11/29/08

They say “better late than never.”  It’s probably still too late, but Andy Reid finally woke up.  Finally realized there’s a part of football called the “running game.”  Finally realized the Brian Westbrook is a pretty good player, and it make sense to give him the ball. 

As a result, the Eagles rediscovered how to win a football game.

It’s what I’ve screamed for, and those of you who blog with me.  Not to mention almost every other member of the media and most of the fans. 

And Andy finally got it.  He came out and established the run early Thursday night against the Arizona Cardinals.  The result? The Eagles scored more points in the first quarter than they had in the first quarters of the five previous games combined.

And then, he stuck with the run throughout.  Westbrook ended up with 22 carries, and the Eagles scored more points than they had in any game since September of last year. 

It wasn’t just that they gave the ball to Westbrook; they also designed some nice plays that got him on the edges, out in space where he operates best instead of just running him between the tackles.

Reid also decided to take action in regard to the team’s persistent short yardage problems.  On an early third and one, he gave the ball to Kyle Eckel, who bulled his way for a first down.  The crowd at the Linc promptly gave a standing ovation, so unaccustomed as they are to seeing the Eagles convert on third and one.  Many of them probably had no idea who Eckel is.  It was the first time the Eagles activated him this year after signing him earlier this season. 

Donovan McNabb played well, but again, I don’t think he’s the issue.   Donovan or Kevin Kolb, they’re both going to struggle if they don’t have a running game to keep the defenses honest.  The Cardinals came out and, as NFL commentator Chris Collinsworth said, “Played soft defense,” designed to prevent the pass and leaving themselves vulnerable to the run. 

Donovan did show more willingness to scramble, something he hasn’t done enough of lately, and that helped, too. 

But even counting McNabb’s 4 carries as pass plays instead of runs, the Eagles still called the run more.  They had 33 called running plays, compared to 31 passes.  Doesn’t even seem like it could be the same coaching staff that called 60 passes and just 18 runs a couple of weeks ago.

I ASKED YOU A QUESTION ON YOUR PARADE PICS BLOG AND ITS GONE. WAS THAT PIC OF YOU?

COURTDOG

Unless the Eagles go 5-0 the rest of the season,Eagles fans should be looking beyond this year.I predicted 7-9 and that's impossible since the Eagles have a tie.Will they surpass seven wins? probably not.The big question I have to all Eagles fans is:since DMac can be made the scapegoat because the Eagles control his option year,will Jeff Lurie and Joe Banner let AR come back ,since he's owed eleven million over the  three remaining years on his contract?A lot of the media are saying it's impossible for the Cardinals to travel cross country and play at a top level.I guess we'll see on Thanksgiving night.

Hi,

  Every year Archbishop wood plays William tennet in ice hockey. The biggest game of the year.  How do I get Fox to cover the championship game /

DN

HEY EAGLES FANS, JUST SIT BACK THE REST OF THIS YEAR & YEARS TO COME, AS THE GREAT SUPERBOWL CHAMPIONS--THE GIANTS CONTINUE TO DOMINATE!

YOU GUYS ARE GETTING EXACTLY, WHAT YOU DESERVE!!-- PAIN & SUFFERING FROM THE PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE AS YOU HAVE WATCHED YOUR EAGLES SOAR-- THAT IS SOAR CRUSHINGLY, DOWN, DOWN DOWN AND LOSE, LOSE LOSE LOSE, NEVER EVER, WINNING A SUPERBOWL!! EAT YOUR HEARTS OUT!!

A long time ago,when I was young,the superbowl fell on my birthday weekend.One of the teams that were in the big game was my favorite team.The Eagles.So life was great for me that weekend,my parents had gathered the family,my friends and gave me a superbowl Eagles birthday party.There were Eagles ballons,an Eagles cake and alot of Eagles wrapping paper on my gifts.I was so excited that nothing I thought could ruin the day.But then it happened,my favorite team choked in grand fashion.The Eagles lost and ruined what should have been one of the best days in my life.It scarred me for the summer.The next year when it became football season again,I remembered the heartache that team had put me through,and vowed to never root for them again.My new team became the New York Gaints.Since Ive made the change,It seems like a weight was lifted off of my shoulders,I could breathe again.Not to mention,no more heartache.

I understand that fans stand behind their teams,but how much more can the Eagles fans take before they decide to jump ship?One heartache was enough for me.

GO GIANTS

PS.PHILLIES SEASON IS RITE AROUND THE CORNER!

GO PHILS

To Mr B.V......and my fox peeps,

Just wanted to express My thoughts on what i think WE NEED TO DO;

a)..YES bench Donovan ,Bring in AJ Feeley,(remember he was the guy that backd Garcia up, and we didnt do too bad ,he's hungry ,he has expierience ,he can run, and he still has an arm..)..I love Donovan, but we all have to admit he's gettin a lil "beat"..so give him a little rest...

