Come from behind victories have been a regular thing for the Eagles in 2010. The Eagles have shown a resiliency that has allowed them to rally and win games despite facing several uphill battles.
The team first showed this resiliency in Week 1, when they made a late rally behind Michael Vick and nearly came back from a 17 point deficit in the second half to tie the Green Bay Packers.
Vick provided a spark in that game that seemed to energize and excite his teammates. The spark Vick provided in that game has carried over, and helped the team win important games this season that they would have struggled to win in the past.
In Donovan McNabb’s final seasons with the Eagles, one of the biggest issues with the team was that they often were unable to rally after being down late in games. In McNabb’s final two seasons, the Eagles had a record of 4-9 when trailing by one score (as little as three points, as many as eight) at any point in the 4th quarter.
This stat doesn’t mean that the nine losses were necessarily McNabb’s fault, it just points out that the Eagles had trouble coming back to win games in the final seasons of McNabb’s career in Philadelphia.
Under Vick, the Eagles record in those same circumstances is 5-1. With the season not even finished, the Vick-led Eagles have already rallied to more come from behind victories than the McNabb-led Eagles were able to produce in the last two seasons.
Even more impressive is the quality of the opponents that the Eagles have rallied against. The Eagles have comeback to beat the Colts, Texans, Cowboys, and the Giants (twice) despite trailing late in the game. Remember just a year ago, the Eagles failed to win a single game against an opponent with a winning record.
The resiliency the Eagles have shown speaks to the effect that Vick has had on the team since being named the starter. Vick has his teammates believing that they are never out of a game. When they’ve been behind late in games, they know that they can look to Vick to make plays to get them back into games.
By continuing to make big plays in big games, Vick has rewarded his team’s faith in him time and time again. Keeping a mentality that they are never out of a game will serve the Eagles well in the playoffs.
The Dallas Cowboys pathetic fans mention their past SB rings everytime the Eagles are brought up in a conversation and it would be sooooo sweet to get our first ring in Jerry’s world circus arena this February.
That would stick a fork in Cowboys fans and we as Eagles fan would remind those roaches where we won our Ring the next time the bring up the Landry and Jimmie Johnson Era.
We will win the Superbowl this year.
Some valid points and there is no doubt that the Eagles have finished games very strong in the 4th Quarter and better than they probably ever have… We have to credit the following for this.
#1) The New Strength and Conditioning Coaches have these players stronger and with better stamina
#2) Defensively, D/C McDermott has been playing 18-20 players every game on a rotational basis
Along the D-line there has been Laws,Tapp,Graham (before he was hurt) all getting a lot of snaps
and the DT Position is the deepest position on the team with Dixon,Patterson,Bunkley & Laws.
At LB I’ve seen games where Clayton and Jordan are getting snaps and then in the Secondary,
using Coleman,Lindley,Hanson, & Colt Anderson has allowed this Defense to remain fresh and hungry for the end of games which I think has been a huge difference in their play this Season as opposed to previous seasons where they became tired and worn out by the end of the games.
#3) Offensively, I think the plan has been, by passing so much in the 2nd/3rd Periods that the Eagles Offense gets opposing teams to tire out and become worn down, then Eagles start pounding the ball in the 4th Quarter with McCoy to close out the games and at least control the clock and the line of scrimmage…The Eagles also play a very quick pace to speed the game up and with their playmakers on the outside and of course Vick at QB, teams have to account for this speed which opens up space in the intermediate middle of the field as well as out on flats.
The Patirots and Colts have done this for years, where they don’t run it too often,but thy do run it at crunch time and run it effectively once the other team is pooped out and to cose out games…
Songs I love it, you are right that is a pain in the arse when you are debating a cowgirl fan. It always comes up becasue Eagles fans just plain know how to debate a football issue and the cowboy fans are cluesess (well the ones I run into who have no attachment to the city except 10weeks of football. I say 9wks because cowboys over the last 12 years mostly have been out by then).
Nice article Denny
Paul good points. hey you made me think back to all the games where the opposing defense has been gasping for air looking like big ol’ pond koi, they have defenses heads spinning everyone looking for help from the other guy at the same time. that is a classic image that i hold in my mind for a very long time.
Correct me if I am wrong but I believe the universal term for that look is “Tired and scared”, haaa Get ’em.
Final point, our defense for all the points they tend to give up, almost never have that “Tired and scared” look, that is noteworthy when you consider their experience level, and is a reflection of the Defensive coaches and Reid. Thats my plug to NOT fire McD as some have hinted in the past.
The other good point/strategy by rotating a lot of players through-out the games on Defense, is that if & when they are called upon to fill-in or replace a player who becomes injured,they are not overwhelmed and at least have played some snaps in games and are used to the speed,schemes and playing with
their other teammates,etc,etc, as opposed to coming in with cold feet and little confidence…
Yep, what you siad.
