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.

"Weak"?

Funny to think that the "weak" NFC East could send three teams to the playoffs. Guess strength is all relative.

Atlanta game

WIP is reporting that there is a 90% chance the game on New Years Eve will be moved to 4:15.  Eskin said his sources indicated that Fox has the 1st choice on the game, and there is no reason they wouldn't choose this game as their 4:15 prime time game.  I think this is the only game that guarantees a playoff scenario that weekend, no matter what happens this week.

 

If Fox doesn't choose the game, we will probably be the Sunday night game, which would blow.  I also heard Jody Mac say something similar. 

 

And yet, I thought a team could have only 1 game moved from the afternoon to sunday night - and the eagles already had moved once - the indy game.

 

A 4pm game or an 8pm game on New Year’s Eve. Great.

 

This could backfire on Fox or NBC if the Eagles win and the Falcons lose this weekend and the Eagles can’t improve their playoff seedings – why play the starters?

Blasphemy

A friend writes:

 

Are the Eagles a better team without McNabb?

 

Obviously the answer is no.

 

Playing the way he played the first 8 games of the year, he was one of the 3 best players in the league, meaning he was good enough that with him you had a puncher's chance of beating any team in the league.

 

So clearly, there are outer limits to where this team can go. They simply aren't talented enough with Garcia at QB to go into Chicago or go into the Superdome, or, for that matter, an inhospitable place like Seattle in the playoffs and win.

 

But let me posit this question: has the absence of McNabb forced Reid to become a better coach? And if so, has that essentially made us a better team, at least when playing the average teams of the league?

 

Yesterday's game may well have been our single best game of the season. Yes, defensively we were still a sieve against the run in the 1st half. And dear god we had an insane amount of penalties, and we're talking BIG penalties that cost us 1st downs on offense or gave the Giants 1st downs when it would

have been 4th and long.

 

But, and this is a big but, we played our most effective, most balanced game of the year on offense. We even won the time-of-possession battle!

 

And that, I think, was critical to the game yesterday, and essentially showed that Andy is willing to do things differently. Hopefully he's seen the light. The fact that the Eags controlled the ball so much in the 1^st half really helped the defense in the 2nd half.

 

Our defense was tougher and stronger than I've seen them all season in that 2nd half. Holding the Giants to those field goals in the 3rd quarter kept us in the game. And that, I think, is the credit to our commitment to the run early, and our success at doing it.

 

I just hope that this little run we're on -- in which Westbrook has been amazing -- is enough to convince Andy of what he needs to do next season.

 

McCoy Mistake

If you want to really depress your self go to the eagles and raiders sites and look up the bio on McCoy and Kirk Morrison (raiders).  They both went to SDSU and played LB together.  Morrison was drafted after McCoy by about 20 spots.

 

I'm really glad the Eagles out thought themselves on that one -and look at his college bio that's included -you couldn't tell who was better??

 

Hmmm. Morrison a two-time All-american. The first since Marshall Faulk. Or McCoy, a two-time 2nd team all-conference selection. Hmmmm.

 

But wait...it gets worse. Go to the sports illustrated draft site and look at the profiles of the two. They projected Morrison as a 3rd round pick. They projected McCoy as a possible backup safety in the nfl...and a free agent who wouldn't be drafted.

 

I'm going to be sick.

 

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/2005/draft/breakdowns/by_school/s.html

 

Eagles inactives

See the inactive list!!!  Our 2nd rounder and both 4th rounders from this year!!  How can Justice not be the back up at this point?

 

Gocong is on IR or he'd be here also.  That's 4 draft picks all 4th rounders or better as well as a 3rd rounder in Moats.

 

I thought we had a great draft, but how are Gilles and Justice not suiting up???

 

My take on the inactives is that the Eagles have a lot of offensive lineman so there are a disproportionate number inactive. I think they only keep two backups for the actual game, both of whom can play guard or tackle - with starters sliding over if necessary to fill spots, ie, if Runyan got hurt, Andrews moves to tackle and Cole comes in at guard.

