throwing. A pass was dropped, one was bounced at a receiver's ankle. Then they punted.

Of course, the jackass who's calling the plays is still there. At least for another few games.

PS - the last time the Eagles were in Baltimore, '97, at old Memorial Stadium, I was there for a similar "big" moment. The dawn of the Bobby Hoying era. Game ended in a 10-10 tie, Burger, my high school friends and I nearly got into a brawl with fellow Eagles fans afterward - and 3-yr run of incredible ineptitude began. So it goes today.

"Blackout"

Talk about ill-timed promotions. The Eagles will wear their alternate black jerseys on Thursday night vs. the Cardinals and are encouraging the fans attending the game to similarly dress in black. A very appropriate color to mourn the death of their playoff hopes but it also raises a question. Could a game on a short week, Thanksgiving night and their recent poor play result in a game that isn't a sellout and "blacked out" in the Philadephia television market? 

It's Over

So that's how a season's playoff hopes and an entire era end...in a dismal second half against the Ravens in Baltimore.

So much for running the table or making a playoff push. There is now a very real possibility that this Eagles team finishes the season at 5-10-1.  Who could have known?

My prediction of a 12-17 Eagles victory was very much a possibility right up until Andy Reid panicked and benched McNabb for the second half down only 10-7.

Incredibly, Reid could still have saved face and perhaps the game had he reinserted McNabb after several ineffectual Kevin Kolb offensive series. Take your pick, he could have done it after the safety or Kolb's first INT. Post-game Reid could have suggested the "temporary" move was meant to spark his team. Either way, the Eagles were still only down by 5 and then 8 with more than a quarter to play in A MUST WIN GAME.

Admittedly, McNabb was not very good in the first half. But that's what you get with him, often slow uneven beginnings to games. Fortunately, over the past ten year he has shown a knack for getting hot at some point during the game.

Kolb's second half put the full extent of this team's now glaring deficiencies on display. To wit,

A complete breakdown in special teams. A blocked punt for a safety? From right up the gut? If Reid really wants to make changes and "shake things up," he shouldhe fire special teams coach Rory Segrest. Yes, Q. Demps had that kick return for a TD that helped keep the Eagles close, but that has been a single bright spot in a very disappointing special teams season.

Personnel decisions. Westbrook's injured status and Buckhalter's sprained knee in the first quarter showed that 1) the Eagles don't have much depth at RB and 2) why in the world did Lorenzo Booker not suit up given the banged up halfback situation. Was it really so important to have Greg Lewis available rather than have an extra running back in case Bucky went down and Westbrook had nothing in the tank, which is exactly what happened.

Play calling. It's a cliche that second stringers are expected to step up when called on and that coaches don't adjust their game plan (i.e., simplify it) to compensate. And yet, Reid apparently gave no consideration that his second half quarterback had not played with the first team all week and hadn't had the practice and reps as the starter. So why on earth did Reid/Mohrninweg call a pass play on second and goal from the 6 inch line? Surely even Westbrook in his banged up condition, Jackson out of the wildcat formation, or even Dan Klecko could have gained six inches in three plays (it was four down territory). Instead, we're treated to a play action pass with LJ Smith and Reggie Brown as the two primary receivers. Result? Ed Reed 108 yard touchdown INT the other way.

Clock management. Letting 30 seconds burn off the clock at the end of the first half while the Ravens lined up for a FG was inexcusable. It would have given the offense at least two more plays when they got the ball back and may have allowed them to get into range for an Akers field goal attempt. Is McNabb benched if the score is 10-10 at the half?  

Replay Challenges. How can a head coach not know when he can or can't challenge plays. More importantly, why doesn't Reid challenge pivotal plays? Look again at Ed Reed's "illegal forward lateral." Was it really a forward pass or did the ball carrier's momentum make it appear as the ball was thrown forward. In any case, the Eagles recovered the ball and it was critical that the Eagles not give the Ravens the ball at the 7 yard line. Why not challenge the call there? So you burn a first half timeout. The risk/reward of getting the ball back there vastly outweighs any other consideration.

Ed Reed Knows

"They've been throwing the ball 40-plus or 50-plus times a game. You throw the ball like that, eventually, you know, something's got to give," Reed said. "Either you're going to have an awesome offense and everybody's going to be talking about you, which rarely happens when you're throwing the ball 50 times because you have no running game."

Today's Prediction

Eagles 21
Raves 17

Keep hope alive!

