As bad as the loss was to the Bears last Monday night, we at least knew that the lowly Arizona Cardinals would be coming to town the following week. The awful Cardinals with a poor starting quarterback, who was going to miss this game. And if the 49ers were to take out the Giants, the Eagles would then be looking at facing the Giants for a chance to be one game back in the division. Good thing there was no way this awful Cardinals team could be them. So, let’s look at the game:
What I liked…
-LeSean McCoy was very good again, even if Andy Reid the play caller didn’t notice.
-Impressive special teams kick coverage again on another brilliant return man. I’m a huge Colt Anderson fan. You will never see his jersey hanging in Modell’s, but such is the life of a gritty special teamer.
-How can you not love Larry Fitzgerald? It’s funny that he gets paid elite wide receiver money and that’s the neighborhood DeSean is looking for. It’s funny how he showed what a true stud does (even with an awful QB) and DeSean couldn’t even be on the field to show what he could do, because he’s been lazy and behaving like a petulant child.
…and not so much…
-A game against the terrible Cardinals and there are only three things I liked from the game and one of them was a player on the other team. Wretched.
-Yes, Michael Vick has a couple busted ribs and they are very painful. I’m going to go ahead and hope that his miserable play was because of those ribs. He has just not been very good lately. How many open receivers did he miss? And he continues to not slide and now he’s hurt and we saw this all coming. Great. Thanks, Michael.
-His receivers could have actually helped by catching the ball. This team looks lazy and undisciplined. We saw it last week when Jackson couldn’t hold on to the punt. We saw it with Avant’s fumble. We saw it with Maclin’s fumble and a drop against Atlanta. Sloppy, sloppy, sloppy.
-Jason Babin did absolutely nothing. The less they use the Wide 9, the less effective he is.
-Could someone please explain to me why Nnamdi Asomugha wasn’t shadowing Larry Fitzgerald all day? Another example of an incompetent defensive coordinator who is smarter than everyone else. They have one playmaker outside. One. Wouldn’t it be a great idea to close him off completely? No, we are going to move everyone around and play some zones.
-Speaking of coverage, I saw Jaiquawn Jarrett covering Fitz way too often. I don’t know what plays were being run, but if the end result i Jarrett on Fitz, then I hate it. It’s like there is a high school coach running the defense. Actually, that’s an insult to high school coaches. Again, I don’t blame Juan, it’s Andy’s fault for putting him in that position.
-Steve Smith stinks. I have no idea why, because this guy was an excellent player for the New York Giants. But, he’s awful now. He can’t catch and I have no clue what he was doing going to the ground instead of going upfield to get that first down. Shameful.
-So, DeSean is that important, huh? I know what he does to defenses, but let’s not pretend that there isn’t enough talent on this offense without him to score more than one TD against the awful Cardinals.
-Vick is a turnover machine. All the people that hated McNabb and thought he was awful…this is awful. Turnovers are killers and Vick really should have thrown three picks yesterday. Donovan didn’t turn the ball over, which is crucial when you have throw-happy Andy, who wants to air it out 50+ times a game. Also, check Vick’s record lately. Donovan destroys him in terms of wins. Yet, this city loves Vick and couldn’t stand Donovan. I don’t get it. Vick is capable of playing at a very high level. Yes, is upside is higher than Donovan’s was. But, we haven’t seen that upside in a long time.
-Someone please explain to me why Casey Matthews is in goal line packages. “We really need to tighten our belts in this short-yardage situation! Get me the undersized linebacker who gets run over constantly…now!” I mean…this has to be a joke, right?
-Every day that goes by, DeSean’s value gets lower and lower. It’s to the point now where many people are openly wondering whether he’ll even be on this team next year. I couldn’t have imagined that talk a year ago.
-Nnamdi, you can’t press a receiver that’s off the line of scrimmage like that. They have something called a neutral zone and the refs get very pissy when you stand in it.
-Another fourth quarter lead blown! Hooray! It’s absolutely mind boggling how awful this team is in the fourth quarter. Offense and defense.
-You think this team is bad now, wait until we get a look at it with Vince Young.
-What was with that awful throw by Vick to end the game? Looked like it was out of frustration.
