Despite how it may have felt, the Eagles did not get eliminated from playoff contention this afternoon. They can still get in, as hard as they’ve tried not to, if they beat Dallas and Tampa Bay loses to 4-11 Oakland at home. I wouldn’t bet on either, but at the very least, even if Tampa wins, we need to beat Dallas to keep them out of the playoffs.
Now on to today’s game, and I’m going to keep it short so that people can talk about what they saw. I think that the main theme of everyone’s problem will be the lack of urgency the offense showed. The Eagles knew that they were handed a break today when Tampa Bay lost to San Diego. They knew that if they won the last two games, they were in. They knew that the Redskins were reeling. And then the offense came out like the 2nd half of a pre-season game.
McNabb lacked focus and threw ball after ball at people’s feet. When he did throw a good ball, the receivers dropped them like he was throwing a concrete slab. One of the drops, DeSean Jackson’s drop in the end zone, cost us a chance to tie the game in regulation. So with McNabb throwing like a JV QB and the receivers disinterested, you’d think that Reid would go to the running game? Of course not. 16 running plays. The entire game. I know that Westbrook wasn’t 100% but only 1 carry for Correll Buckhalter? This game was begging for a decent running game that would have gotten us in more 2nd and 6′s and 3rd and 3′s. It certainly seems like the team would benefit from an top end hard running back. Many teams are showing success with the 2-headed RB strategy, but that’s just not going to happen with Reid around.
You can’t blame the defense (even though Asante Samuel joined the drop party), and it’s a shame that the Birds have squandered their #1 ranked NFC defense with only an 8-6-1 record. In fact, coming into this week, the Eagles were #1 in total defense and #4 in total offense in the NFC. Their record? #8 in the NFC. I think that about sums up our season right there.
There really isn’t much to talk about in this game. It was extremely boring and the offense sucked, plain and simple. I’ll wait until we are eliminated from playoff contention to write a long post about how we can fix this team, but the short answer is a power back, a better TE and using our draft picks to move up and get an elite player on defense, perhaps at DE.
power back? legit TE? i think a total makeover is in order. hey even with the mediocre stuff we have, we should be able to do SOMETHING? i have no answers sorry, but something tells me even with a 250lb back we still won’t convert 4th & 1. i think the problem is a lot deeper than personnel. the eagles somehow cannot WILL themselves to sustain a drive; the inconsistency is the difference between us and the elite teams. For some reason, it can’t be done. coach? play calling? quarterback? who knows but till its fixed its more of the same. but meen this some serious character display. it would be quite unjust if they made the playoffs – they really don’t deserve it.
The play calling again was pathetic as I can’t count on both hands how many 3rd and 10+ we looked at yesterday. The first 4 posessions in the 4th quarter were pitiful 3 and outs which shows how hard this team/coaching staff really wanted to win. They finally get a drive going with 3:48 left in the game and then just let the clock run like they have never been in this situation before. The 2 minute warning stopped the clock and they moved the ball what? About 30 yards in 1:48? Pathetic. Then they come out of the 2 minute warning time out and its like they still don’t know what to do. End up having 1 shot at the endzone from within 30 yards, only to have a receiver make a great catch at the 1 yard line. I think everyone in Philadelphia knew they would have a catch within 5 yards of the goal line to end the game, but I didn’t think they would get that close.
2 drops by Jackson in the 4th quarter and the INT that was given to Samuel that he for some reason didn’t want, were the game changing plays they couldn’t make.
The play calling was horrible and like stated previously, where the F was the running game?
jkay-
you talking about a revamp of the whole offense, or team? the QB situation really is a potential disaster right now. McNabb is still McNabb, sometimes great, sometimes horrible, sometimes maddening. But Kolb looked horrible in his short stint, and regardless of whether it was just a bad game or not, I’ve never seen him demonstrate the arm strength to throw more than a bunch of 10-15 yard passes. Sign Matt Cassell? He’s probably just a product of Belichik’s (sp) coaching. I don’t know. I do think that the running game has been hurt more than people realize by not having Shawn Andrews.
J Dubbz –
on the last play, I predicted McNabb would throw it at the WR’s feet. My dad predicted an interception… and we both LIKE McNabb.
