Slow Offensive Start Cost The Eagles
The opportunity was there.
With Drew Brees turning the ball over multiple times in the first half, and the Eagles’ defense doing their job allowing only six points early on, the Eagles had every opportunity to take control of the game.
However, the Eagles’ offense sputtered and stalled throughout the first half and into the third quarter.
The offense was out of sync through most of the night, and a lot of the things that had been working so well to this point just weren’t there early on. They generated only seven points in the first half, notably failing to come away with any points on their first redzone trip.
The offense lost this game in the second half when they opened up with two straight three-and-outs. They were unable to generate any momentum, and they put the defense in a bad position by asking them to defend short fields against a great quarterback like Drew Brees. The result was a very difficult position for the Eagles to be in, down 20-7.
Defense Starts Strong, But Wears Down
Its tough for me to fault the defense for this loss.
The Eagles’ defense anchored the team in the first half, and opened the door for the offense to take over. They held the Saints scoreless on their first two drives, and forced two turnovers in the first half.
However, holding down this New Orleans offense for an entire game is a tall order for even the toughest defenses in the league. Sooner or later, if you let Drew Brees hang around, he’s going to begin to dissect a defense and figure out what they’re doing. In the second half, the elite quarterback began to find his rhythm. He marched the team down the field for two quick touchdowns in the third quarter to give the Saints a 13-point lead.
The unit then came up with a key stop at the end of the third quarter with the Eagles down six. After the Eagles added a field goal, they allowed the Saints to get deep in their own territory, but clamped down and kept it a one-score game by forcing New Orleans to settle for three to make it a 23-17 game.
The one element of the defense that I will criticize again was the pass rush. There wasn’t nearly enough pressure on Brees throughout the night.
At the end of the game, they needed one more stop, but they just didn’t have it in them. The special teams gave up a big return to Darren Sproles, and the top flight quarterback and his sharp head coach proved to be too much for them to stop.
Quick Thoughts
Offense
- Nick Foles took a bad sack at the end of the first quarter. The young quarterback couldn’t find an open receiver, held on to the ball for too long, and was sacked for a big loss that nearly took the team out of field goal range.
- Former Eagle Brodrick Bunkley got the best of Jason Kelce on a third down in the first quarter. With one yard to go, the Eagles called a run for McCoy. Bunkley, who has always been solid against the run, pushed Kelce back and helped stop McCoy short of the first down.
- Kelce struck back on the following play, picking up a block that sprung McCoy for a first down on fourth and one.
- Foles made a tough throw to Riley Cooper for the Eagles’ first touchdown. He didn’t have a great window to get the ball to Cooper, but he took a shot and left it up to his receiver to make the play. It was another example of how great the chemistry is between these two.
- Cooper dropped an easy reception on third and four in the third quarter. It was a critical mistake that puts a sour end to a solid season for Cooper. The drop would have extended a drive, but instead caused another three-and-out, and gave the Saints a chance to go up 20-7 which they capitalized on.
- It was a tough night for DeSean Jackson, but he made a tough grab at the end of the third quarter that put the Eagles in a first-and goal situation. The catch gave the Eagles a little life, and would set up a touchdown run for McCoy.
- Jackson drew a huge pass interference penalty in the fourth quarter that gave the Eagles a 1st and goal on the one.
- Disappointing that Kelly didn’t try to get the other running backs involved.
Defense
- Trent Cole made a nice play, breaking up a pass to Ben Watson in the first quarter.
- Darren Sproles had Connor Barwin beat on a pass route, but an underthrown ball from Drew Brees prevented a long gain.
- Bradley Fletcher took advantage of an overthrown ball from Drew Brees, coming down with an interception on a deep ball on the third New Orleans possession.
- DeMeco Ryans jumped a route to come up with an interception in the second quarter, keeping momentum on the Eagles’ side.
- Nice effort by Brandon Graham on a sack at the end of the first half. Graham was initially blocked well, but he kept pushing through, worked around his man, and got to Brees for a loss.
- Nate Allen did a good job knocking down a pass to Jimmy Graham that would have been a touchdown.
- Vinny Curry was criticized by the coaching staff for his run defense early in the year, but he made a big stop on Darren Sproles on third down in the fourth quarter that got the Eagles the ball back with a chance to go ahead.
- Patrick Chung was beaten by Robert Mecheam in the fourth quarter for a gain that put the Saints deep in Eagles’ territory.
Special Teams
- Alex Henery missed a 46-yard attempt in the first quarter.
- Henery’s kickoffs were terrible. He’s got to be the only kicker in the league that can’t get it out of the endzone.
- Nerves may have gotten the better of Roc Carmichael in the first quarter. On Donnie Jones’ second punt of the night, Carmichael had an easy opportunity to down the ball on the two-yard line. However, Carmichael accidentally kicked the ball into the endzone for a touchback.
- DeSean Jackson had a big punt return that set the Eagles up in New Orleans territory in the fourth quarter.
- Matt Tobin was flagged for a false start in the fourth quarter that wiped out a 26-yard kick by Henery. Luckily, Henery was able to convert on his 31-yard try.
