The first quarter of the 2007 Philadelphia Eagles season is gone, and after a 1-3 start, the bye week could not have come sooner. Within the three losses the offense has averaged under 10 points per game. The lone sign of hope came from a 56-21 drubbing of the lowly Detroit Lions. It seems as if Coach Reid's vaunted West Coast Offense has migrated south. To put these numbers in perspective, the disaster that was the 2005 Eagles team averaged just under 18 points per game (over 15 games, taking away the 42-3 victory against the 49ers, who were even worse than the '07 Lions). The '05 Eagles averaged almost double the '07 version, so far, and these numbers include the 42-0 shutout the Eagles suffered to Seattle in 2005. So with an offense that seems to be all but inept, what can fans honestly expect from the Birds over the next 12 games. Let's take a look.
This Sunday the Eagles once again must trek up the turnpike, this time to face the the New York Jets. Despite the Jets' 1-4 record they are averaging 19.2 points per game and are looking to avenge the loss to their Meadowland-roommates, the "New York" Giants. But the Eagles need the win and have always been successful after the bye week. The Eagles should put up at least 21 points this week and the defense should be able to take the ball away from the accurate but weak-armed Chad Pennington. Prediction: Eagles 24, Jets 20. Eagles record: 2-3.
Sunday 10/21 the Bears come in to Philadelphia for a 4:15 meeting of 2006's NFC North and East champions. The Bears went to the Superbowl last season but have been nconsistent on offense, and are treading water at 2-3. But the Bears pulled off a 27-20 victory over the previously undefeated Green Bay Packers. If the defense gets in a groove, which it very well may, as Chicago plays rival Minnestoa before they come into the Linc. The Eagles have struggled against moderately proficient defenses this season, and will certainly struggle against Urlacher & Co. Even if the Eagles' D keeps the game close, Devin Hester will come up big late in the game and, hopefully, prove to Andy that special teams matter. Prediction: Eagles13, Bears 20. Eagles record: 2-4.
10/28 @ Minnesota. The Vikings are not very good but have a strong defense and running game, and will be coming off a loss to the Dallas Cowboys. The Eagles will also be coming off a loss, and history shows the Eagles are going to want to come out firing. Big yards for McNabb in this game but the offense will sputter in the redzone, putting the game in David Akers hands, and with the game being played in-doors, the Eagles should be able to pull this game out. Prediction: Eagles 26, Vikings 17. Eagles record: 3-4.
11/4 vs. Dallas. This game will be Philadelphia's Super Bowl. No matter what these two teams' records show, this will be close and a lot of points will be scored. T.O. will be looking to score in Philly after a disappointing homecoming in 2006. McNabb will be looking to show up his nemesis, and the crowd will be fired up and will this team to win it late, as they did last season. Dallas' secondary is capable of the big play but won't be able to contain the speed of the Eagles receivers. Reggie Brown will actually play a role in this game and may even catch a deep touchdown. Prediction: Eagles 31, Cowboys 27. Eagles record: 4-4.
11/11 @ Washington. On an emotional let-down game for the Eagles, Washington will be comig off an AFC East road trip, after back-to-back games in New England and the Meadowlands. Looking to get back on track, Washington will keep the ball away from the suddenly hot Eagles offense by running, even if the ground game doesn't yield immediate big gains. The Eagles will continue to score points, but with fewer possessions it will be tough to keep the offense balanced, and Washington will prevail in what will be called a vintage NFC East battle. Prediction: Eagles 21, Redskins 27. Eagles record: 4-5.
11/18 vs. Miami. With no quarterback, Ronnie Brown will be asked to carry the Dolphins' offense and the Eagles D will not respect the passing game, and will stack the box, much like the '05 Birds played against San Diego. Brown will make big plays in a showdown of nop-notch running backs. Brian Westbrook will steal Ronnie's thunder and will dominate this afternoon contest, and Brian's performance may resemble his week three out-put in which he put up over 200 yards and 3 touchdowns. Eagles bounce back from a divisional loss to beat a down-and-out AFC team. Prediction: Eagles 28, Dolphins 24. Eagles record: 5-5.
