• March 29, 2024

The Harbaughs Were Playing Not To Lose, Eagles Still Not Close

The more things change, the more they stay the same. What we saw tonight was what many thought would be a changing of the guard. Two brothers who ESPN and the NFL Network did multiple stories on. And well deserved. Both Jim and John Harbaugh are very good up and coming coaches. But both were taken to the woodshed by their elders and to me a message that there is a clear separation on a good coach and a great coach.

Tom Couglin is one of the most underrated coaches of the last 20 years. Most forget the work he did with an expansion team in Jacksonville before this by getting the Jaguars to the playoffs. Say what you want to about him being a disciplinarian or tough on his players. The guy is a winner. Bill Belichick if he did nothing outstanding today his game plan was to be around late and make Baltimore beat him. Both of the Harbaugh brothers made critical mistakes that I think directly cost them a trip to Indianapolis,

John had a 2nd and 1 inside 1:30 from the New England 15 yard line with one time out left. He was in total control of his team’s destiny. Then for some reason ignored the fact he needed 3 feet for a new set of downs and 3 more shots at the win. What he did was throw 2 consecutive times that forced him to go for the tie. I was always taught to go for the win on the road. He had New England on the ropes and if he would have got the new set of downs I loved his chances. Instead he left the team’s fate in a kicker’s hands and the kick was missed and New England was off to Indy.

Jim flat out failed to make routine adjustments that would have put his team in a much better position to win. First Navarro Bowman was confused in the coverages called all day and was just beat up by the Giant receivers. That continued until the very end constantly extending Giant drives on 3rd down. Then, with one of the most accomplished collegiate punt returners of recent times, Michael Crabtree, kept on the bench after a bad muff that cost the 49ers the game in regulation.

We will never know but in my opinion Crabtree doesn’t fumble that punt and it would have given Alex Smith a chance to get them downfield. That’s assuming he let Smith throw the ball downfield because in the final minutes he literally put handcuffs on his quarterback, afraid to have him make a mistake that would cost his team the game.

Both Coaches played not to lose rather then to win. A critical mistake.

New England has opened as a 3 to 3.5 point favorite in the Superbowl and even though I think New York is the more complete team, right now Brady has revenge on his mind.

Peyton Manning best of all time ? How about unsure of the best in his family?

I think people are making a huge mistake comparing themselves to these two teams. They aren’t even in the same league. The first thing that separates them is coaching. It’s literally amazing that Tom Coughlin is always on the hot seat and Andy Reid gets a pass. Reid can’t hold a candle to him in a few important areas. He just cannot make adjustments on the fly. He refuses to admit or address his obvious weaknesses and just has a terrible record at choosing personnel.

The next area is the quarterback. Both Manning and Brady are true pocket passers. Vick does not make as good as decisions on the fly and is not even close in accuracy. He hasn’t demonstrated he can take a team on his back and win one in the clutch. The Giants defense has size, the Eagles defense has speed. The Eagles wide receivers have speed, the Giant wideouts have size. We all see what advances in January.

Again as I said the more things change the more they stay the same. As every team is making announcements everyday making changes to improve. The Eagles sit stubborn and quiet. With Marty Mornhinweg possibly headed to the Colts, Spagnola to New Orleans, seems like they have a different idea of where the gold standard is. They need to go through the motions the next 12 months as I expect they will. They will have trouble winning 8 games ( you heard it here first) Then blow this team up and get Bigger and Stronger.

And I hate to say it Vick lovers but find someone even dumber than them to take him off their hands. They will NEVER win with him or this coach. So I think it’s time everyone in Philly joins me in the real world. This will get real bad next year. I will be shocked to see Reid make it to Thanksgiving. Again you heard it here first.