- Cary Williams was flagged for a horse collar tackle on Darren Sproles, but it was a penalty that he had to take otherwise it would have been up to Henery to save a touchdown.
Final Thoughts
A great ride has come to an end.
It’s sad to see the season come to an end, but by no means am I disappointed.
The 2013 season was a spectacular success. I expected a five-win season, strictly a rebuilding year. Anything more was a bonus.
When the season started, we had a team with a great deal of questions surrounding it. We had reason to have doubts about everything from the head coach, to the quarterback situation, to the defense. We got positive answers across the board.
A 4-12 team that had no heart and no drive to be great and perform at a high level has been transformed into one of the up-and-coming teams in the league.
What we have now is a team that fights, and went above and beyond all of our expectations. The head coach appears to be everything that the organization hoped he was going to be. The quarterback situation is resolved. The defense has been restored to a more than respectable level.
Chip Kelly gave us our football team back, and he did it only one year. He gave us a surprising 10-win season, taking us through the highs of dismantling the Redskins on Monday Night, watching Nick Foles throw seven touchdowns against the Raiders, and capping the regular season by going down to Dallas and snatching the division crown away from the Cowboys.
I can’t wait to see what he does for an encore in 2014.
Denny Basens is the editor of GCobb.com. Email him at dbasens@ycp.edu.
Henery better be out of here tomorrow! Other then that I think third downs killed us, we had them third n long a few times n couldn’t get them off the field, but guess what, I can live with this, great season, our future is very bright, another nice draft like the last two, get a couple safety’s, another pass rusher, hopefully Macklin comes back full strength and were going to be an elite team next year. All the haters like Vinn n Songs who said Foles was slop, you don’t have a clue, your the same guys who still wanted Andy here, how’d he do today? Next time you watch the NFL network make sure you look at the top ten, the one about the greatest comebacks, your boy Andy will be number number two, right behind the Bills and Oilers.
Eagles are a few pieces away. Good season. Nothing to be disappointed about.
Exactly! This off season will be critical to the continuous developmentof this team as they pursue their first superbowl. This season exceeded most expectations! It was a good season.
Shady didn’t get the ball enough, 21 carries is not enough in a game like this. Too many incomplete passes on first down that should have been 3-4 yard runs. Too many 3rd and longs. The Saints beat us at our own game, power running.
I think the secondary outplayed the defensive line for the 2nd straight week. We need better pass rushers.
All in all, a good season and a good start for Chip.
I enjoyed watching Andy Reid choke, it makes this loss hurt less.
+100
“We took sacks again…didnt get the ball out”–exact quote by Chip Kelly on why DeSean Jackson couldnt get the ball!
Listen…Foles is a good QB..no doubt…he is solid. We need a Qb that’s going to make plays when the offensive line is giving him forever to throw the ball. We need a Qb that can make plays not just play it safe and not turn the ball over…we need a Qb that’s a playmaker
Well, both of the game managers lost today. Though the KC loss I’m putting more on their defense.
Up 38-10 and reid called 20 passes and 5 runs.
You put the loss on their D because you are stupid.
She’s not stupid, she just doesn’t know much about football.
lol.
Notice I didn’t blame the KC loss on Smith. But yeah I don’t know much about football. Fuck outta here.
Reid is who he is. He’s been pass happy all year at various times. The D still allowed 45 points.
I put the loss on their D ’cause Reid has called pass happy games throughout the season. What else is new. 45 points is still 45 points.
To be fair, the chiefs were on to their 3rd RB at that point. Not exactly a Mariano Rivera close the game kind of RB either.
Foles didn’t lose this game, he’ll be just fine. Last week was his 16th start, which means he was essentially a rookie playing his first playoff game. He’s very much in the same vein as most of the guys that win Superbowls. The chances of this team getting a QB better than Foles are very slim.
God give him a little time. He basically completed one full year and acquitted himself fairly well on the really big stage. Took them 70 yards for a go ahead score and if Copper doesn’t drop that ball and we have a decent kicker we most likely win.
Shady got the ball enough.
I’ll say it again:
Beating this offense is simple – take away the screen game, keep Shady in check, force Foles to beat you deep.
The reason we won so much this year is ’cause the defense got better, the oline played incerdibly well, and stopping Shady can be difficult.
NO isn’t a bad defense. They rak top 5 in everything but the run and are middle of the pack there. Simply put – we got beat by a better defense.
Foles complete more long passes in a partial season than anybody in the league but Manning, so I think you’re wrong.
Foles will be just fine.
Notice I didn’t say anything negative about Foles. Every comment isn’t Foles centric.
You called him a game manager, which is incorrect. He threw 27 touchdown passes in 13 games in what amounts to his rookie season. Donovan McNabb who many consider to be the pantheon of Eagles QBs only had more than 27 touchdowns once in his long career. Mike Vick’s best total was 21.
Foles lead an offense that had more 20+ yard plays than any team except for the Greatest Show on Turf Rams.
All while throwing only 2 picks.
These aren’t game manager numbers.
Beating this ffense is simple:
Only stop the run game. Stop the screen game. Force long throws.
Basically, do everything every single team in the league tries to do, and you win!!!!
Twit.
You’re the twit.
You mad? Season didn’t end as u expected?