 

Only suiting up Scott Young and Nick Cole allows them to suit up more players at DB and other positions. My assumption is that Justice and Jean-Gilles simply don’t have the versatility and understanding of the offense to be able to fill in for whatever position is necessary at this point – on the fly. I do expect Justice to be the starting left tackle next season.

 

I’m a little perplexed by Avant being inactive – how can Baskett and Lewis be better options, esp. Baskett who has the same rookie start time as Avant. Lewis looks tiny out there these days, though I hate to admit he’s made some nice catches past two games.

 

But I simply don’t understand what the deal is with Moats. He’s not even suiting up anymore. This guy was a 3^rd round pick last year, what don’t the coaches like about him? His quickness? Burst? Hands? Would be a great sub for Westbrook, especially the way they continue to work #36.

 

Gaither looked pretty good last night. McCoy is being made the scapegoat for a lot of other deficiencies on this defense (that’s you Dhani Jones). If Gaither is your new weakside LB then that means the Eagles have no viable heir apparents currently on their roster for Trotter (which is who I thought Gaither was going to eventual replace) and Jones. Isn’t Gocong a weakside LB too?

 

I actually saw Bunkley in on at least one play.

 

3-1 gets you into the playoffs (heck, even 2-2 might do it, since Panther and Giants play this week). Assume loss against Dallas and must win this week vs. Redskins.

 

 

 

.

 

-----Original Message-----
From: Jeff Griffith [mailto:jgriffith@tgacpa.com]
Sent: Tuesday, December 05, 2006 1:58 PM
To: David Griffith; 'PAUL KANE'
Subject: FW: Eagles Week 13 inactives

 

See the list!!!  Our 2nd rounder and both 4th rounders from this year!!  I'm

outraged - How can Justice not be the back up at this point?

 

Gocong is on IR or he'd be here also.  That's 4 draft picks all 4th rounders

or better as well as a 3rd rounder in Moats.

 

I thought we had a great draft, but how are Gilles and Justice not suiting

up???

 

Who are our backup linemen - I know Nick Cole is the Center??

 

--

Jeff Griffith, CPA

Toal, Griffith & Ayers, LLC

200 Harry S Truman Pkwy, Suite 110

Annapolis, MD 21401

 

ph - 410-224-0343 x203

fax - 410-224-0043

jgriffith@toal-griffith.com

 

IRS Circular 230 Disclosure:

 

As required by U.S. Treasury Regulations governing tax practice, you are

advised that, unless specifically indicated otherwise, any tax advice

contained in this communication (including any attachments) is not intended

or written to be used, and cannot be used, for the purpose of (i) avoiding

any tax-related penalties that may be imposed under the Internal Revenue

Code, or (ii) promoting, marketing or recommending to another party any

tax-related matter addressed herein.  In order for you to rely on written

advice from Toal, Griffith & Ayers, LLC as protection from tax-related

penalties, please contact us at any of the above locations to discuss

whether we can provide you with a formal written opinion.

 

Confidentiality Notice:

This email is covered by the Electronic Communications Privacy Act, 18 USC

2510-2521 and is legally privileged.  This email and its attachments are

confidential and may also be protected by Accountant/Client privilege, work

product doctrine, or other nondisclosure protection.  If you believe that it

has been sent to you in error, you may not read, disclose, print, copy,

store or disseminate the email or any attachments or the information in

them.  Please reply to the sender by e-mail that you have received the

message in error, then delete it.  Thank you.

 

-----Original Message-----

From: CBS SportsLine.com [mailto:mailer@mailer-relay.sportsline.com]

Sent: 12/05/2006 11:02 AM

To: davidg@nasbe.org; jgriffith@tgacpa.com

Subject: Eagles Week 13 inactives

 

------------------------------------------------------------

CBS SportsLine.com Fantasy Football Notification

------------------------------------------------------------

 

 

The Philadelphia Eagles declared WR Jason Avant, LB Shawn

Barber, CB William James, OL Max Jean-Gilles, OL Winston

Justice, OL Pat McCoy, RB Ryan Moats and DT LaJuan Ramsey

inactive for Week 13 against the Panthers.