Browns

Clock mismanagement is one of my huge pet peeves in NFL games and gives lie to the fact that it is the "most competitive sports league in the world." Please.

if it was the "most competitive" league, Romeo Crennel and Norv Turner would not still be head coaches in it.

Anyway, a casual observer might have fallen asleep before the conclusion of the Browns-Bills game and not understood how bad the Browns and Bills mismanaged the clock at the end of the game.

Down by 1 with 2:25 to go in the game and with 3 timeouts, Brady Quinn and the Browns offense drove to the Bills 39 with 2:00 to go. Where Quinn proceeded to throw three straight incompletes on sideline routes - WITH 3 TIMEOUTS and the entire middle of the field for the taking. To say nothing of a simple running play, draw or screen to keep the defense honest and to gain some yards. The bone headed play calling necessitated a Phil Dawson 56 yard field goal in the fridged autumn of a Buffalo evening.

Incredibly, the Cleveland gaffe turned into a bonus when dick jauron's offense got the ball back needing a field goal to win but with only 1:33 to go.

after blowing the kickoff (a kick out of bounds would have netted more than the squib kick that gave the Bills the ball at their own 43) the first play was a 22 yard Trent Edwards' completion to the Browns 34 with 1:03 to go.

Obviously overly mindful of the Browns remaining 3 timeouts, the Bills called 3 straight running plays that seemed more designed to make the Browns burn their timeouts than gain additional yardage to make a potential FG easier on their kicker. (special note: for as bad as the Browns clock management was, using the TOs in this last minute as the best thing to do. Too many teams don't use the TOs in this situation and let the clock run down to 0 with the hope that the pressure of the game winning kick alone is enought to force a victory.).

The ultimate result of the Bills' conservative play calling and the Browns timeouts was a Bills' 47 yard attempt from the Browns 39 yard line with 43 seconds to play. Enought time for 2 maybe three plays after the Browns get the kick to try another long Phil Dawson FG.

Alas, Al Michael put the wamma jamma on Lindell by noting that the 47 yarder was the same distance as Scott Norwood's super bowl miss that cost his team a championship. With HOFer Jim Kelly looking on from the sidelines with a camoflage colored hat, Lindell imitated his predecessor's miss, right down to the rightward drift.

10 yards in and it would have been good. But 10 yards in would not have forced the Browns to burn their last time out.

That is why Romeo Crennel and Dick Jauraon are Romeo Crennel and Dick Jauron. As long as these and other frauds continue to be the head men in the NFL, it will never be the "most competitive" sports league in the world.

The Missing Linc

At least one reason why Lincoln Financial Field is worse than Veterans Stadium.

This should all sound familiar to a long-time Eagles fan that had season tix at the Vet. though i can't figure out how Pats fans "wake up" at 7:45 am and still got a full morning of tailgating in. We leave W. Chester at 8:00 am

10 year cycle

The second worst thing about the Eagles-Bengals tie last Sunday - aside from dropping them farther back in the playoff hunt - was how boring the game was.

10 years ago, friends and i gathered to watch an Eagles-Giants game at a sports bar in Washington, DC. I think it was Andy Reid's first year with Doug Pederson still the QB of the team. The Giants and Eagles exhibited a terribly played game that I believe went into overtime with the Giants finally, mercifully, winning by some score like 10-7. After the game, both the Eagles and Giants fans agreed it was one of the worst most boring NFL games they had ever seen.

Which brings us to Sunday's Eagles-Bengals game. We all know it was a stinker for the tie but also an awful aesthetic game (as most AFC games are, particularly AFC North and East games). And the quality of play was even worse. Anyway, McNabb is gone after this year - if for no other reason than to free up $8 million in cap space - regardless of any renegotiation - but the Bengals game brought back memories of that Giants game and how we've come full circle on the McNabb/Reid era. they started with a God awful OT loss - and now they are ending with a God awful OT tie. The circle of life is complete.

but don't just take my word for it.

You know how Mike Holmgren is retiring after this season? I think Andy Reid retired three years ago. That's the only explanation. He just didn't tell us. Our friend Mike Lombardi did a nice job breaking down the epic "Four Two-Minute Drills" debacle Sunday in Cincinnati; that game was so unbelievably bad that NFL Films should be working on a one-hour documentary about it. I'm not even kidding. That was the worst football game ever played. We need to spend a solid year interviewing people and breaking down the key moments so we can place it in its proper historical perspective.