No – that’s not everything that every team in the league tries to do, but it is the perfect formula for slowing down the Eagles.
But keep being mad. I didn’t do it to you.
You couldn’t be further off on you assessment. You stop this offense with the ability to play man to man. Keenan Lewis put a blanket on DJax. From there teams can play a safety in the box or use the blitz. Man to man stops this team because we lack speed at WR and Avant is a joke in the slot.
Gotta get Jason worlds and jauris Byrd and get rid of Cary Williams and pat Chung and this D will be better #ihatecarywilliams
Nergative…Cary Williams played good enough this year. The d line must get pressure. It doesn’t matter who the Cb’s are…if the d linedoesn’t apply pressure…the wideouts will eventually get open. Every Cb can’t be #21 primetime!
Was an Exciting Game and 2013 Season for the Eahles with more Positives to build on than negatives..
A few things became crystal clear in tonight’s loss, that saw the Team hang around in the first half even though their Offense & Foles were sputtering..
A few. keys helped end their Season
1) A Drop pass by Cooper with 20-30 Yards of Daylght ahead of him on a crucial 3rd & 4 Playbearly in the 3rd Quarter who h then allowed the Daibts to get the ball, Scote and go up 2 Scores over the Eagles
2) Foles taking 2 really bad Sacks when he needs to get rid of the Ball
To Dave Field Position and a FG Attempt in the First Half
3) Foles missing a wide open Cooper in the End-Zone on a 3rd & 7 Play where he dumped down to McCoy instead and end up being short of the a First Fowm resulting in a FG making the Score to 23-17 early in the 4th Quarter instead of 23-21..
4) Too much cushion given by Eagles CB Carmichael
On a 3rd & 8 Play when he came in for the injured C Willians where Brees went right at him which extended the Drive and allowed the Saints to nice out ahead 20-7 in the 3rd Quarter..
5) Poir Kick-Off and Coverage Team
On Henery’s Kick after the Eagles ant up 24-23 giving the Daibt great field position on top of a horse collar by C Williams giving the Saints the ball at mid-field
6) Safety aoatrick Chung wil very Poor Coverage on a 40 Yeard Pass-Play down the Center of the Field.. Chung is very poor in pass-coverage
Bottom Line the Saints were the better Team today and controlled the Libe of Scrimmage, out gained the Eagles and pounded tge ball down the Eagles throats for most of the Game
I actually thought the Secondary played about as well as it can by limited big plays to Colston and even held TE Graham relatively in check
4 Areas/Positions of needing Upgrades
1) DT – Eagles need a space eater
I like Rookie B Logan, but they need more than him
2) A legitimate Pass-Rushing DE/OLB
3) A real Strong Safety
4) Anorher CB
The Saibts Ran the Ball down the Eagles throats today
And especially in the 4th Quarter when it mattered the most
They need to get more Stout up Front which starts with a big DT
Pkayers on Defense who Played well today
DE/OLB Graham – probably he best game of the Season
OLB C Barwin – High Motor, set the edge, batted down 2 more passes, Pkayer pretty well in pass-coverage
CB. b Fletcher, not many plays made on him today
Safety Nate Allen, sone nice pass Break-Ups and Tackles
(Allen had his Best Season as an Eagle)
Sorry for my poor Soelling above..
Brutal just like the Run-Defense and to be 100% Honest is where the game was lot Today’s.. Brees had to hold the ball an awful lot and take check downs which means sone coverage by the Eagles Secondary
DL Cox, Thornton & Cole did very little this evening in my opinion which is where the game was lost.. Saibts OL pretty much had their way with Eagles DL on a night that Brees was not at his best either
A real blown opportunity to move forward
Cooper’s drop was the turning point although the offense not getting in gear and the bad sack hurt. But they recovered. Henry has to go. HAS TO GO.
hats off to chip kelly!
now get your guy in here and groom him to be that double threat.
He has his guy. Steve Young is the only double threat that won anything in this league.
And with that, the offseason begins…What a tough loss.. A good productive year does end here, but their are some great building blocks. Alex Henerey is a goner, he has no heart, he freezes up in crucial moments. We don’t need a shaky legged kicker. Foles had an unbelievable year but, he has ALOT to work on. His footwork, making quicker/smarter decisions. 4 of the first 7 were 3 and outs. Nick was way too high on his throws, was a bit erratic early. It took the 2nd half for him to settle down. He’s young, but we need Nick to have more of a killer mentality. We need Chip to be willing to adapt and change it up, run the ball, give the best RB in the league the ball. Find a way to get DeSean Jackson the ball more, that was ridiculous. The Eagles really showed their inexperience both the coaches and the players. This is a young inexperienced team all around and it really reared its ugly head tonight. 3rd down percentage tonight and all year long has been atrocious.. I commend Chip and Bill Davis for the work they and there staff has done this year assembling and implementing there scheme, but they need to build off the foundation they laid. Chip will learn that you feed the beast, you have to give Shady the ball more and that DeSean Jackson is your ultimate weapon get him the ball. Bill Davis, staying in Nickel all game long wasn’t very smart when you see the saints clearly running the ball over and over and over again, mix it up! Trust your players a little more…With that said, Id gut this entire secondary minus the obvious playmaker Brandon Boykin. Everyone else can go. Even injury prone, brittle Earl Wolff. Gut it and bring in bigger FASTER guys… Jarius Byrd should be a main target this offseason. We need a experienced proven productive guy back their.. Good year, not a great one but the foundation has been laid for this team and organization moving forward..
i’m having a hard time deciding.