Charles Bowles

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daggolden
daggolden
January 23, 2012 6:00 am

Why is it that its only the Randalls, McNabbs and the Vicks of the world that will never go to the superbowl. hmmmm interesting. Yeah Alex Smith is great. Ask the 49 ers if they would trade for Vick. lol. Alex Smith had a career game last week but other than that he threw for 3000 yards and he looked like he did for his whole career he stinks. He was a play away from going to the superbowl. I think Vick cant go that far is ridiculous.49ers defense carried that team. The 49ers defense is very very good. Get Vick a great defense how about that?

daggolden
daggolden
January 23, 2012 6:03 am

David Akers transformation. There was a time when Akers could barely reach the endzone. There was a time when Akers barley could kick 50 yards. This year (even with rule change) this guy looks like he has bionic leg. Just saying. He had a hell of a offseason work out. hmmmm

Rocko
Rocko
January 23, 2012 6:24 am

i agree daggolden, good stuff.

paulman
paulman
January 23, 2012 6:42 am

Isn’t Balco Industries located outside of San Francisco..
The 49ers desperately need quality WR too… This 49ers Corps remeinds me of the Eagles a few years back where they just can’t get any separtion from defensders.. I think Smith completed about 3 passes to his WR all game long.. everything else was to the TE’s (Davis/Walker) and to the RB’s (Gore/Hunter)
I see the 49ers adding 1-2 WR’s to their offense for they really miss the injured WR Josh Morgan, and WR Crabtree is a bust if you ask me and not an NFL quality Receiver.. He runs crappy routes, afraid of contact and has lousy hands… How can a player who was great at catching everything thrown his way n College look so bad at the NFL Level.. what a huge disappointments he’s been..

vinnietheevictor
vinnietheevictor
January 23, 2012 8:11 am

There was one very important lesson for the Eagles (and many posters here) yesterday. And that involved the behaviour of one Mr. Vernon “can’t win with ’em” Davis.

Despite listening to him on the pregame show rattle on and on about how he had “changed” and how the Singletary humiliation had been the best for him, he did what all players do when the stage gets bigger. He returned to the selfish, team hurting player that he is.

1st was the stupid celebration in the endzone. 15 yrds.
Then the 3rd man in incident. 15 yrds (SF drive ended at the 41. Wouldn’t those 15 yrds have loked nice there eh? Tie game style)
And the best….even after you know he’d been admonished by his coaches and teammates, after the second TD he pushed his teammates aside so that he could get some “me me me” time in front of the cameras.

Selfish players always return to their roots when the cameras turn on. The Eagles’ have at least 3 of these types on their roster and should jettison them asap.

On a side note…..Paulman, you keep calling for Desean to the 49ers. I doubt, that after watching that performance from “can’t do it” there’s no way he’s going to add another Diva to that team.

jimmy mac
jimmy mac
January 23, 2012 8:26 am

Totally agree. Eagles are built for YouTube highlights.

med776
med776
January 23, 2012 10:21 am

Ya, it’s Jim Harbaugh’s fault that Kyle Williams killed the team.

bugsyhawk
bugsyhawk
January 23, 2012 10:36 am

Totally the coaches fault that Williams fumbled 2 times, Lee Evans dropped a game winning TD and Cundiff missed the FG. If only they were playing to win. The Harbaughs put their teams in position to win and the players didn’t get it done.

SONGSRME2
SONGSRME2
January 23, 2012 10:48 am

Dag, that can be easily answered. There’s less blacks at the QB position. Got it?

so the percentages favor white QB’s getting to the big game.

Makes since to you now?

there’s 1 black for every 5 white QB’s drafted each year so of course Blacks would have a lower percentage of playing in the big game.

Get a calculator.

SONGSRME2
SONGSRME2
January 23, 2012 10:54 am

If Andy Reid didn’t have exceptional QB’s with great Athletic ability, he would have been fired a long time ago the way he call games. Remember Doug Pederson without receivers before McNabb came in and won without receivers?

Reid knew exactly what he was doing jettison Kolb before getting exposed. Vick brought Reid another 3 years.

So, be careful before you try to make it seem that a team have a better opportunity of winning with a white QB.

Someone please give me the stat of the number of white QB’s who started and never made it to a Superbowl…Let’s compare that number to Blacks who never made it.

That stat will expose the so called white/black QB argument.

The ceiling is obviously higher for blacks at the QB position.

tonto5
tonto5
January 23, 2012 11:13 am

Think the article says true pocket passers not white QB. that said, the only black QB to win the SB was a “(dilfer) sucked, 50 % passer completion, and Defense and running game helped them big time.