(Note: I was forced to monitor it for fantasy purposes, which reminds me: Congrats to Donovan McNabb for throwing 58 times in a five-quarter game against a 1-8 team, ending up with just 17 points and officially ending my West Coast season once the Bills' D and Marshawn Lynch somehow combined to make up a 26-point deficit on me, marking the fourth time this year that I lost in heartbreaking fashion on Monday night. I wish I had the heart to write a "Goodbye to Fantasy Football" letter like when Joey wrote his "Goodbye to Drugs" letter on the "Real World: Hollywood." Dear fantasy football, I'm saying goodbye to you because you've done nothing but trick me and disappoint me. You told me you were my friend, but all you did was let me down. You wasted my Sundays, you wasted my Sundays …)

So, what would the Bengals-Eagles documentary be called? I vote for either "Four Hours Of Life That Nobody Will Get Back" or "The Longest Turd." Either of these will do. I don't care. And, yes, I wanted this show even before McNabb pushed the epicness (epicity? epiciousness? epicism?) of such a memorably putrid game by admitting he didn't know the overtime rules. I thought Warren Sapp summed it up well:

"Donovan, your legacy will be throwing up in the Super Bowl, Rush Limbaugh and now -- not knowing there were ties!!!"

I'd also throw in Campbell's Chunky Soup commercials, but, yes, that's probably it. I have watched far too much of the Eagles this season (again, for fantasy purposes) and would evaluate McNabb's 2008 performance like so: out of shape, careless, semi-competitive and uninspiring. The fact that Philly can't run the ball in short-yardage situations but McNabb never, ever, EVER runs QB draws or sneaks should tell you something. I think he just doesn't want to get hit anymore. He seems like a guy on his way out of the league to me.

(Funniest e-mail of the week, from a Philly fan calling himself "Andy Reid": "So, I pulled into my local drive-thru. After analyzing the menu for 25 minutes I quickly placed my order. As I pulled to the first window I was shocked to see Donovan McNabb working the register. Unfortunately, I pulled a foot away from the window. I had no idea how to get my money in there. Do I hand it in or try and throw it? I decided it would be better to waste five minutes backing out and pulling back in. After I handed Donovan my money, he threw my change five feet over my car. After receiving my food, I double-checked to make sure I had the right order. I checked for three minutes and knew they messed it up. I pulled back to the window to complain. After giving the employee a stare of mild confusion, he informed me that I had received what I ordered. I pulled away stunned.")

Hip of a Champion

The (hip) heart of a champion. And Bill Conlin gets to spooge about his now correct speculation Chase Utley has been hurt all summer based on his altered swing.

A Sad, True State

Phil Sheridan nails the current state of the Eagles

they really have no one but themselves to blame for the beating they are taking this time around. There is no mess quite as unpleasant to clean up as a mess you made yourself and really should have avoided.

The Eagles are 5-4-1 for the many of the same reasons they were 5-8 at one point last season and 5-6 in 2006.

Reid won't run the football. McNabb has been inconsistent. There are glaring personnel errors. Worst of all, the team seems to play in a kind of fog at the worst possible times. All of this is interconnected, of course, making it almost impossible to untangle Reid's play-calling from McNabb's cold spells from the defensive lapses from the occasional time management gaffe or head-slapping penalty or special-teams miscue.

McNabb Becomes National Punchline

Ties in the NFL? Everybody Knows That, Right?

New York Times 

McNabb among several Eagles oblivious of NFL overtime rules

Minneapolis Star Tribune 

McNabb's OT gaffe may haunt him

Arizona Republic 

Eagles' McNabb is more than his gaffe about tie-game rule

Los Angeles Times 

Low-Scoring Tie Game Rejuvinates Interest In Football Amongst ...

FOXSports.com 

Clueless

Other Eagles that didn't know that a regular season NFL game could end in a tie:

Omar Gaither

DeSean Jackson

Greg Lewis

Correll Buckhalter

How is it even possible that a professional football player, much less a significant number of starters - who have been playing and presumably watching football since high school - don't know NFL games can end in a tie?

Tidbit Only of Interest to Me

Since the NFL's modern day overtime rules were established in 1974, 17 regular season games have ended in a tie. The Eagles have played in four of those games. Put another way, the Eagles have played in nearly a quarter (23%) of all NFL games that have ended in a tie. Or in other words, this obscure stat neatly encapsulates the team's general offensive mediocrity and defensive dominance over the past three decades.