“SHIT FOLES” ??? OR “CAPTAIN CHECKDOWN” ???
You don’t know football. The Eagles had more 20+ yard plays than any team in the history of the league other than the Super Bowl winning Rams.
Checkdown quarterbacks don’t put up those kind of big play numbers.
“This should have been a blowout, the defense gave us plenty of opportunities and we should have put up more points”…Jason Kelce
Where were the big plays today?? Why was DJax consistently throwing up his hands in frustration while he was running open behind the CB but couldn’t get the ball!!
Stats are for losers…we needed more than 195 passing yards today from the QB….period. Who knows what will happen next year…we might have a bunch of injuries…you have to take advantage of opportunities when they present themselves…and we came up real short.
We also needed more than 21 carries for 77 yards from the best player on the team. Foles didn’t play his best game, but he played well enough to win. And just because Jason Kelce says it should have been a blowout doesn’t mean shit. The fact is, the Saints are a damn good team, their defense is highly rated but vulnerable against the run. So what did we do? We came out and threw the ball. The game was lost in the trenches when the O-line couldn’t open holes and when the D-line couldn’t close any holes. Foles took a couple of bad sacks and made a few inaccurate passes.
Again breeze, you really don’t know squat about football, I’ll trust the guys that know, and all of them think that Foles will be just fine.
What Kelce says don’t mean shit…but what you says should mean something?? Spare us that crap. E-money…your broke when it comes to football acumen. The O-line didnt dominate in the run game but they provided plenty of time for Foles to find open receivers….like they have done for him all year. There is no QB in the league that has had so much time to sit back, survey the field and throw the ball to wide open receivers. If the receivers are not wide open…Foles does not pull the trigger…that looks great for his touchdown to interception ratio and his stats…sure…but when it comes to beating high quality teams in the playoffs…its’ not enough.
Kelce was dead on the money…the Defense forced turnovers…and we should have took what the Saints defense was giving us…deep passes to DeSean Jackson. This is why Coach Kelly said…”We had some plays for Desean but Foles took the sacks…”
The game was lost because of sub-par Quarterback play and a Defense that came up short in the end.
E-Money…again..you are really broke when it comes to understanding football
I can’t even blame the D for wearing out in the end. 2 interceptions and 6 points for Brees in the first half. I mean these guys have been playing above their talent level most of the year. I’m not going to crucifix them for a bad last series.
Offense needed to make more plays. The loss (mostly) falls on them.
Kool, you and songs will continue to suffer with your paralysis of analysis of who should be the signal caller…but Chip has made the decision that Foles is this teams QB for the future, but you disparage E for saying who gives a crap what Kelce says…but you continue to say the same with Kelly when it comes to his QB(hypocritical on your part). Put it to rest dude, take this medicine, Foles is here to stay..love it or hate it. I suspect you will continue this banter next year and beyond…lol!
Kool…you have a preoccupation with possible injuries!
Eagles Need a big Run Stuffing DT
A pure Pasd a Rusher, A Strongsafety and another CB and they can have
A Top 10 Defense.. All in all, a very Good 2013 Season in my opinion and exceeded my expectations..
Put some names with those positions paul.
Eaglehaslanded if u think Cary Williams is good something is really wring with you better go back and watch tape he can’t cover If they throw it his way people are catching 80% of the passes against him Cary Williams sucks the min they can upgrade him I’m all for it #ihatecarywillams&patchung
Gloomysmitty…well then I guess something is really wrong with me. I think he came through in some tight situations…last week knocking down the 2 point conversion…I can go on but it will take to much time. Can you upgrade…yes….they’re are more pressing needs though. I’ll say it again. If the pass rush is strong…the CB will be more effective. If you don’t see that.,..you don’t understand football from a defensive perspective. It’s football 101…high school level.
And if you look at th eCB’s performance against the big time wideouts this year…the CB’s including your favorite..Cary Williams played well against them.
Foles wouldnt throw to Desean Jackson when he was open numerous times deep.. That, and the sack .. Other than that Foles played good. The saints D pushed us back on all of the short yardage plays
For the 2nd week in a row, the Eagles lost the battle on both the offensive and defensive line. They protected Foles much better than last week, but they couldn’t open any holes (and Chip didn’t run the ball enough).
You’re not going to win week in and week out when you lose the battles in the trenches. I was surprised by how well they ran the ball on us; the Eagles have been good against the run most of the year, not tonight.
Foles had all day to throw the ball…the Saints pass rush was not that fierce…they stacked the box filled the gaps and dared Nick Foles to beat them throwing the football…he had DJax was running open behind the CB on a number of occasions…and just like Kelly said…Foles held the ball didn’t throw it deep and took sacks on a number of plays..