 

None of the players mentioned above are worthy of Fantasy

consideration.

 

This is an automated e-mail sent out from the

CBS SportsLine.com Fantasy  web site.

 

Go to: http://losr99.football.sportsline.com/options/alerts

to change the e-mail and/or wireless notifications you are

currently set up to receive.

 

 

 

wip fan finger

How retarded is this:

 

http://www.fanfinger610.com/

Philly sitcom?

Clickin thru channels and just saaw a guy on the fox sitcom Till Death with a flyers t-shirt. 1st time I can ever recall ever seeing that logo/team displayed on a show. Is it set in philly?

Michael Irvin's Racist Comments

One can only imagine the firestorm (and sacking) of a white commentator that said the same thing Michael Irvin did about Tony Romo’s ancestry and athleticism on Dan Patrick's ESPN radio show.

 

Amazingly, this has received NO attention - not even from the "Worldwide Leader In Sports."

 

 

"He doesn't look like he's that type of an athlete," Irvin said of Romo. "But he is. He is, man. I don't know if some brother down in that line

somewhere, I don't know who saw what or where, his great-great-great-great-grandma ran over in the 'hood or something went down."

 

"If great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great grandma pulled one of them studs up out of the barn, 'Come on in here for a second,' you know, and they go out and work in the yard. You know, back in the day."

Why, oh Why

?Westbrook had 27 touches - 20 carries and 7 catches. What the hell was he doing in the game on the last possession down by 24 points? does Reid want him to get hurt? and it seemed that he was getting the ball on every play at that point.

 

Had touches on 8 of the first 12 plays.

 

 

Here's the amazing stat:

 

Westbrook had 27 touches, the rest of the team had 21 (5 rushes, 16 receptions). LJ had 4 catches, a bunch had 2 each. Bucky had 4 carries. 6 incompletes.

 

That's 80% of the runs and close to 30% of the passes (completions).

 

And yet, at 5-6 the Eagles are one game out of the wildcard.

Still Hope?

Just when I think the season is over, Sam Donnellon lays out an encouraging scenario for the Eagles (excerpt below). If Garcia is serviceable could we be looking at a Lindros-type situation here if the Eagles were to make the playoffs and, heaven forbid, make a run without their injured star and leader (and would McNabb be banging Matt McCoy's wife on the side)?

 

 

“The bottom line is that the best teams in the division have six wins, and the Eagles have five. The bottom line is that three of the four contenders have replaced their quarterbacks for one reason or another and the fourth, the Giants, are not exactly enthralled by the performance of their guy right now.

 

Who was it who said the division winner would need 11 wins?

 

Oh yeah, me.

 

Scratch that.

 

I'm figuring nine might take it, and if there's two nines, both might go to the playoffs from a division that, with apologies to that premier quarterback Tony Romo and his new main squeeze Jessica Simpson, may be the worst in the NFL.

 

Yes, the Eagles have three straight divisional road games to end the season, but look at those games now: Washington is woeful, New York's injury list is oppressive, and the Cowboys... well, if that game on Christmas even has meaning, isn't that a conquest? Indeed it may come down to a last-game, New Year's Eve showdown at home with

hothouse Atlanta, whose quarterback Michael Vick - once perceived as the next model - was described as a "coach killer" in print this week.”

 

 

FW: hindsight

Here’s another eagles question in hindsight.

 

Why did they cut McCants and keep Lewis? Aren’t they wash talent-wise at worst – and McCants has actually produced for another team at WR. Add his special teams leadership/production and how did McCants get cut and Lewis not?

 

My friend says that Lewis made a nice long TD catch in final preseason game, and wouldn’t you think that coaches don't let one random play in preseason determine their decisions - erasing memories of several yrs of soft routes and dropped passes - but thinks that one catch sealed his spot on roster. 