Vick has been all Andy can ask for. He runs the game plan for 3 quarters like a good soldier. If the Eagles are behind in the forth quarter, he’s willing to do anything it takes to get the job done; run himself or pass. He is the ultimate cover up for any holes the the offensive game plans. My only complaint with Vick is he’s been drifting too far back or out of the pocket in the last month. It gives the pass rushers clear paths at him that the o-line can’t be expected to cover.
He has to stop doing this against a good cover 2 defense. Vick has to step up in the pockets and throw or take the easy short runs and slide. Marty and Andy have to take some of the blame because the long developing routes are making Vick try to buy too much time. The Bears and Giants defenses can be beat by the eagles, but only if vick is moving forward and attacking. The both those fronts are to athletic to run around 12 yards behind the line of scrimage and expect to have success.
Good points dudes.Happy Holidays.
I think what else he’s done is inspire those guys. When he steps on the field you can still look at him as hell bent on getting his career back on track. The life things will continue too take care of themselves. He’s crisp in everything he does from the position and totally acts like a true student of the game. The young guys follow suit. And who wants too let down a guy who helped you kick the crap outta your buddy 55-13 on Madden 05′. He has changed the way we look at our Birds.
I have to put this out there as I did earlier in the preseason predicting that Kolb should have a 2 game test before the hook…..
While watching Jamar Chaney since Bradley’s injury, I’ve noticed better play downhill play with more tackles behind the line, the tight end have been covered better for the first time in ages, and jamar make tackles once a runner have passed the 1st wave.
How many times have you seen Stewart Bradley make a tackle after the runner past him?
Jamar Chaney is a better Middle linebacker than Stewart Bradley.
I’m not saying Bradley is garbage but he’s not a game changer. He’s a system linebacker.
If this defense improves while these kids are jelling in the playoffs I hope the coaches stay with Jamar Chaney….
I’m tired of hearing the national news before every game pointing out the tight end on opposing teams have a clear advantage over Stewart Bradley in coverage.
If they know it…The Eagles coaches should know it.
Bradley could not cover Tight ends before his surgery so i don’t want to hear his the injury excuse.
He have never blossomed into the linebacker we’ve all been waiting to see.
Let’s go with the game changing, downhill playing Jamar Chaney and see if Stewart can get some reps in Sims spot.
Songs, I am with you on that, I think that once again Reid’s had will be forced for the good, and we get a potential stud or at least a consistant brusing middle man. Who knows this could be the good future that turns Bradley into a stud OLB that we all been begging for.
For the record I say we keep Simms, why becasue if the coachs can get into his head, and the trainers more into his body, we will have one mean arse shark in the water OLB, and a potential powerful linebacker corp. I want that more becasue I want the team to you there front drafts getting long term potential play makers that will give us a nice starter/back up O-line corp, that will make Vick smile and blush.
Wasn’t the TD to Boss, Chaney’s responsibility? That’s what it looked like to me and that’s what I’ve read a bunch of times since Sunday. Chaney made a lot of tackles and played the run nicely, but he didn’t cover the TE particularly well.
LB Position for next season will look like this
Sam – M Fokou (back-up A Jordan)
MIke – J Chaney ( Bradley)
Will – S Bradley (Where he belongs, back-up Clayton)
Both Gaither & Sims will be free-agents and most likely not back with the Team ,
They will draft 1 or 2 LBs, invite a Player or 2 and still have R Sapp who maybe could develop as
the Joker-Pass Rushing LB in some packages..
Pauly..look at that big play by Boss again. That was not Chaney’s responsibility.
Because Chaney was doing such a good job on the tight ends ..the Giants schemed a play to get boss free on a cleverly disguised pass. they called the play in their normal running set where the middle linebacker commits to the gap, so Boss was moved near the right line of scrimmage as if he was going to block and crept out the back door with no one on him in space. A good offensive call they had to use because he couldn’t beat the linebacker straight up.
Okay, you guys at times are down right scary! I am going to get a loan and start my own Football cable network and I am hiring all of you guys (Yep even Paul yeaks), some of you leave me thinking sometimes, what? wow! Haaaaaa funny keeping breaking down the film coach scrop, coach Drum, coach Paul, and the rest of you.
Truth be told I have won a couple arguments at work because of you guys, haaa how cool is that.
Forward your address Mono so I can send you a bill … Merry Christmas…Ho Ho Ho…. .
I agree with Songs,
That TD Pass to Boss was a good 20 yards down the field and the Safety (Mikell or Allen) was late in arriving and convering. Chaney dropped back to what appeared to be a zone coverage and he dropped back about 8-12 yards which is about the max for a LB in zone coverage, then the Safeties got to cover it from there, unless it’s man to man coverage, which this play didn’t appear to be
Chaney had a hell of a game and led the team with 15-16 Tackles, I am curious to see how he follows this performance up vs the Vikings and Cowboys and hopefully will cement himself as the MLB of the future and then the Eagles can move Bradley back outside where I think he is most effective..