Pete…Thats pretty funny how we all expect not the best, not the worst, but a variety of things in the middle. I predicted a completion between the 3 and 5 yards lines and then the clock to expire.
Anybody else think we go after a QB and RB with our (2) 1st round picks? Give Kolb some competition as the QB position (starter or backup depending on McNabb situation) and a RB to complement Westbrook? There are a few RBs coming out with potential: Ringer (Mich St), Green (Iowa), and Moreno (Georgia) to name a few. Plus I think they could get a pretty decent QB if they wanted to. I am still very weary of Kevin Kolb being just a dream of Reids and not an NFL quality QB. Need something there just in case.
gawd damn we throw the ball 75% of the time? in the cold? in a one score game?
what exactly was wrong with running the ball anyway, we were gaining 3-4 yards per clip, my math says you do that 3 or 4 times in row and you wind up with a first down
our defense was excellent, Reid’s gotta go, I thought he saw the light with the running game, but he is incurable of his throwing disease. He should go and coach Arizona, let them throw all during Sept & October and lose every time they head north and play in the cold and snow
hey Arizona throwing 2-1 sure worked out this weekend, Eagles did you bother to watch that game?
By the way the Giants by contrast were down by 2 possessions yet they did not go pass-wacky in the cold, they kept running and pounding the ball.
Result they run more than they throw by almost 2-1, the Panther defense gets worn out and that rushing attack breaks open some nice holes and runs to victory.
This Eagles game just made me so sick, when are we going to get a running game?
At least you didn’t attend this train wreck. Coupled with the cold = brutal.
I feel sorry for the fans that were there, that’s just brutal
The 76ers losing to a mediocre Pacers team that was missing 3 of its top players? Pass-happy Andy Reid - again - refusing to run the ball and the Eagles teasing us – again – with yet another close-but-no-cigar?
It seems like Philadelphia sports is back to normal after that euphoric Phillies’ championship run.
Not to be negative. I’m just saying that this makes the Phils’ victory all the more impressive considering that the 76ers and Eagles are performing at what’s unfortunately the norm and not the exception.
So get out your 2008 Phillies DVDs (or buy some for the holidays if you don’t have one already) and appreciate all the more what an incredible feat our Phightin’ Phils pulled off.
when do pitchers and catchers report?!!?!?
oh man thank god for the Phillies, that’s gonna carry this city for a long time
I am still in shock the eagles decided not to run the ball yesterday. If my memory serves me correctly in the 4th quarter during our string of 3 and outs from inside our own 10 I think we ran the ball one time in 3 series. I thought everytime a team started inside their own 10 they at least try 1 running play….
Also I think we need to keep McNabb around next year. In his defense for yesterday it’s tough for a QB to get in any sort of rythym when you receivers drop 7 passes in one game. Jackson easily could have had 2 long TDs…I hope our front office is already on the phone with T.J. Houshmandzadehagent…..
Well I hope that game reinforced the fact that Reid has to go. The moment they came out and began throwing into 30mph winds, I knew there would be no run game and we were back to what we watched before the last few weeks. Does Reid watch game tape of teams? I mean really, how does he gameplan? What is he basing his decisions on? It can’t be game tape, otherwise he would have seen what freaking Cincinnati did against Washington. So frustrating. And when you see that McNabb is giving you one of those crap jobs where he thinks people have hands on their feet, why keep throwing the ball?
I like the defense. The top picks in this draft have to go to offense. I would package the two first round picks and move up, if necessary, to get Chris Wells. Package him and Westbrook and we got one hell of a running back combo. Wells could be our Jonathan Stewart to Westbrook’s DeAngelo Williams. And whoever recommended Javon Ringer, he sucks. I could run for 100 yards every game if you gave me 40+ carries every game. He really isn’t good. Just like James Laurinitis will be the biggest bust in this draft. Stats aren’t everything.
Clock Management was never a Reid/McNabb strong point. When the announcers were saying, they have 2 shots for the endzone or work the sidelines, I knew they would run 1 play and the clock would expire. Don’t know how many times I’ve seen them have poor clock management at the end of halfs & games (and no hurry up in the Super Bowl). The QB must be aware of the clock and either go endzone, sidelines, or throw it away. Poor clock management
Adam…I think you gotta give Ringer some credit. 1590 yards/21 tds from 370 carries (31 carries per game) isn’t too bad against mostly Big 10 defenses. He is a work horse of a running back which is exactly what the Eagles need. Beanie Wells would also fit that mold if he decides to enter the draft.