 

They should just cut lewis and re-sign McCants to send a message. There wouldn’t be a dropoff in play.

Done?

My feeling is that the season is over for the Eagles. Even if they could make the playoffs, they are not going to the super bowl with Garcia (not that I’m against extending the season as long possible) and another reason McNabb’s injury is so devastating. The Eagles in the playoffs with a healthy McNabb could have gone all the way given the competition and some breaks.

 

Anway, Reid’s and the front office’s answer to the question I pose has profound implications for the off-season and next year. Maybe they’ll get a good hard look at some of these guys in the last 6 games and figure out who’s a keeper and who’s gotta be replaced. But if they don’t get a freakin’ quality LB in free agency I am going to lose my mind.

McNabb's successor

Don Banks of SI suggests that Donovan’s injury makes it time for the Eagles to draft a QB and begin planning the leadership transition. Interesting.

 

I would take exception to several of Banks’ points – though. McNabb is less of a runner and thus less “reliant on his legs” than is reality. He doesn’t run nearly at all anymore (some say not enough) and only takes off if he is flushed out of the pocket. His acl injury is less serious than Culpepper’s who also tore the MCL, or Palmer’s who shredded three ligaments.

 

 I would also argue that McNabb is just a better QB than Culpepper, injuries or no injuries.

 

Interesting, also, that McNabb’s statistical decline this season coincided with Stallworth’s inactivity due to hammy problems. As I mentioned to PK the other day, watching the Cowboys and Colts, and Stallworth – a solid pro but nothing special – I’ve realized the number of clowns that McNabb has had to work with at WR – Pinkston, Thrash, Greg Lewis, Charles Johnson. Some of these guys, in their best days, would be no better than situational 3^rd-4^th WR on other teams. Yet they all started significant games for the Eagles.

 

To really help McNabb, they need to sign a professional WR free agent – no drafting one and hope he develops, this player needs to be up to speed by the start of 2007, in addition to a big RB, and an LB.

MAC Attack

Out with a bunch of guys on Friday night and we got to discussing nfl qb's and counting which college conference has produced the most current starters. Some surprising results - most notably the MAC has a disproportionate share of starters – Gradkowski, Pennington, Roethlisberger - given its modest Division I status.

 

All of which is background to perhaps explain why the Eagles just signed Bowling Green's Omar Jacobs as the team's #3 QB to fill McNabb's roster spot.

 

here's the word on Jacobs

 

Mike Quick's poor choice of words

Commenting on Andre Waters’ apparent gunshot suicide:

 

"It blows your mind that somebody could do that to themselves,'' Mike Quick said.

Mike Quick's poor choice of words

Commenting on Andre Waters’ apparent gunshot suicide:

 

"It blows your mind that somebody could do that to themselves,'' Mike Quick said.

Messed Up

The Dallas Cowboys have the best QB in the NFC East.  Didn't think at the start of the season that would be the case.

Waters' Pain

Outstanding article by Phil Sheridan on Andre Waters’ death. I also suspected that perhaps the physical pain of post-NFL life may have been too much for Waters. Here’s Sheridan’s take with great points about the side of the nfl we don’t see after the player is gone and cheering subsides.

 

“I played because I loved it," he said. "I'm not looking for sympathy, because it's what I wanted to do. I just don't think people realize the players they cheer for wind up unable to walk or sleep because of pain."

 

What bothered him was that the sacrifice of his body didn't mean anything to the NFL the moment he couldn't play anymore. Jobs in scouting and coaching went to men who spent their 20s working a different career track and networking….

 

Maybe there were other reasons. Maybe something happened recently to drive Waters to suicide. Or maybe the pain - physical and emotional - palpable in his voice just kept getting worse. Probably, we'll never know.”

Answers?

Here’s a question that’s been perplexing me.

 

What are the Eagles?