***That Kolb, has no "idea".what the hell is going on, YO MAN you're not in college NO MORE!!...***

I love Westbrook ,but he's getting too beat up,.why?..because we're not using him as a weapon,.I think that he should come in on like 3rd downs,and maybe sum 2nd and 3rd downs,but rest him,.i mean even if he don't run at least we have him as a threat,.Get that buckhalter runnin,and that other thick fullback guy we had for a while ,have them get in there,and bang it out a lil,..run some trick plays,.Can any of our runninbacks or fullbacks throw?..run some of them plays,NOT ALWAYS WITH JACKSON,..i mean yea the guy is good but MAKE HIM A WEAPON,..BUILD HIS EGO LIKE HE'S A T.O...(i don't even care)..but running him EVERY other three plays is getting dead,..B'CAUSE WHATS GOING TO HAPPEN IS you're going to run him too much and ONE OF THESE THICK DUDES FROM LIKE DALLAS, GUNNA CATCH HIM COMING ACROSS,.the middle,AND POP HIS LIL ASS'!.........I MEAN HE'S ONLY LIKE 150PDS WITH WET BOOTS,..LOLOL..(i mean, he's good, but come on)

I mean throw Demps in ,some plays on offense,.utalize Reggie Brown a lil more,throw in some more of them trick plays ,like you did with the frontline guy getting a touchdown(i can't think of names right now) throw LJ on more slant runs with Westbrook,and Jackson going long..GET CURTIS AND BASKETT MORE INVOLVED....i mean everyone is waiting for Westbrook,.so trickem up a lil,...

Give feeley a few choices to throw to,and options,..We NEED WEAPONS!!!!!..AND WE HAVE THEM..I THINK IT STARTS WITH THE "QB"....MORE of the quarterback RUNNING..(I REMEMBER when we had Randall, he was a threat,when we first got Donovan HE WAS A THREAT..NOW,..NUTHIN!)...I THINK FEELEY CAN RUN,AND THROW A BULLET WHEN HE NEEDS TOO!...

b) Defense! Defense!..Get that Blitz going like even on 1st and 2nd downs..Find out the QB's weakside and blitz it "often",. keep that QB guessing and switching up plays,.Have ya Fastest Blitzer keep getting him,.if you know that Farve like throwing right ,.you keep blitzing him right,,right?..Make them change there GAME a lil..then have them big defensive linemen get in there,push there line back,,and force there QB out of that pocket,.EVERY DOWN!...but the main thing is getting them back to that BLITZ!..JIM JOHNSON, WORK YA MAGIC!!!!!!

C)...2ND TEAM/RECEIVING..

THROW IN JACKSON , BUCHALTER AND DEMPS to receive,..they are all fast, get them going!..better blocking to open up some holes,..and these guys could GO ALL THE WAY!!!..

until next time!........ROMONT..."SNIGGLES"..HARRIS

LOVE YOU GUYS!..

11/23/08

And now it’s over:  The Eagles season, for all intents and purposes, is done.  The unbreakable relationship between Andy Reid and Donovan McNabb--also done.   And The McNabb Era itself--finished.

 It’s all unraveling before our eyes.  But most of us think it’s time, anyway.  We’re all tired of the same old stuff;  McNabb struggling game after game, and getting worse instead of better.  Actually, after three straight games of stinking it up in the first quarter, he started out well today.  But then he blew a tire.  I don’t blame him for the fumble in the second quarter, but the two interceptions and the inability to put even so much as a field goal on the scoreboard is largely his fault. 

But even more so, the coach.  Andy Reid is as stubborn as humanly possible.  He just doesn’t learn.  Even though he did try (unsuccessfully) to establish a semblance of a running game this week, he always returns to the pass in crunch time.  Second quarter, on third and one he called a pass—and it resulted in one of the interceptions by McNabb.  Fourth quarter, Kevin Kolb now in after McNabb is benched, and he calls a pass on second and goal from inches away—resulting in another interception, this one returned for an NFL record 108 yards by Ed Reed.  That’s a horrendous call, and it resulted in a 14 point swing—instead of scoring a touchdown and being one possession away from tying, they go down 29-7.  Reid had called a run on first and goal from inches away, and it was stopped and, in typical fashion, Reid promptly gave up on trying to run and threw instead.  After the game, when he was asked about it, Reid pointed out that they’ve tried to run in short yardage situations before, and were stopped.  Of course, if they had run it, and been stopped on 2nd and goal, they could come back and try on 3rd down, and again on 4th if need be.  But the inane pass attempt was intercepted, and what's more, returned for a touchdown—can’t you see the difference Andy?

In other words, I don’t care who the quarterback is, I don’t think they will be successful in Andy Reid’s system and with his play calling.  Reid will announce Monday who will start Thursday’s game in Arizona.  It has to be Kolb, because at this point, everyone knows it’s over for this season and it’s time to start planning for the future. 

But is there a way that Andy can bench himself?