Steelers-Chargers

Why wasn’t there a booth review of the final play of the Steelers-Chargers game – Troy Polamalu’s touchdown?

 

And since it was the last play of the game, why can’t the NFL amend the final score to accurately reflect the proper call that should have been made?

$8 Million Reasons to Cut McNabb

ProFootballTalk reports that the Eagles would free up $8 million in cap space for 2009 if they parted ways with franchise QB Donovan McNabb after the season. And that's after they eat $1.6 million in prorated bonus money.

Considering it would be Kevin Kolb's third year in the league next season, it is looking less and less like McNabb will be in Philadelphia next year.

Not Hopeless

Bob Brookover reminds everyone that all is not completely lost for the Eagles' playoff hopes.

Before you pull the plug, however, there is one thing to remember: Sometimes weird stuff happens in professional sports.

In their 11th game a year ago, the New York Giants lost 41-17 at home to the 4-6 Minnesota Vikings, falling to 7-4. Quarterback Eli Manning threw three interceptions that day and they were all returned for touchdowns. It's hard to imagine the Giants sitting up at the Meadowlands the following Monday plotting the design of their Super Bowl rings.

There are more stories like that one from this decade, too.

Pittsburgh lost its last two games in November and its first in December to fall to 7-5 in 2005. Had they lost again, they wouldn't have made the playoffs. They didn't lose again.

The 2000 Baltimore Ravens went five straight October games without scoring a touchdown and were 5-4 after nine games and they, too, won a Super Bowl.

He could have added the Eagles 2006 run, when no one projected them to win three straight division road games with Jeff Garcia at quarterback.

Certainly the Cowboys win last night hurt the Eagles since it could have dropped the Cowgirls to 5-5 and ceded a tie breaker to the Skins. Still, the Eagles are 1/2 game behind both Dallas and Washington and have upcoming games with them. The other two teams ahead of them for a wild card spot are Atlanta (6-4) who they have a tie breaker against, and Tampa, which is 1 1/2 games ahead, but has games against the Vikings, Panthers, and Falcons coming up.

So never say never. The Eagles still have a playoff shot and in most regards still control their destiny. Win and their in. It's as simple and daunting as that.

The Difference

The difference in talent and playcalling couldn’t have been more stark between the Eagles and Cowboys than last night’s game. The Cowboys pounded Marion Barber for 16 runs through three quarters and then ran him 8 times in the 4^th,most of it on a clock killing, game winning drive. He started the game with gains of 1, 3, 2, and 4 yards and finished with runs of 5, 5, 4, and 6 yards (or something like that).

 

And needing a yard to get the first and win the game, Barber got it with plenty to spare.  And unlike the Eagles who ran 4^th and 1 last night off a double tight formation with only Hank Baskett split out wide (i.e., 10 in the box). The Cowboys split receivers wide on each side and ran a guy in motion. In any case, there definitely were not 10 in the box to try to stop the rampaging Marion Barber.

 

The end of the McNabb was sealed after the game when he admitted he didn’t know the game could end in a tie.

Worse than Kissing Your Sister

Rich Hoffman has it right off the final whistlew www.philly.com/philly/sports/Eagles_tie_die.html. An Eagles tie today isn't like kissing your sister, it's death to the Eagles playoff chances.

As I illustrated mere hours ago, a 10-6 season (even 11-5) was contingent on beating the hapless Bengals on the road. Instead, we get a disastrous 13-13 tie.

At 5-4-1 it's hard to see where the Eagles get the 5 wins in the final 6 games to get to the important 10-6 marker, (now, 10-5-1). Especially considering the mediocre exhibition they put on in Queen City today.

And yet, for as bad as the Eagles played, it's important to remember that the Giants also played the Bengals into overtime, at the Meadowlands no less. Of course, the Giants ultimately beat the Ben-gals. And while the Eagles didn't lose to Cincinnati, they didn't win either.

Hindsight is 20-20. But given how erratic the offense was, if you're like me you really thought Reid maybe should have given lots more weight to go for it on 4th and inches from the Bengals 9 yard line with 5:22 to play in regulation. (In imitable Andy Reid fashion, he chose to call a timeout to think long and hard and come to the conclusion that he should kick the field goal for the tie. Either kick the field goal and save the time out, or go for it on 4th down after having time to consult with your QB and O-coordinator. It was the worst of all possible worlds - a lost time out in a close game late and opting for the safe choice upon further reflection).