11/25 @ New England. No chance. The Eagles will not be close at any point in this game. New England will be vying for a perfect season and cementing themselves as one of the great teams of all-time. The Eagles offense will struggle against the 3-4 and the defense will not be able to contain Brady, Moss, Stallworth or Watson. This game will be ugly and could be the death knell for an Eagles team that comes into New England with a .500 record. Prediction: Eagles 17, Patriots 48. Eagles record: 5-6.
12/2 vs. Seattle. Coming off a backbreaker in New Egland, Philadelphia will come still stinging from the beating in Foxborough. Seattle will come in to the Linc looking to break away from the still tight NFC West. The Eagles will launch the Seahawks into the playoffs and this loss may be McNabb's farewell, as this drowning team may may start to look towards the future by playing the team's first 2007 draft pick, Kevin Kolb. Prediction: Eagles 16, Seahawks 20. Eagles record: 5-7.
12/9 vs. NY Giants. Although the season may be dead, this team, possibly under the direction of Kevin Kold or AJ Feeley, will step up and prove the team as a whole is not a lost cause. Westbrook will continue his career-long trend of Giant-killing, and will see plenty of carries now that McNabb has either been benched or IRed. Eli Manning will turn the ball over early and often and set up his defense with a short field all day. Eagles win in a hard-hitting battle. Eagles 17, Giants 13. Eagles record: 6-7.
12/16 @ Dallas. Dallas will avenge their November loss in Philly by wrapping up NFC home-field advantage in this week 15 matchup. Romo won't be great, but the defense will be worn down enough at this point in the season to give up chunks of yards, especially on third downs. The Eagles offense will look promising with a rookie under center, but they will also make rookie mistakes while they continue to adjust to a still-new QB. Prediction: Eagles: 17, Cowboys 21. Eagles record: 6-8.
12/23 @ New Orleans. Despite a slow start, New Orleans will be able to hang around .500 for the season and the Super Dome will continue to be a House of Horrors for the Eagles. New Orleans' O will move the ball but won't score a whole lot but the Eagles will start slow and won't be able to bounce back (see the 2006 regular season matchup). Prediction: Eagles 20, Saints 23. Eagles record: 6-9.
12/30 vs. Buffalo. The season closer against another bad team, in a showdown of rookie QBs. Buffalo will be down-and-out as well but looking to prove the future is brighter. Kolb will be looking to prove he is Philadelphia's future, and will put up good numbers. The Eagles D will explode, lead by former Buffalo Bill Takeo Spikes, and win it for the Eagles in a game of "who cares?" Prediction: Eagles 27, Bills 12. Eagles record: 7-9.
These are my predictions for the Eagles, if they continue to play the way they have over the first quarter of the season. I am not guaranteeing any of this, as it is all simply speculation. I do not wish for this to be a throw-away season, nor do I wish to watch a farewell defeat or injury for Donovan McNabb. Hopefully the birds can turn it around, but this is how I see the remaining 12 games going down.