Again…Foles is good…but to play with the big boys we need to get a QB with some more natural talent…some speed, a big arm…someone that can make it happen when everything aint perfect around him.
If we dont do that…then we better get a whole lot better on defense…we need some special D-linemen…a much better safety..some real impact players.
Ok kool…who do you suggest as a QB…stop talking about this mystery QB and give me a name!
You have no idea what constitutes good QB play. You’re a fan of one of the most mediocre QBs (Vick) in league history.
The Eagles have big decisions to make this off season…do they bring back Maclin. I’m pretty sure Cooper will be back as he and Foles has a very good chemistry. As far as the draft..how many safeties do they draft?, do they go after a wideout early. What OLB will they pursue to rush the QB and cover TE’s and RB’s. I don’t expect to see Brandon Graham, Pat Chung or Kurt Coleman back. What will the Eagles do with Vick…I expect the Eagles to let him pursue every chance to get a starting job..or a chance to compete for one. I don’t think Mike will be back. I think Nick Foles will come back stronger, improve his arm strength and pocket awareness. He clearly has leadership skills and has earned the respect of the team and coach. I will be looking at players entering the draft so I can look at who the Eagles may take and who I’d like to see the Eagles take. This was a successful season…This team with the right moves this off season can be deadly!
To keep calling Foles a game manager is moronic. Your agenda is obvious and you flip flop considerably. Foles and Smith could be no more different. Ones a 2nd year player that pushes the ball down the field, puts his WR in a position to make plays and even with that doesn’t throw interceptions or turnovers. Smith is nice mobile Qb who doesn’t take you out of games or wins them. He’s been in the league 8 years and doesn’t make his skill positions player dynamic although he will take advantage of the open play.
We just lack defensive playmakers. The defense is ok, without being spectacular. They didn’t really play well in the first half… They were still getting abused in the run game, and they were only defending the pass so well because Brees was so off target (as pointed out in your 2nd and 3rd point about the defense).
In short, we need some defensive players who can impact the game. Our offense can score in the clutch when required (as shown with the 4th qtr Djax play followed by Ertz TD)… but our defense doesn’t have someone clutch who can impact a result. Boykin may be the closest thing we have, and hes only a 3rd CB.
The play calling in the first half was suspect? We are a tight end gifted team ,celeck and ertz both figured prominently,but no where near enough chances ..get desean in open space rather than vertical why not misdirection? Shady is the horse and I’m not on board with 21 touches ,especially when other runners aren’t at all utilized in its stead ..Nick had early yips ,but in a showcase moment he stepped up and seized the opportunity,his work with another receiver who can make plays with size and physicality..The defense was not getting the pressure they needed ,allowing Bree’s to make too many plays especially on 3rds and long..Chung hung us out to dry once again ….dez Bryant undressed him last week and this week once again he showed he can’t cover guys ..so it’s obvious we need upgrades at d line and the back end …the game plan was executed in not letting graham be a factor ,however the were run over ,by a more determined saint offensive line that held up there end ..we lost games this year because our kicker has a rubber band leg ….compound that with special teams that doesn’t play to game conditions when pinning them deep ,is there main objective …I’m not going to kick the dog ,but it sucks to lose ,I truly wanted a shot at Carolina …with the NFC least ..we should use this as a positive ,have a draft that focuses on our obvious weaknesses ,and forever vow to not lose at home ..it creates a mindset that travels on the road as well…saints .. were 8 -0 at home ,enough said …buddy’s boy came in here and made jerry jones look foolish as he’ll,once again..solace from the cowgirls… It’s a happy new year ..with a team once again ready to represent for quite a while …
No the playcalling was fine…Foles just didn’t pull the trigger on some passes that should have went to DJax who was open deep!! The Saints geared up to stop the run and dared Foles to beat them…we had them on the ropes in the first half and we let them off the hook!
Chip will get HIS kicker in here soon. Alex Henerey is a goner. I foresee a kicker competition or possibly Alex flat out being released. Kicking the ball to the 10 yard line on kickoffs wont cut it. Boom the freakin ball past the goal post Alex! Choker!
Now their are guys that need to be brought back. Jeremy Maclin, Riley Cooper, Cedric Thorton, Donnie Jones. Those are the top 4 guys you must bring back.
The Dline and the Oline got punked tonight. The need more beef on both lines. Sadly, both Peters and Heremans is starting to show some age. They looked a bit slow tonight. And usually, in big games like this is when we can really see it.
A guy I didn’t mention that the birds may look to bring back is Nate Allen, hes really improved this year esp in the last 5-6 games.
Cary Williams, dumb horse collar tackle, 15 yard penalty for that, nice job Cary.. I don’t mind the aggressive play, but ya gotta think, use your head.
JH, I agree with your free agent comments…they must be brought back….I disagree with your Carey Williams remark…if he didn’t reach out to grab him….Sproleswould have only had Alex Henry standing in between him and the goal line. It was either the 15 yard penalty or the touchdown. I’ll take the horse collar 15 yard penalty every day.
Eaglelanded & mimitaro, that was the final drive for the saints 4:47 left to go in the game on the 48 yard line after the penalty, 2 timeouts remaining for the eagles. If anything let the saints score a fast TD so you can have the ball lasts. The saints had success running the ball all game long, the eagles were in nickel the entire game, the eagles don’t have the personnel to stop the saints on run plays being in the nickel..
