The Eagles Examiner, Week 11: Desperation Is a Rank Cologne
Remember, we have a new addition: Ciara Todd, our dutiful intern and resident Eagles fanatic, has graciously agreed to add her comments underneath our points. Disagree with her in the comments or at ctodd@phillymag.com.
McNabb, tweaked again: Donovan McNabb kept up his annual streak of injuring himself in November, as he went down in the second quarter with what the team is calling an ankle sprain. Before this sprain, McNabb was on pace for one of his worst days ever, racking up just 34 yards and two picks before he limped off the field. Just one week removed from a four-touchdown day against the Redskins, Five came out against what some would argue is the worst team in the league and looked flat. Balls were high, balls were wobbly, and the longest completions were to players on the other team. Backup quarterback and former Heather Mitts infiltrator A.J. Feeley came in to salvage the win, but it was Brian Westbrook who did most of the heavy lifting. Once again, the Eagles showcased a confusing game plan to only run the ball early and often — when McNabb isn’t behind center. Why?
Ciara’s take: Here’s one theory of the “Andy Reid Playbook Philosophy”: There isn’t one. Face it, Andy loves McNabb and McNabb loves Andy. As long as the two are together, Andy will ensure that McNabb is used to the best of his ability. It’s that type of relationship. If you take a poll today, most teams would take McNabb over half the quarterbacks in the league. Also, the Kevin Kolb/A.J. Feeley talk should cease immediately (Angelo Cataldi, that would be you). There is no justifiable reason to put Kolb in there. If that’s not waving the white flag, what else is?
Brian Westbrook is God: If it wasn’t obvious, oh, the last two years that the Eagles offense begins and ends with Westbrook, yesterday didn’t prove otherwise. Westbrook had a career best 148 yards rushing, zipping through the gaping holes provided by dominant-looking left side of the line all day. The Eagles offense is consistently less than mediocre without his contributions and, yet, still seems content to be pass-oriented. Westbrook’s career day comes off a week in which he practiced very little, thanks to a banged-up knee and probably a slew of other injuries to his 5′8″ frame. If McNabb’s not 100 percent the rest of the year (or even if he is), the Eagles would be better served keeping Westbrook out of practice if they want to hang onto that sliver of hope that they’re actually a playoff team this time.
Ciara’s take: Westbrook is this team. Point. Blank. Period. There’s nothing more you can say. We are a playoff team simply by the fact that the rest of the NFC sucks so bad.
Defense didn’t have to do that much: Yes, they came up with that big 4th-down stop. But, remember, this is still a Dolphins offense helmed by quarterback John Beck (first career start) and Jesse Chatman(backup running back), so let’s not start comparing them to the ‘85 Bears even in the deepest throes of mescaline-induced ruminations. The Eagles obviously missed defensive end Jevon “The Freak” Kearse yesterday. (Kidding. Just wanted to see if that sentence could be typed without without chuckling. The answer is “No.”)
Ciara’s take: This defense is all right. Whoever told Takeo Spikes that he should be the spokesperson for this defense needs to be slapped. Except his 21-tackle game last week, he’s been invisible. Also, this team does not tackle well. I know touch football teams that make better contact than we do.
The Patriots could possibly score 70 points next week: There was a point earlier in the year where this Sunday’s game against the New England Patriots actually seemed like it would be enjoyable. It still will be, if only to watch how quickly the world-beating Patriots will dispose of the hapless Eagles and prove once and for all that this team is pathetically ordinary. Honestly, if McNabb doesn’t play, the line on this game could be 22 points. If he does play, it could be 20. Forget about the notion that this is some sort of “revenge game” for the Birds because of the Super Bowl loss three years ago: This will be the most demoralizing loss these players will ever experience in their professional careers. At least it will be memorable.
Ciara’s take: I don’t like the Patriots. They’re not quite as high on the “hate” scale as the Cowboys, but I don’t like them. Pure hate. Watching the Buffalo game last night solidified it. Who in their right mind would go for it on 4th and 1 with a 36,000 point lead? Yes, its understood that players play to win the game (thanks, Herm Edwards), but this is out of line. If the Pats attempt — just attempt — to pull this off next week, someone should knock the pretty boy off of Tom Brady. Not take out his knee Theismann-style, but something to that effect. Some team in the league has to stand up to this. The Eagles’ chances to win are slim, but if they come out and make it competitive, it’ll be satisfying enough.
November 19th, 2007 at 12:09 pm
I think Clara should expand upon her comment “If the Pats attempt — just attempt — to pull this off next week, someone should knock the pretty boy off of Tom Brady. Not take out his knee Theismann-style, but something to that effect.” At what point should losing teams start to purposely injure opposing players, i.e. a 10, 20, 30 or more point deferential? Obviously, when one team is superior another, they should be penalized. After all, this is a sports world in which hard work, good drafting, and superior coaching can not be allowed to be reflected in the score. Thanks for trying to help us with this Clara.
November 19th, 2007 at 1:27 pm
Nice job, Clara. Multi-Millionaires paid handsomely to do one thing; stop the other teams offense. They can’t do it, so, by all means, let’s blow out their best players knee. I can only hope you’re not coaching any Pop Warner leagues this year.
So the Patriots should shut things down when someone gets a lead? When, exactly? I went to a game where the Texans scored 30 fourth quarter points before losing to Tenn. earlier this year. The Titans called off the dogs way too early in that one and they almost lost. Tom Brady and Randy Moss aren’t paid to stop themselves. And they shouldn’t have to simply because we’ve become a bunch of easily-offended wussies.