-So, if this terrible season does lead to roster/staff blow up, is that a good thing? Yes, I’m sick of the poor decisions with defensive personnel and the terrible coaching decisions made with said defensive personnel. But say what you want, Andy gets the most out of quarterbacks (he has a lot of other good qualities too). What would Vick become with someone else running the show? Is it a reason to keep Andy? No, but it’s one of the many side effects that we might see should Andy get the boot. I think it’s time for Andy to go, but there will most certainly be some negatives that come with that.
The Giants are next. How frustrated will you be if they find a way to win that?
I dont know why everyone says the Cards are terrible…. they lost 4 games by less than a TD against some good teams…. granted, on paper the Eagles look more talented, the Cards have excellent coaching and some really good young talent on the defensive side of the ball…. Campbell, Docket, Peterson, Acho and Washington are very good players in their prime (Acho and Peterson rookies). Acho is a guy i wanted the Eagles to draft, but they dont draft linebackers until late in the draft….
After watching the Eagles game, I turned on the 49ers vs. Giants and then the bears vs. Lions….both teams that won have excellent linebackers that cover sideline to sideline and play all 3 downs…and leaders on both sides of the ball…..
Going back to the Cards, they are tough, physical and play hard all 4 quarters……the Eagles do not….
It’s only entertainment and not real Football anymore anyways..
Till 2013 or 2014… This Franchise is becoming the Cincinnati Bengals/Detroit Lions and Cleveland Browns all rolled into one..
Now I have to clean the garage out……. even my wife made a comment about how bad the eagles are – I f*&^%$^$ hate cleaning out the garage – it will be a disaster again in 6 months….
i dont know what to say about this team i mean im at a lost for words with this squad right now and almost ready to kill somebody. how in the hell do you blow 5,4th quarter leads this Defense sucks in the worst way next year we need to fat dt’s i mean 330+ that way they can keep our lbs clean to run and cant wait til we trade asante and i think they will trade desean for dewayne bowe and a 2nd rd pick and juan most go the no offseason is killing this team right who knows maybe they get it together and pull a rabbit out there ass.and hey andy that 25 guy is good you know so use him.
Peanut butter and jelly, spaghetti and meatballs..Eagle fans and disapontment.
What will Vick become with someone else running the show….PROBALLY BETTER!!! Another coach would be more balanced run mcCoy 30 times not 12 have Vick throw 20-25 efficient passes not 40……Reid helped qb yardage stats but not winning SB ‘s …….Remember, we have better chance winning SB if Westbrook rushes 30 times not 14 and Mcnabb throw 25 times not 50
Good job for the guys on here who are, well usually right!!! There are alot of opinions on here.For the last 2 or 3 years a few guys have been saying “Get Rid of Andy Reid,” “Phillies need hitters not pitchers,” ” Vick will suck again” I know Paulman was small minority this yr stating Phillies won’t beat the best with same hitters that choke last 3 years. Again good job, for anyone who was on record for last 2 yrs that 1) Reid needs to go 2) Phillies need hitters, 3) Vick sux, but would be better throwing just 25 passes a game and not 40
For the first time EVER- Ive been ashamed to wear my Eagles jersey- I usualyy wear it Mondays after a win or loss- I never thought Id be ashamed to wear it- I wish I could be like so many people and not care passionately about a team- just wait until the Super Bowl, see who wins, and go get the jersey. Im not jumping ON any ones bandwagon- but im sure as hell getting off here. Wow, Detroit, this is what it feels like to know you wont make the playoffs only halfway into the season? It really sucks. I have to get a hobby, because Im not watching next week, and I dont care what happens. I know I can do something productive next sunday, come home check the scores, and the Eagles will have lost by 3-6 points. Next.
“All the people that hated McNabb and thought he was awful…this is awful. Turnovers are killers and Vick really should have thrown three picks yesterday. Donovan didn’t turn the ball over, which is crucial when you have throw-happy Andy, who wants to air it out 50+ times a game. Also, check Vick’s record lately. Donovan destroys him in terms of wins. Yet, this city loves Vick and couldn’t stand Donovan. I don’t get it.”