So many blown opportunities to mention right now..
Yes…but there’s no guarantee the Eagles score again. I don’t know if you’ve ever played organized football, but as a player, you’re just wired to do whatever is necessary to stop the opposition from scoring, unless the immediate game plan says otherwise!
If Cary doesn’t make that stop, chances are Sproles beats Henery and its a TD.
Also I though our o-line was pretty good tonight. The Saints constantly sent a 3 man pass rush and we were holding them in check, its just our receivers couldn’t get open fast enough in the 8 man drop coverage.
.Receivers were open…our Quarterback dont turn the ball over…but he dont make throws unless the receivers are running.he dont make passes in tight windows like Aaron Rodgers, Brady, or Manning. When you have the kind of time the O-line is giving you in the pocket you should be able to get the ball to Desean when he is one on one and blowing by the defensive back!
Untrue
Get outta here..the OLine was not punked at all. The Saints put all of their eggs in the stop Shady basket…they were giving us the pass! This is why Jason Kelce said it best…they had plenty of opportunities to score a bunch of points. I have never seen a QB with has much time to throw the ball has Foles has had this year. The OLine has been incredible…Foles takes bad sacks and while he keeps his touchdown to interception ratio looking really good…he dont make plays..he dont throw receivers open…he dont anticipate…the receiver has to be running wide open to get the ball!
I meant that Foles dont make throws unless the receivers are running wide open and he can hit them with easy passes. Foles dont turn the ball over…but he also dont make enough plays…and against good defenses..playoff time…you need your QB to make a play!
Oh…still need you to name this QB you want as the starter! I suspect you don’t have a name that’s realistic and an absolute guarantee to satisfy what you feel should be the starting QB…let’s face it, you set the criteria bar pretty high based on your critique of Foles! Who’s your guy?
When did I say that Foles shouldn’t be the starter??? The only time I said that was when he got his ass kicked in training camp by Vick for the job. Look back at my comments…and look at what I said…not what you think I meant..but exactly what I said. I have said plenty of times…Foles is good, he has played well…but I believe he is a Trent Dilfer, Alex Smith…and to win with him we need some Hall of Fame players on defense…He is not a franchise QB…he is not Aaron Rodgers, Manning, or Brady…and I dont believe he has the talent to enable us to compete with teams like Seattle, San Francisco, Denver..or top flight defenses…at his best..he is okay..IF everything around him is really good…
So stop all the boo hooing then. If he’s not good enough after just 16 starts and you think he’s reached his ceiling, just give another suggestion for QB. MV7 is moving on. Nick Foles is going to be Nick Foles….none of those other guys. You can’t compare him to none of those guys because he’s not as experienced as any of them. All your comments are the same, except the one time you flipped, then flopped back to the same comments. Just bring something else to the table instead of the same ol same ol. You boohoo, complain and moan about the same thing on each post..lol
False..even the wideouts said Foles is willing to throw the ball up and give them a chance to get it. There you go with your false analysis again!
I can’t really be bothered enough to argue this point, but from the top of my head I think both TDs were thrown into window smallish windows. The I know he had two comeback routes on the left to Cooper in the 4th qtr not thrown on the run. Then the checkdown to Mccoy on 3rd down Mccoy was not moving or wide open. And to be fair, the Djax deep throw on the right was when Djax almost looked like he posted up and had a jump ball, again not on the run.
Are you kidding…those guys on his TD’s were wide open…the ball to DJax was underthrown and DJax came back to make a play on the ball…he had the guy beat deep but Foles didn’t get it out far enough.
same ol same ol zzzzzzzzz
Untrue
At least we can be happy that AR blew another big game with stupid timeouts and pass:run ratios.
To think he picked Henery in the 4th round pisses me off. Especially when you consider Denver took Julius Thomas 9 picks later. In a year we were so short of a playmaking TE and a physical receiving threat, AR took Henery over Thomas. Idiot.
DL gave you nothing. Point blank period. That was the game. Stop with agenda QB nonsense. Foles struggled they scored 24 that should be enough. Bree’s played terrible in the first half. However they could run the ball. We couldn’t. That simple.
Stop with the ‘give the QB a break’ all of the sudden…in every other case its the QB’s fault when we dont win…now that its Foles…you guys wanna give him such a pass…bullshit!
24 points were not enough not in our style of offense…195 passing yards dont cut it in a playoff game…The Saints didnt have a massive pass rush against Foles…when the defense forced turnovers…Foles did not take advantage…once again…he had receivers open…DJax was open on several occasions deep…..and didnt pull the trigger…and he never pulls the trigger except when the receiver is WIDE open
Brees QB rating today: 75.7
Foles QB rating today: 104.99
Brees won. Foles lost.
Now get over it.
same ol same ol…lol zzzzzzzzzzz
koolbreeze, would you prefer the WRs were in tight coverage and Foles made the throw, just so that he can say he did? If the receivers are open, throw it to them. Who really cares about anything else.
