It wasn’t pretty, but if my recent memory serves, there were complaints that this team was incapable of stepping up and winning these types of games late.¬† The Dallas Cowboys are still in first, but they have games coming up with New Orleans, San Diego and the Giants.¬† So it’s not like they are on cruise control.¬† Let’s take a look at the game:
What I liked…
-Andy committed to the run.¬† He stayed with it, even if at times it didn’t look so hot.¬† Specifically, he stayed with it on the goal line and Eldra Buckley finally found his way in.
-David Akers has been rock solid this year and he was perfect yesterday.¬† He had been a bit up and down the last couple years and it’s good to see that they didn’t have to go find a new kicker.¬† If you have a Steven Hauschka, you lose yesterday.
-How can you not love LeSean McCoy’s effort on the two-point conversion?¬† And this brings me to another point:¬† Why hadn’t they run that play at the goal line all year?¬† They used to run that with Westbrook all the time where the running runs across the line of scrimmage and McNabb gives him the quick shovel pass.¬† With the amount of struggles that they’ve had, you would think they’d have dusted that one off a long time ago.¬† It usually works well for them.
-Jeremy Maclin is becoming a baller.  Beautiful catch on the sidelines to put the Eagles in great position to do some damage.
-Hey, guess who’s contract is up after this season?¬† Jason Avant.¬† Joe Banner might want to get his agent on the phone.¬† I’ll be curious to see how his deal and others (like Weaver) are handled.¬† Looks like we might not have a cap next year and then no CBA after that.¬† I’ve heard many executives say that they aren’t even sure how this will all play out or what the right thing to do will be.¬†
-I don’t think I give Trent Cole enough love in this space.
-Asante, great job with the two picks.  They were huge.  But can you at least attempt to wrap someone up?  No one is asking you to lay the wood like Ronnie Lott.  If you just help to do something to get the dude on the ground that would be great.
-I want to thank the Redskins for taking Devin Thomas and Fred Davis over DeSean Jackson.
-Based on the personnel the Eagles have at the position, I think I’d like to see more Tracy White.¬†
…and not so much…
-Juqua Parker, do you have any idea how lucky you are?¬† You will get fined for that late, terrible hit on Jason Campbell to end the game.¬† I have no idea how the refs didn’t see that, but that could have been a penalty that cost the Eagles the game.¬† The Redskins had plenty of time on the clock.¬† Bonehead.
-I don’t think I care much for these injuries to DeSean Jackson (concussion) and Brent Celek (thumb).¬† It does, however, explain all of Celek’s awful drops.¬†
-Of course I didn’t like the onsides kick.¬† But I’m not going to rip Reid for it.¬† It’s a genius/idiot move, much like Belichick’s going for it on 4th and 2 a couple weeks ago against the Colts.¬† If it works you are a genius, if it doesn’t you are a moron.
-I thought I followed the NFL pretty carefully, but apparently I don’t.¬† I never knew Michael Vick was a short-yardage back.¬† Did anyone see him turn his back in the hole?¬† That is inexcusable.¬† Then again, he shouldn’t be put in that position in the first place.¬†
-We finally heard Winston Justice’s name this year and it wasn’t good.¬† I’ll give him a pass though, he’s been pretty darn good.
-What happened to the offense in the third quarter?  Awful.
-I know they are decimated with injuries at LB, but with the exception of Will Witherspoon, I just can’t stand the group they have out there.¬†
-On short goal-to-go plays, I really don’t like the roll out.¬† The reason the red zone is so tough to operate in is because of the back of the end zone, obviously.¬† It shortens the field tremendously and you have less room to operate.¬† Well, when they have Donovan roll out to his right like on Sunday, you’ve now trimmed the field into an even smaller space.¬† So your QB is now throwing on the run, the receivers have less room to work and at least half the defense is running in that same direction.¬† Seems like you are making things tougher, not easier.¬†
Atlanta is up next and it looks like they will be sans Michael Turner.¬† We’ll keep an eye on Matt Ryan, he has a sprained toe.¬†