 

• A true 5-5 team in a league of parity?
• A team that is a couple of plays, one 62 yard field goal, and a torn ACL from being 7-3 or 8-2 right now and the second best team in the conference?
• A below .500 team with significant weaknesses on defense and some questionable offensive skill players whose franchise-QB has helped them overachieve and mask these shortcomings?
• A flawed team in a flawed division and flawed conference that can still compete for a playoff spot at 5-5 even with a backup QB for the remainder of the season given the competition.
• A mediocre team whose entire fortune rises and falls on a single player-- more so than most other teams – the QB?

Missed 3 Cost Competitiveness

Would have been a lot more exciting final 5 minutes yesterday if the Eagles hadn’t botched their FG. An Akers’ 3 there makes the score 24-16 and makes the game a one possession game (with a looming 2-pt. conversion.).

Just a sloppy, sloppy game.

Devastating McNabb Injury

A swirl of emotion surrounding McNabb's knee injury- hopes of the Super
Bowl are out the window-obviously. They might still be able to make the
playoffs, but so what? They're not going to get very far.

With McNabb, anything was possible with this team. Amazingly, 5-5 still
leaves the Eagles in the playoff hunt. And they brought in Jeff Garcia
specifically for this very situation... to have a veteran QB that could
step in for McNabb if the unthinkable happened.

Some of my friends have tried to point out that too bad the Eagles
didn't win the Giants and Bucs game to give themselves (ie, Garcia) a
margin for error and give them a leg up in the playoff race.

Here's another thought: how much more devastating would McNabb's loss be
(if possible) they eagles had won those games and been 7-3 right now?
They'd be the #2 seed in the NFC, looking at a bye for the playoffs.
Losing McNabb in that scenario might have been even worse.

d-line

Eagles must really be pleased with the D-line’s play to extend another player there – this time Trent Cole, 2^nd year budding sack star out of Cincinnati – for 5 years

Eagles Extend Patterson

Guess the Eagles aren’t so disappointed at the play of their d-line, particularly their tackles, not to extend the contract of Mike Patterson for years.

 

http://www.philadelphiaeagles.com/homeNewsDetail.jsp?id=58798

 

It didn't take long for the Eagles to realize that they want defensive tackle Mike Patterson to be a keystone of the defensive line for a long, long time.

Patterson signed a 7-year contract extension on Thursday, which will keep him in the midnight green through the 2016 season. We will have more coverage later in the day here on PhiladelphiaEagles.com.

The team's first-round draft pick in 2005, the 31st overall selection, started in seven games last season and led the defensive line with 66 tackles and all NFL rookie defensive tackles with 3.5 sacks. This season, Patterson has started in every game and has 36 tackles, 1.5 sacks and two fumble recoveries, one of which he returned 98 yards for a touchdown against the 49ers.

 

Are You Rah-Rah?

My God. Rutgers will be coming off a bye when they play Louisville, who should still be recovering from their war with W. Va this Thursday.

 

If they were to win that one…..could they be playing W. Virginia in the last game of the season (12/2) to go undefeated and get a BCS bowl berth?!?!?!!?

Our Eagles Beirut Table

Torture

More from Peter King, “I think the Eagles fan, already a tortured soul, must be really feeling it today. Imagine being tied 24-24, tied 24-24 and up 21-20, with 10 seconds left three times in the past month -- and losing every one of those games on the last play of the game.”

B-Dawk Talks the Talk and Walks the Walk

From Peter King of SI, “I really like how the Eagles aren't making excuses. I talked with Brian Dawkins after the heartbreaker in Tampa and he said, "We can't afford to think anything other than this is a bump in the road. We're too good a team not to. We've got to realize if we don't play a 60-minute game, anyone can beat us, and that's what happened to us.''

Down at the 1

In last night’s game, the Giants had one of the best special teams plays I’ve ever seen. They downed a punt at the 1 millimeter line. And the player who did it was careful not to have accidentally stepped on the goal line or in the end zone. So why did the refs then spot the ball on the 1 yard line, essentially giving the Cowboys an extra yard? ESPN’s troika of geniuses didn’t notice the play nor commented on the spot (I doubt even if they had they’d have had a rationale or coherent explanation. Why don’t announcers know the rules?).