If Rodgers, Manning and Brady are the only franchise QBs you can name, that means 29 other teams are in the same boat as us. There aren’t exactly 32 elite QBs out there.
Foles made enough plays out there today. He was hurt by a bad drop too which would had added 30-40 yards to his statline and extended a drive.
Just get over it and get on board with Foles for the offseason. Or go support one of those 3 “franchise QBs” you speak about.
mimitaro…you guys are hypocrites. When Foles was throwing all of those touchdowns against Oakland…you were comparing him to the greatest QB’s to every play….now in the playoffs he comes up short…and dont make enough plays to win…you want to give him a pass.
When your offensive line is giving you all day to throw….with a clean pocket…a good, pocket QB should complete passes down the field against man coverage. Foles SHOULD make plays because none of the elite QB’s in this league have a offensive line as good as Foles…none of them have the best running back in the game…
So get off of the bullshit about Nick Foles..we should look closely at getting another young QB who has got better skills than Nick Foles.
I dont know if he is in this year’s draft…but our goal should be to win a Super Bowl..Nick Foles is not that guy!
He didn’t come up short. He made enough plays. He made MORE plays than the elite Drew Brees. Do you agree? I posted the QB Rating numbers earlier. Brees 75.7. Foles 104.99.
The offensive line gave him all day to throw because Saints regularly only sent 3 pass rushers. 3 pass rushers vs 5 linemen is a win for the Eagles. It means lots of time for Foles. It also means there are 8 guys in coverage covering 4-5 guys. 8 Saints vs 4-5 Eagles is a win for the Saints and means small windows and less passing lanes. Thats how they chose to defend us, and it worked fairly well for them.
Finally, how do you know what Foles will or won’t win after 16 starts? Peyton Manning had 26 TDs and 28 INTs in his rookie season. Did you tell everyone that year that Peyton Manning would never win a super bowl? Nick Foles has 27 TDs and 2 INTs in his first season and you are really ready to say he is not the guy?
Stop now, you are looking more and more silly with every post.
29 touchdown passes to 2 interceptions…not enough!
Also if you have the 3rd best ever QB rating of a season in your first year, and you share that award with the likes of Manning, Brady and Rodgers (guys you yourself have called Franchise QBs), then he must be well on his way to becoming one of these “Franchise QBs” himself.
Last thing I’ll say about the Nick Foles QB saga….Eagles was down 20-7 in the 3rd. Foles led the team to a 24-23 lead come back with 4:57 left on the clock.That’s what a franchise QB does. It’s like McNabb said…”When I left off the field we had the lead.” The defense couldn’t stop Drew Brees from leading his team downfield to score. The saints had the ball last and scored last ,they won. But some wanna complain….oh the Eagles should have had a bigger lead. You wanted your come back…he gave it to you. Time for me to leave this trite subject alone….onto free agency and the draft!
Did Foles play in the 1st half have anything to do with the Eagles being down & having to play from behind at the end?
Fraud Songs,That’s a stupid question from a person who has an agenda. The question is did the QB lead the team back from a deficit? However, apply your own ? to Andrew Luck(your most recent hero)…the answer is yes. Did the Colts defense get a stop on the Chiefs last drive….yes The colts won by one point when the chiefs were driving. The colts D stepped up and stopped them after Luck drove them down field for the winning drive! You cried about wanting to see Foles bring the team back from a deficit…how can Foles bring the team back from a deficit if they were not downat some point? You contradict yourself to try and make points that fit your needs to drive your agenda! Stop quarterback johnson hopping…RGIII, Russell Wilson, Colin Kaepernick, now Andrew Luck…It’s always the latest flavorwith you…LOL, I can’t decide, Team Johnson Hopper, or QB Johnson Hopper. This is why you have no credibility! As I said, don’t worry buddy…You still have the Seahawks and 49ers to root for….don’t you!
The Eagles were winning at the half.
Koolidiot:
“Cam Newton beat the 11-5 New Orleans team at the end of the game…with three on the money passes (two of the passes were perfect passes against excellent coverage) at the end of the fourth quarter with the game on the line….Nick Foles has not come close to doing anything like that to win us a game”
Except last night. Against the same team (in the playoffs no less!) Going 4 of 5 leading a TD dive late in the 4th Q to put the Eagles ahead.
And lets not forget how GD awful Newton had been prior to that last drive. Or how the Newton TD pass had to be scraped off the turf with a spatula and reviewed because of how low and outside it was. Terrible throw to a wide open guy.
But for Kool and Songs….Newton is an excellent QB, and Foles is a game manager.
Koolbreeze:
“What we have not seen from Foles is what we have seen from all of the elite QB’s in this league…Russell, Newton, Manning, Aaron Rodgers, Brady…winning a tight game under pressure with his passing.
Perhaps he can and will do it one day…we just have not seen it…what we have seen in the fourth quarter…is poor throws, taking bad sacks, fumbles…and to our relieve…handing the ball off to Shady!!”
Except last night….down 13pts he went 8 of 11 and a td to lead the Birds O to 2 tds and the lead…
This is exactly what you said he must do? He did it.
And now its post after post of “but he was bad in the first half”
You keep changing the requirements of what an “franchise QB” must do because, I his first year of Starts, Foles keeps hitting every parameter you set.