Surely the Monday morning QBs would have screamed for Andy's head had he gone for it on 4th and failed to get it. But as equally pathetic as the Bengals offense was, leaving them at their own 10 with 5 minutes to go and a full complement of timeouts would likely have resulted in one more field goal chance for the Eagles before the end of the game. Indeed, the Eagles had THREE posessions in the final 5 minutes after kicking the tying field goal.

Post-Giants

3 final thoughts before the Eagles - and I - move on to the Bengals game.

1) Why was NFL officiating chief Mike Pereira conferring with NBC producers on Sunday night about the placement of the "red" superimposed line of scrimmage graphic. I thought that line was "unofficial." So why are official NFL officials involving themselves with it? And can anyone give a straight answer as to whether that line is visible to the referee during instant replay challenges?

2) The Eagles final play last week was awful, and it started with the formation. Double tight with only Hank Baskett flanked out wide to the left. This formation and personnel allowed the Giants to pack 10 defenders into the box to stop the run. Why wasn't DeSean Jackson in the game to give even the appearance of a deep threat and maybe make the safety play a little more honest?

3) For all of the talk about all of the teams in front of the Eagles for playoff spots, the fact remains they are on pace for 10 wins, which usually is enough to get you in. Pay no attention to the number of teams in front of them. History shows that losses - and strange losses - befall teams throughout the season (see, Eagles, Bears and Giants).

The Eagles should beat the Bengals today, the Ravens on the road against a rookie QB next week and the Browns in two weeks coming off a 10 day rest. Which means they only have to find 2 wins among games against the Cardinals, Redskins, Giants, and Cowboys. Really, if they are to have any playoff shot, they have to win at least one against an NFC East team. they should also be favored against a Cardinals team traveling to Philly on a very short week. Mark my words, they should still get to 10 wins, with 11 not being completely out of the question.

11-5? it is still possible. 10-6. Very likely.

Crossing the Line

The networks superimposed red line indicating the line of scrimmage is "unofficial," except when officials use it to determine replay challenges. Or is that only against the Eagles?

#14? Really?

We’re all still trying to process the reasoning behind Cole Hamels’ decision to wear AJ Feeley’s #14 jersey Sunday night as an honorary captain of the team. Understandably, his fellow honorary co-captain Pat Burrell wore #5, though I couldn’t see if it said “Burrell” or “McNabb” on the back. But Feeley for Hamels?

 

Are they friends or workout buddies? It is such an odd, bizarre choice: the third string/disaster quarterback. My brother likened it – if the teams roles were reversed – in McNabb coming out in a Kyle Kendrick or Tom Gordon jersey. I can’t believe more hasn’t been made of Hamels’ strange jersey decision and sought an explanation for it.

 

 

 

 

 

More Random Thoughts from the Giants Game

·         Fan reaction to the offensive introductions: as always, Jon Runyan and McNabb got big ovations. But the biggest cheers were reserved for DeSean Jackson and the biggest for Brian Westbrook. TE LJ Smith got booed.

·         A real missed opportunity for the Eagles video department. During the pre-kickoff video montage of Rocky interspliced with Eagles highlights meant to whip the crowd into a frenzy, a couple of Phillies highlights from the World Series – any of Ryan Howard’s home runs, Burrell’s 8^th inning game 5 blast, Lidge’s final strikeout – would have blown the roof off the Linc (if it had a roof). Come to think of it, maybe that’s why they didn’t include it.

·         Speaking of opening kickoff, why did Tom Coughlin choose to receive the opening kick after winning the coin toss and having to send his offense out there while the crowd was so fired up. He should have deferred and taken the ball in the second half and let the Eagles offense go first. It backfired even further when Mike Patterson intercepted Manning, the Eagles scored and the crowd was even more frenzied for the second possession (of course, they quieted down during the ensuing touchdown drive).

 

 

 

Baskett's Catch

How did Hank Baskett and his playmate fiancé even meet? She's lived in the playboy mansion since 2004. Baskett went to college at New Mexico and has played for the Eagles for the past two years.

Theories among my friends is that Jeff Garcia made the love connection. He’s married to another playmate and he was on the Eags in '06, when Hank Baskett made a potential season-saving catch from Garcia in New Orleans, only to have it called back for holding. Maybe for a consolation prize Garcia brought him to the mansion.