Let’s see what Ringer did against the good defenses he played. While the Big 10 is tough, not all of them have good defenses. Here is a quick analysis. I don’t have time to get you the defensive rankings of the teams listed, but from watching every Big 10 team play, this is what you get. And keep in mind Ringer is only 5’9″ and 200 pounds, smaller than B-West. Wells, on the other hand, is 6’2″ 230 with breakaway speed and tackle-breaking ability (unfortunately, he may have injury issues as well).
California: 27 rushes for 81 yards, 3.0 ypc
Iowa: 25 rushes for 91 yards, 3.6 ypc
Wisconsin: 21 rushes for 54 yards, 2.6 ypc
Ohio State: 16 rushes for 67 yards, 4.2 ypc
Penn State: 17 rushes for 42 yards, 2.5 ypc
Oh and just for Pete, against Notre Dame he had 39 rushes for 201 yards for 5.2 ypc. 198 yards against Indiana and 282 against Florida Atlantic prop the stats. I don’t consider any other teams he played to have good defenses. Maybe you include Michigan where he actually had a good game. But suffice to say, in the amount I saw Ringer, I did not see somoene with great NFL potential. The Eagles need a bigger back than Ringer.
To Adam,
I agree with trying to pick up Wells. His stock fell this year after he sat out of the Ohio-USC game when Ohio got sacked. With all these college players, when their teams aren’t playing as well their stock drops even though the talent is still there. He is a big back which we badly need in our own division. But at the very least we need another back. The good teams in this league rely on two backs. Westbrook is not getting any younger and needs a second back to take some reps.
I also agree that the first two picks need to be offense. I would take the best O-line or RB or TE depending on who is available with the pick and which provides the best value with that pick.
McNabb has to go. I dont care about his statistics, I go by what I see, and it is he can hit the broad side of a barn. We need to move on. He is not a winner and never will be. Everyone talks how we go to those NFC championship games but then forgets to add that we lost 3 out 4 and then lost the superbowl. Kolb may not be the answer but neither is McNabb. If we could get first rounder for him its time to send him packing. Hes good but would never be great.
McNabb is just flaky. He goes around playing good one moment and bad the next? Its like I read in one post “We can beat teams like Cowboys, and Giants, But I don’t understand how we lose to the Redskins and Tie with the Bangles. WTH!!!!! McNabb has potential, the entire team has potential . But I feel like its all backed by How McNabb is feeling – Someone needs to give McNabb a backrub and some chunky soup before each game just so that guy can feel better or something!
McNabb had 1 great year: 2004 - 104.7 QB efficiency rating. Other 9 years combined rating – 82.6. I won’t mention the X factor.
The primary job of QB is to move ball downfield and throw TDs. 1st number indicates avg gain per catch – career, 2nd is pass attempts per TD – career:
avg gain att per TD
Romo 8.2 15.6
P. Manning 7.6 17.9
Brady 7.2 18.5
Rivers 7.5 18.5
Roethlisberger 7.9 18.7
Warner 8.0 19.8
Favre 7.0 19.9
Palmer 7.2 20.2
Delhomme 7.3 21.1
Brees 7.2 22.0
McNabb 6.8 22.3
McNabb has thrown 550 times this season in 14 1/2 games - 37.9 att per game! His avg gain per catch is 6.8, matching his mediocre career number.
Systems in which QBs operate are various, as are production results.
Thought you might find stats interesting. I say they support the notion that McNabb has long been overhyped.
CORRECTION re post #19: 1st number is “avg gain per pass attempt – career”, not ” … per catch (completion)” as originally written.
Nicely done, jjg. However, one thing to keep in mind is that Reid’s version of the west-coast offense is predicated on the short throw and heavily dependent on YAC. That said, there has been a lot of YUCK over the years.
bski Thanks. Reference to “systems” was my thin acknowledgement of the Andy Reid ‘dink and dunk’ diagramming; even as that’s been a factor, true individual greatness surmounts any operating system and supplies near-primacy in key offensive categories, in my opinion.