November 19th, 2007 at 1:34 pm
Ciara is aiming for that gentlemanly ideal, that is, when one team has clearly bested another team, you ease off instead of running up the score.
I dislike the Patriots for spygate, and I dislike them more for running up the score when the game has been decided by the second quarter. Like in basketball, you put the bench players in and give them the garbage time. Why do the Patriots go for it on fourth down?
Mind you, I think they can do whatever the damned well please. However, as the Miami team showed last night, these players have pride and aren’t about to roll over just because they’re losing. I think Belichick is risking Tom Brady’s knees by leaving him in during garbage time with an angry opposing team (think Matt McCoy).
If Brady tears an ACL, the player or players who do it will likely get fined, but will anyone shed a tear? The NE Pats are as unlikable a team as you can possibly get, and it’s 100% their doing.
November 19th, 2007 at 1:55 pm
The fact that some of you take this to heart, bothers me. I didn’t know Tom Brady’s mother blogged. I wouldn’t expect you to get the overall point since all you do is sit in front of ESPN all day and have wet dreams about Belicheck’s sweatshirt. All Patriots fans’ comments are null and void to me because prior to 2001, 2/3 of your fanbase didn’t exist.
Of course, I would never condone one player purposely injuring another. However, what I don’t condone is a team simply letting the Pats do what they damn please.. As the opposing team, I would be pissed off to see The Pats sitting in the redzone about to score again. Pissed off to the point that if I had a chance to knock the wind out of Mr. GQ, I would. This is the NFL . How could you as a player be satisfied with that?
To Shecky: Last time I checked, 30 point TDs don’t exist. I’m not saying to pull them in the third, I’m saying to pull them in the 4th, late 4th if that. There is no damn way that any team would score 40 points in 10 minutes, so why bother keeping them in there.
Simply put, the Pats are asking for it. And some team is going to do it.
November 19th, 2007 at 2:47 pm
Can’t resist responding to Clara’s last entry. I want to make sure I understand her point. She believes opposing teams will be pissed off to see the Patriots sitting in the Red Zone about to score some more points. She asked how a player could be satisfied with that situation. Now if I understand correctly (I’m not too bright having watched ESPN all day) the reason the Patriots are in the red zone is because the “pissed off” players let them get there. By the way, having read Clara’s initial comments and her last response, it appears that what really upsets her is not so much the sport questions but that Tom Brady aka “pretty boy” and “Mr. GQ” may have some appeal outside of football. Finally, I suggest that she look back at 2004 when the Colts “ran up” the scores in a number of games to give Manning a chance at the touchdown record or the Super Bowl in the mid 80’s when the Bears ran it up on the Patriots.
November 19th, 2007 at 3:03 pm
The typical response is to talk about the Colts. We’re not talking about the Colts or the Bears, we’re talking about the Pats. Teams run up the score, they do. But how can you let that happen? It has to piss you off . I’m looking at the other 9 teams — minus the Colts — as sorry. I look at any team who just takes it as sorry. You don’t take that, you don’t. They’re spitting in your face and kicking you at the same time. The fact that those teams decided to let them down there is a disgrace. Have some fight. Settling is stupid.
Please, there is no jealousy or envy towards Tom Brady. We all know that he’s a system QB and if he was with any other team in the league, he would tank.
What truly bothers me is that people are getting ridiculous overaggressive over a simple point: Someone is going to mess a Pats player up and it will not be lovely.
November 19th, 2007 at 5:12 pm
It’s whiney little punks like Ciara that make it fun to watch the Pats run up the score.
November 19th, 2007 at 5:24 pm
“Please, there is no jealousy or envy towards Tom Brady. We all know that he’s a system QB and if he was with any other team in the league, he would tank.”
This is pretty funny. Brady is in the process of shattering a lot of NFL records. One has to wonder why no one else has copied the “system” that is producing all these records…
November 19th, 2007 at 7:17 pm
I’m a whiney little punk? Look who is talking? Everytime something goes wrong against the Pats, y’all complain. Come the hell on.
I’m happy that I’ve made people talk…even if it is a bunch of crap.
November 19th, 2007 at 9:01 pm
Yeah, you’re a whiney little puck. The Pats are in the process of making NFL history, and all you can do is whine about how someone should try to hurt their QB.
On the other hand, I’ve got nothing to whine about. I’m a Pats fan. My favorite team has won 3 Super Bowls since 2001, and it looks like we probably have a few more headed our way. Watching punks like you whine about it just makes it even better.
November 20th, 2007 at 9:11 am
By the way, the “Brady is nothing but a system QB” comment is still cracking my up. If he played for the Eagles, would he have to learn the “puke all over yourself” system that they used in their last Super Bowl beatdown?
November 20th, 2007 at 9:13 am
So I’m a punk? Cute. Pats fans have very selective memories. Plus, I’m stating an opinion. If you don’t like it, go home and cry to Belicheck about it. How sensitive can you be?
November 20th, 2007 at 4:03 pm
I have no reason to cry. My team is destroying everything in it’s path. The only crying is coming from you.
November 22nd, 2007 at 9:06 pm
About the patriots running up the score.
Stop Them. Its as simple as that. If a player is “pissed off” as u say about the patriots going for it on 4th and 1. Stop them and they don’t score. But no one is stopping them. And so far the only team that has came close is the Colts. And with all their injuries, and manning not being able to play in new england this winter. I doubt that any team is going to be able to derail this team from going 19 and 0.