 

Anyway, a friend suggests that perhaps on punts the ball is spotted where the downing player’s feet are, not where the ball is. If so, it is one of the few instances in football where it matters where the player is and not the ball.

Sunday Morning Massacre

Pretty good ESPN analysis of the clarke years. Shrewd trader early, not so much late. Always liked size over speed which is death in new nhl. Never got a goalie, which prob. Cost them 1 cup. & no mention of lindros- his greatest trade & nemesis

 

 

Highlights:

 

“As a GM, Clarke did a pretty good job. But, as he admitted on Sunday, he couldn't deliver the Stanley Cup. During his two tours of duty as Flyer GM,

his teams advanced to the Cup finals on three occasions. Each time, the Flyers couldn't get over that final hump.

 

During his long tenure, he made some good trades and some bad ones. He stole John LeClair and Eric Desjardins from the Canadiens in 1995. In recent years, however, the bad deals seemed to outnumber the smart ones. And, despite those many trades, he never could acquire a franchise goalie.

 

In the months after the lockout, Clarke made some bold moves, signing free agents Peter Forsberg, Derian Hatcher and Mike Rathje. Going into last

season, the Flyers looked like a serious Cup contender. But, they were undone by several factors. The club was crippled by injuries, losing 355

man-games (third most in the league) to injury and some of the big offseason signings -- namely Hatcher and Rathje -- proved less valuable in the "new" NHL. By the end of the season, the Flyers seemed old and slow compared to top Eastern Conference clubs the Hurricanes and Sabres.”

 

 

 

TO Reception?

Eric Allen is way off the mark. Hoge might be right, but Schlereth nailed it.

 

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2611669

Questioning a Win

Don’t want to look a gift horse in the mouth, BUT…..

 

-          Why didn’t Akers attempt the 54 yarder just before the half? That’s makeable for him. Not guaranteed, but doable. Besides, the fake kick call made absolutely NO sense. 1 second left and they run that play? I would think a direct snap to your kicker and then a pass from him to the backup TE is riskier than trying the FG. And if you’re not going to kick it, why even bother calling timeout. Or if you reconsider during the timeout, why not have McNabb hiked the ball, take 3 steps back and take a knee.

 

-          Why didn’t Westbrook play? Hopefully it is because they could beat the Packers without him and gave him an extra weeks rest for the must win game vs. Dallas (must win to get one victory in the division).

 

-          Why doesn’t Moats play more? He is the heir to Westbrook, with his speed to the edge. I understand Bucky is listed as #2 on the depth chart, but he is more of a change of pace back to Westbrook. Moats only saw the field after Bucky fumbled twice, and even then didn’t get a lot of playing time in the 2^nd half. Last year, Moats didn’t see the field for quite a while after Westbrook got hurt. And when he did, he was electrifying, especially in the Giants game. So why doesn’t he play more? He’s a second year guy now. Can’t he pick up the offense? Is he a discipline problem? What’s the deal?

 

 

 

 

 

Defend this House

Hysterical story in yesterday's NY Times about how Giants’ fans got beat up by Eagles fans after the OT loss. Michael Irvin’s comments are too funny (and accurate… yes, Philly fans still hate you).

 

 

From the article: “Michael Irvin, who won three Super Bowls with the Dallas Cowboys in the 1990’s, listed Philadelphia, Oakland and New Orleans as the rowdiest stadiums he ever played in.

“Philly was just a horrible place to play,” Irvin said. “They’re still cursing me out whenever they see me, and I retired more than six years ago.”

Irvin also said, “Raider fans like to paint their faces and pretend to be crazy; Eagles fans really are crazy.”

Martocci, who has accompanied fellow Giants fans around the country since 1990, said that no stadium came close to Philadelphia’s.

“It’s sad,” he said, “because it takes the whole enjoyment out of going to a game.” “