You hate this, so you keep changing the parameters.
Vinnie we know what will make these idiots happy and it has nothing to do with actually winning football. They have an agenda and they stick to their talking points. Foles played a very good game, did exactly what was asked of him. Got the lead at home late in the game.
But here’s the superstar minutes after the game:
When asked if he would come back to Philadelphia next season, Vick simply shook his head no. “I’m still a starter,” Vick said. “I’m not a backup quarterback.”
The “GREAT TEAMMATE” right back to his standard “I, I, I, I, I” before the stadium has emptied.
Couldn’t have come up with a, “Man, I’m not thinking about the future…we just lost a big game….I love it here in Philly and Kelly’s system. I am not even going to get into that at this point…..”
Nope. “I am a starter…..” He’s already half way out the door……
So there you go Kool, Songs and TS….you can follow your fallen hero wherever he goes.
Vinnie I have given Foles credit and he is our QB next year but criticizing what Vick says after the game is not a good idea because Foles honestly talks like he is a little “slow” after the game . He sounds like he is 10 years old. We wuv each other. We fight for each other. I wuv my teammates and everyone at Nova care center. We get better in the futre. My goodness get some base in your voice son.
I know it might not be his personality but Foles needs a little more Phillip Rivers in him. A little more Brady or Luck in him. Some swag. Some fire. If Foles would get just a little of that this team will follow him for the next 1000 years!
I really believe that’s the only thing missing from Foles is that emotion. Just imagine Foles going head first for a 1st down, Foles pushing a defensive player, Foles having emotion on the sideline and yelling lets go. Players would look at him and get jacked up. He is to passive right now. He is too accepting of the situation when things are going wrong. Just a little fire is all Im asking.
At least he doesn’t throe anyone under the bus.
Mins after the game, where the kid in his first playoff start was OK, but notgreat….and there’s Vick jabbing at the coach. “I am a starter” (read, coach made the wrong choice sitting me on the bench – I will go where my great talent is appreciated)
He did the same last year with the online….always a little final jab in.
Btw – have you ever heard Brady talk yo the media? Never says anything.
Brady atleast sounds like an adult.
Whatever you’re smoking it’s some powerful shit.
lol
LOL
He was asked a question about him, not how do you feel about the loss. Get real Vinnie stop looking for crap, he was asked he answered end of story.
and Vicks answer proves he is full of shit. just last week he said he would stay here as back up now he says no when everything is over
Henski he said he doesn’t see himself as a back up but he won’t rule out returning if a chance to start doesn’t present itself. How is that being full of crap?
Hopefully Michael Vick will move on and find a job someplace were his services are needed. I’m not really sure he will find a starting job in the NFL.
Get rid of Chung,Cary Williams,graham,cole, trade peters, move Johnson over to left tackle sign Byrd, Jason world , have Bennie Logan put on 10-15lbs of muscle and this team is set.
Johnson is not ready to go to left Tackle….he needsmore seasoning. I’m a Johnson supporter, but he got beat bad a few times last night. Carey Williamswill be back…Chung is gone as well as Graham, Cole may be back …but they definitely need to upgrade that OLB position. I expect Logan will put on more muscle this off season.
The play calling, the defense, & the waste of a kicker, lost this game. Period!!!! But, Foles needs to learn how to get rid of the ball, & not take unnecessary sacks. That’s going to be the next stae of his progression, as a good, young QB. He had a great year, & far exceeded this fans expectations. I’m finally happy, that we have a legit QB of the future. Now we just have to improve the defense, WR corps, & pass-rushers, & next year should be better. My off-season plans-
Sign FS Byrd, SS TJ Ward, OLB Brian Orakpo. Draft a WR, CB, LB & NT with their 1st 4 picks.
legit my ass.
Teams will go all out on Shady going forward and dare Foles to beat them.
the last month give us a more definitive measure on Foles and he is what we’ve seen and nothing more.
The team can’t win a SB with a slow QB that’s afraid to pull the trigger when needed.
You can’t teach heart.
Go f632 yourself troll! Nobody on here cares, WTF you think. You ain’t nothing but a racist, front running, bandwagon, psycho, hating troll, that needs to be hidden from society. STFU, & go away biatch! You ain’t an Eagles fan! BEAT IT!!!!!
That’s what all teams to vs young QBs. Its no big deal. Foles was setting passing records in his first full season….he will continue to improve with experience. If teams keep that strategy he’ll tear them apart.
Wow…he struggled a bit in the first half of his first playoff game.
Shocking.
No other QB in his first playoff game has ever done that. His career is clearly over…..
Players that need to either go, or in need of upgrading-
Although Cole played better as the season progressed, he is making to much $$$$ for an out of position, situational pass-rusher. Both Safeties GOT TO GO. Although Williams, & Fletcher, played well at times this year, one, or both of them CB’s need upgrading. Graham must go. Logan is not a starting NT, & Cox, & Thornton are not consistent enough pass-rushers, to be playing together. I like all 3, but they can’t be on the field the same time. Need some beef, & pass rush. I was happy with the improvements during the year, & they well exceeded my expectations, but changes need to be made.