I don’t get it either. I always was and always will be a D-Mac supporter. Yeah he threw tons of balls into the ground, but never turned the ball over like this as an Eagle. And look who he was throwing too. He had no one for most of his career here!!! Yesterday was one of the worst QB displays that I have ever seen. I think we all know that Michael Vick is the most over-hyped and overrated QB in the league (and yes, that includes Tebow) 🙂
One more note, our def made Skelton look like freaking Joe Montana yesterday. I always back Reid, but the Castillo hiring is a f’###ing joke … I am completely embarrassed over this loss.
That’s because most hated him for the wrong reasons. It’s one thing if he was just terrible out there. But you don’t put up the stats he did with garbage WRs for most of your career and not be a good QB. Sure he missed the simplest of throws too much and wasn’t a stand up guy when we need him but most of the hatred comes from people just not liking his personality. They let that overshadow everything. So it was compounded when McNabb played horrible in the big games.
The Colts and Vikings have one of the best pass rushing d-lines in the NFL and look at their record. The Eagles have a great secondary and look at their record.
Now look at the teams with great linebacking corps and leaders:
49ers
Steelers
Ravens
Packers
Bengals
Anybody see a theme here
The QB Killer strikes again.
Despite Vick’s injury, Reid passed
Despite Vick’s bad game, Reid passed
Despite McCoy’s 7.0 yard average, Reid passed
Despite DeSean’s absence, Reid passed
Despite Maclin’s injury/absence, Reid passed
Despite the Card’s ranking against the run, Reid passed
Despite the recent wins against the Redskins and Dallas, Reid passed
Despite the loss to the Bears, Reid passed
Despite the Eagles being 73-12 in games when they have more rushing attempts than their opponent, Reid passed
Despite being 6-0 in the playoffs under the same circumstances, Reid passed
Despite being 50-7 in games when they have 30 or more rushing attempts, Reid passed
Despite being 4-0 in the playoffs under the same circumstances, Reid passed
Despite the amount of time left, Reid passed
(He ran the ball 6 times in the 2nd half, and twice in the 4th quarter)
You have to be a complete idiot to ignore all of these things. It’s also a recipe for injury to your QB.
Despite a suspect offensive line, Reid passed
There are too many things to remember
As for the QB guru
McNabb is ranked 16th
Vick is ranked 18th
And Kolb has been replaced by John Skelton
Most important: None of them is going to the playoffs.
Despite McCoy breaking off a 29-yard run, Reid passed
Despite having a lead, Reid passed
That’s 19 legitimate reasons to have run the ball, but Reid passed.
Drummer, Broken Record called and left a message for you – “cramping my style, wtf”
-Vick is a turnover machine. All the people that hated McNabb and thought he was awful…this is awful. Turnovers are killers and Vick really should have thrown three picks yesterday. Donovan didn’t turn the ball over, which is crucial when you have throw-happy Andy, who wants to air it out 50+ times a game. Also, check Vick’s record lately. Donovan destroys him in terms of wins. Yet, this city loves Vick and couldn’t stand Donovan. I don’t get it. Vick is capable of playing at a very high level. Yes, is upside is higher than Donovan’s was. But, we haven’t seen that upside in a long time.
Yeah I thought this was a really good point here.When Mcnabb got benched in minnesota a few weeks ago vicks QB rating and stats were only slightly better than Mcnabb.Vick does not really seem to get blamed to much by the fans.Not sure why that is.If Mcnabb had just got a 80 mllion dollar contract from the eagles and had played like this he would have been cussed out each week by the fans.I guess the question is could Mcnabb have had this team sitting at 3-6 right now and the answer is probably yes.Not saying all the losses are vicks fault as the defense has not been good but seems like vick is unable to take them down the field and score at the end of the game when they are behind just like Mcnabb never could.
LOL the QB killer…
The Fat Man’s time is up…
After the Steelers Preseason lose, when Andy and company did not make any personnel changes or skeam changes you knew nothing had changed with him.
Stupid. Hard headed. Stubborn. Too weak of a man to admit a mistake.
Andy is the SCORPIAN that stings the FROG. Even if it means the death of both of them.
He should have never hire Juan, but after seeing the stupidity of it, should have made a change. He even tried to keep that undersized Casey at MLB.
Undersized. The Fattest coach in the history of the NFL and he likes UNDERSIZED defensive players. How Ironic.
jbeeeeee — what does that tell you? It tells me that the problem isnt necessarily the QB…..but the man sending in the plays.