DCar
DCar
January 23, 2012 11:52 am

Charles, me & most of the posters on here, have been in th real world much longer than you. I agree Crabtree should have been doing returns, but I believe he has had groin issues all year. Although the Harbaughs called very vanilla, conservative, game plans most of the games, they were coached good enough to win, but TO’s & missed opportunities lost the games. I think they both coached good games & deserved to win. But hey, that’s the NFL, it never fails that every playoff game seems to be decided by TO’s & missed opportunities. BTW, Williams & Cundiff should be cut ASAP, no matter how their team mates say they have their backs. Unacceptable mistakes & blunders.

cbowles111
cbowles111
January 23, 2012 5:58 pm

Dcar real world ? Sorry bro I own part of a billion dollar company and not only played in college but still coach. I am glad for all of the responses that menas what I say gets people thinking. But as far as teh end of the game, I respect your opinions but if you cant see that both coaches were way too conserative look at the final scores. Both Lost now we al coul dhave diferent opinions as to why. I’ll stick by mine. Mostly because I have been closer to the game then most on here. But I do respect your opinions.

cbowles111
cbowles111
January 23, 2012 6:02 pm

Sonserme I have no clue why race has anything to do with this. I simply said my “opinion” was you need a true pocket passer to win in the NFL. Sorry if you took itthat way. I do have meny calculators here I’ll use one thanks

bugsyhawk
bugsyhawk
January 23, 2012 7:19 pm

Cbowles, both teams had the opportunity to win the game late. Lee Evans/Cundiff cost the Ravens and Williams cost SF. What do those plays have to do with being too conservative?

paulman
paulman
January 23, 2012 8:17 pm

The 3rd & 1 and 4th & 7 plays killed the Ravens in 2nd to last drive of th egame to me and I agree with Mr Bowles, The Ravens were playing for the TIe and you can’t play that way in PLayoff Football before the final Fiacso of ther Dropped Pass and Missed FG. .At he same token, The Patriots had 2 Drives which could have sealed the game too for the Patriots and they went 3 & Out and gave the ball back to the Ravens with a chance.. Both teams did not rise up to the occasion in my opinion (Offensively anyways)

DCar
DCar
January 24, 2012 1:44 am

cbowles, didn’t I say that they called very vanilla, conservative game plans, most of the games? Learn how to read before you correct peoples responses. You where the one who said, & I quote- “So I think it’s time everyone in Philly joins me in the real world. This will get real bad next year. I will be shocked to see Reid make it to Thanksgiving. Again you heard it here first.” We didn’t here anything from you first, me along with many on here, have wanted Reid out for 3 years now, so there is no surprise if he is a lame duck coach. Lurie WILL NOT fire Reid by Thanksgiving. BTW, who gives a crap that you own part of a billion $$$ company!? I make well over 6 digits, who gives a F^#@, It’s all irrelevant to the topic at hand!?

cbowles111
cbowles111
January 24, 2012 6:32 pm

Paulman nice to hear from a guy who actually understands th egame on a deeper level. with San Francisco it was obvious with a minute left that Harbaugh as wel lwas playing for th etie. Do you thin Eli or Brady would have not thrown the ball downfield for the win ? Again if this gets sharp minds debating its a success. Dcar brother you need to learn to treat people with respect. Its usually the empty can that makes the most noise. Congrats on your six figure salary. Perhaps learn alittle humility

DCar
DCar
January 25, 2012 2:47 am

cbowles you’re an idiot. I have humility, you don’t. I wasn’t the one who said he had owned a part in a billion $$$ company, did I? I made a for instance & said it was irrelevant, what you & I make. I’m far from empty my brother. Just because I speak the truth & am brutally honest, doesn’t make what I say wrong. Don’t hold a grudge because I exposed you PSU cultist, joke, frauds, for what you are. BTW, who the hell are you that I have to respect you? You’re a clueless fraud, that doesn’t know reality or what is right or wrong. You’re a clown, & like I said to you on a prior article, look at yourself in the mirror, get your priorities in the right order, & say a prayer or two. At least I know what is right or wrong, & fight for the week & helpless, & care about preventing children/ people from being harmed, & get criminal scum off of the street! So go on with your billion $$$ Co. God Bless you, up on your high horse. Remember respect isn’t given, it is earned, & IMHO, a clueless blogger, as yourself, doesn’t deserve it.