Another friend thinks Baskett did it on his own. “He’s a pro athlete. They are at the mansion all the time. I dont find the news surprising in the least,” he says.

To which my brother counters: He was an undrafted player who had like 10 career catches before this year. Yes, I am very surprised. She’s not just “some” playmate. She was one of Hef’s top girls/girlfriends. And Baskett? He is the 4th or 5th WR on the depth chart.

Who took Baskett there – Jason Avant, G Lewis, Kevin Curtis – those guys can’t have any juice. Does Baskett hang around Scott Baio? Seriously, very surprised. Wouldn’t be as surprised if it was a good player, but the former WAC high jump champ. This is like Kevin Elster banging broads in the middle of games. Strawberry or Doc sure, but Elster? No way.

They Might Be Giants

My Giants friend writes:

Giants tried to lose the ball by their decisions not to run it down your throat on every play (although they finally did at very end). I was going bonkers

 

To which I respond:

            Quite honestly, it was a relief to us every time the giants chose 1) not to run the ball and 2) to pass to somebody other than Plaxico.

Why they didnʼt run Jacobs 40 times and throw to Burress the other 20 is beyond me.

 

 

So Predictable

Though I was at the game last night, friends who watched it on NBC tell me that in the post-game studio, Reid’s play calling was so predictable – particularly the final two failed running plays of the night – Westbrook sweep for two yards, Westbrook off right tackle for no gain – - that Patrick and Collinsworth mocked Big Red because Tiki Barber was calling out what the plays were going to be on third and fourth before they were run.

 

Let me tell you how predictable Reid is.. so predictable that it was nearly a carbon copy of last year’s Giants-Eagles game at the Linc.

 

That game, of course, is known for Akers doinking a 63 yarder off the upright that would have tied it at the end of regulation. But what is often overlooked is the Eagles second to last possession of that game. I remember it as one of the worst clock management fiasco’s of Andy Reid’s tenure – which is saying something. But the playcalling was nearly exactly as we saw last night. No wonder Tiki and the Giants knew what was coming.

 

I looked up the exact play by play from last year

 

1st and 10 from Giatns 48 with 3:11 to go – Bucky runs up the middle for 5 yards

2nd-5, NYG43 2:55     B. Westbrook rushed to the right for no gain

3rd-5, NYG43 2:19     B. Westbrook rushed to the left for 1 yard loss

4th-6, NYG44   1:57     D. McNabb incomplete pass down the middle

 

Putting aside the terrible clock management – pass happy Reid decides to run the ball 3 straight times to take the clock under 2:00 and wastes the 2 minute warning for his defense!?!?

 

Even last year, Westbrook couldn’t gain a yard or two or 3 when they needed it most. So last night is no surprise.

 

Seriously, since all the Philly media that will have an opportunity to ask Reid questions at today’s press conference were at the game last night, who will know/ask about Tiki was calling all the Eagles plays? Who in the media will call Reid out on it?

 

I wish predications about Marty taking over the playcalling in the wake of last night’s final drive fiasco were correct, but that his not the history of Reid and this team. Reid will always be involved in calling the plays…to the detriment of the offense. (and how ridiculous is it that you can’t get a straight answer from the head coach about who is actually and in the end calling the offensive plays).

Schematic

As in, “we couldn’t gain a freakin’ yard when we needed it most yesterday because of our ‘schematics.’”

 

See also, player personnel.

 

 

Reid's Word of the Day...

Courtesy of today’s perennially phlegmatic press conference…

 

“Schematic”

Nice Catch!

Hank Baskett engaged to Hef's old girlfriend. She’s lived in the playboy mansion since 2004. Baskett went to college at New Mexico and has played for the Eagles for the past two years. How do you think they even met?

Phillies not Eagles

The nut graph of Bob Ford’s insightful piece about how the Phillies, and not the Eagles, were the Philly team to parade down Broad Street with a championship trophy:

 

The Eagles made four straight trips to the conference championship game, advancing to the Super Bowl on the last of those. Since that game - that three-point loss to the Patriots that is best remembered for the wretched two-minute drill and the retching quarterback - the see-saw has steadily shifted on its fulcrum.

 

They are 28-27 in the regular season since and the air of expectation has slowly escaped from the balloon. The stadium is still packed, the revenue is still streaming into the organization and the Eagles have pulled off the difficult exacta of remaining popular while not being particularly liked. The fans root for them with their heads, but have zipped their scarred hearts into a back pocket for safe keeping.