I like the article, but I don’t let Castillo off the hook because the decision was Reid’s to hire him. Castillo lobbied hard for this job thinking he was qualified. He clearly wasn’t.
Juan Castillo seems like a nice guy, but he also sounds like a dope every time he talks. He is one of those guys that seems to think that hard work trumps brains and talent, but hard work only gets you so far. One of the very telling things I’ve noticed this year is how much more the veteran offensive lineman like Mudd’s scheme than Castillo’s scheme. Heremans has been pretty upfront about this. In the end, did Andy promote an average offensive line coach that got by on hard work to Defensive Coordinator? This team would have several more wins if they had just hired the right guy for the job. Instead, we lost a football season.
On the other hand, if it causes Reid to lose his job, I’ll say it was the best hiring ever.
Well as far as the QB comparison. When Donovan was in his prime he was a great QB arguably among the top five in the league. However, during his last few years in Philly his play really started to go downhill. I cringed everytime he had the ball in his hands. He had alot of interceptions. Seemed to have trouble seeing downfield, overthrew/underthrew his receivers etc..
To me towards the end, he didn’t seem motivated to play here at all. All he did was whine and point the finger at someone else. It got old after awhile and while I appreciate what he did for the team I do not regret the decision to let him go.
Fast forward to right now and Vick is not playing good at all. He is throwing alot of interceptions, turning the ball over, and not reading the defense well. While I agree he is probably playing at his worst, I don’t think he is giving up on games and that he doesn’t care. Hes out there running around getting himself killed, trying to make plays and in the process he is making alot of mistakes and getting himself injured. I have to put some of the blame on Reid because as was mentioned he could make adjustments to incorporate Mccoy into this Offense more instead of relying soo much on one guy to do everything. As was shown by his comments after this game. He can not and will not make adjustments even when the game is on the line or your QB physical health is at stake. I am really surprised that Vick has lasted this long in this offense.
Oh and the Castillo hiring was and continues to be the joke of the NFL. For that alone Reid should be gone.
Unfortunately, the team is lost and the season is gone…Why?
Many reasons: Michael Vick has shown, that while gifted in some respects, he is not a championship calibre QB…But then most of us understood this as Vick has won what?…One playoff game in his career?
The coaching has been abominable: Reid has always been very weak as a game day coach, but had strength as an organizer and a co-ordinator…But his assistant coaches leave him little to organize, as they all have shown that they are sub-par, or cannot adjust their approach to the players they have…In addition, the front office (and we must include Reid here, too) made poor selections in the draft and neglected to address areas of need in free agency.
The players?…A total lack of team play, and a splintering of the team into various factions or individuals who have their own agendas.
Also, a lack of guts and hard nosed play on both sides of the ball…Sometimes watching this team it seems as if they are playing touch football, seriously…Compare them with a team like the Baltimore Ravens, who bring it, and bring it hard.
No strong veteran leadership either.
Finally, they left DeShawn Jackson hung out to dry…But this has been a trademark of the Eagles front office, considering past disgraces involving Brian Dawkins, Sheldon Brown and even Westbrook…And it goes beyond money; it is an attitude with Eagle ownership.
The ‘Bad Dream Team’.
Schiller
You’re still pissed? Get over it.
Holding a resentment is like going to the bathroom on yourself. You’re the only one who feels it.
The broken record has been going on for 13 years. THAT’s the one you should be complaining about. Uh duh!
frankdialogue
Let’s not forget David Akers.
I don’t blame the Eagles at all on David Akers who wanted out and got out..
He turns down a 3 Year Deal for about $2.5 to $2.75 Million per year and his clutch kiking late in the Season adn Playoffes the last couple years was average at best… No sympathy for letting him walk in my opinion..
I still never forget in the playoffs and I thing he did it twice over the years..
On Kickoffs, when the EAgles scored a TD and have momentum on their side and his kickoff goes out of bounds giving the ball to the othe team at the 40 yards line,, I think this happened in the NFC Championship game vs the Cardinals a couple of seasons back and in one of the earlier games (Panthers or Rams) …
Drummer thanks for the laughs. Im pissed? Nope. Im disappointed in the eagles but not pissed. You on the otherhand do seem to be. I just think its ironic and hypocritical for you to blame call out others for being stubborn and/or a broken record.