Tuesday, October 9, 2007
Monday, October 8, 2007
It Was Fun While It Lasted But Now We Should Be Going
After a 14 year absence the Phillies made their post season debut and were swept out of the first round by the Colorado Rockies, 3-0. There were poor performances across the board, and there is no one person to blame. Utley was bad. Howard wasn't much better. Rowand started strong and fell off. Rollins, except for a superb game two, was disappointing. The bullpen wasn't great, and who thought J.C. Romero would give up the hits and runs that lost the final game? Gordon gave up a homerun in the first game. Burrell's fielding was... no worse than it had been all season, but not any better. The 2007 Phillies' season ended in heart-breaking fashion, but it should not be remembered as anything short of a successful year. While it was easy to get swept up by Brandon Lang and everybody on ESPN picking the Phillies to end up in the World Series, reality must set in. Eventually the pitching staff (game two), streaky hitting (entire series) and lack of a tactical manager (game two) would be exposed. After a story-book season, all the holes in the roster were brought to the spotlight by the very talented and very HOT Colorado Rockies. The playoffs were a learning experience for this club, and, hopefully, the experience will pay off in years to come. So while the 3-0 sweep may still sting to many in Phillies-Nation, please remember 2007 was a season to remember fondly. Chase Utley solidified himself as one of the top players in the game. Ryan Howard, in a "down" year, finished second in the National League in both homeruns (47) and RBI (136). Jimmy Rollins called the Phillies the team to beat in the NL East and delivered an MVP-caliber season, a season in which Rollins started all 162 games. Pat Burrell, despite a below the mendoza-line first half, finished strong and carried the offense during Utley's absence due to a broken hand. Aaron Rowand's offense matched his Gold Glove-worthy defense, as he set career highs in all basically every offensive catergory. Michael Bourn and Shane Victorino added the speed that had been missing in the offense for the last several years, and also played extraordinary defense. Cole Hamels, when healthy, proved to be a true ace, finding a way to keep his team close and pull out victories even in situatins where he was not at the top of his game. Kyle Kendrick was promoted from struggling AA-ball player to solid Major League starter. Brett Myers became a solid closer. So while it is a shame the Phills, after all this time, went down quietly into the night, 2007 as a whole was far from a failure. This team has plenty to build upon, and now that they have the experience should be in the postseason for several years to come.
There are plenty of ways for this team to improve, and after a season in which over three-million people came through the gates of Citizens Bank Park, and not to mention all the cash that came i during the brief playoff run through merchandising and ticket sales, as well as a projected rise in the number of season ticket holders due to recent successes, the Phillies front office should have plenty of money to put an even better team on the field in 2008. The first issue in need of attention needs to be pitching. As far as the starting five are concerned, the best potential rotation would be Cole Hamels, Jamie Moyer, Kyle Kendrick, Kyle Lohse and Brett Myers. That's right, Myers. But Brett can only be moved back in to the rotation if the bullpen is solidified, and not just pieced together with popsicle sticks and bubble gum as it has been recently. The first order of business would be to re-sign J.C. Romero. Romero was excellent for the Phillies down the stretch and can be a light-out set-up man, Romero needs to be back. Hopefully Ryan Madson will return to full health and become a rock in the bullpen as he has been at times in his career. Flash Gordon, still under contract, will return but cannot be depended on for very much. Alfonseca will, in all likelihood, leave via free agency. A closer is needed. If a top-two starter is not acquired then it is imperative Myers be moved back in to the rotation and a closer is somehow brought to the roster. Ed Wade pulled the Billy Wagner-rabbit out of his hat for Brandon Duckworth, surely Pat Gillick can do something to improve the back end of the bullpen.
Infielders. Tadahito Iguchi is a key to the infield and is an excellent right-handed bat off the bench. Although Utley is the franchise, he has shown signs of wearing down near the end of seasons, and having Iguchi as an option at second base will make it easier for whoever manages in 2008 to justify an off-day for Utley. Third base also needs to be addressed. If Greg Dobbs is the man he needs to improve his inconsistent fielding and learn to hit lefties the way Utley and Howard learned. If third base will continue to be platooned, Wes Helms serves no real purpose and the duties should be split between Dobbs and defensive-specislist Abraham Nunez. The efforts of those two players should be enough in an in-field consisting of three other superstars. Carlos Ruiz proved himself as a major league catcher, but a dependable back-up is always a hot commodity at such a physically demanding position. It would be great to see Chris Coste take that roll, but management hasn't shown much trust in Coste, for whatever reason, so don't be surprised to see a veteran brought in, if for no other reason than to help Ruiz progress and give him an occassional day off.
Outfielders. First and foremost is Aaron Rowand. Rowand will be commanding big money after a career year and the Phillies need to open up the purse strings, especially if the pitching staff is not sugnificantly bolstered. However, if several high-priced hurlers are added, that could justify the loss of Rowand. Beyond Philadelphia's favorite kamikaze, the are several other issuses in the outfield. A big contract, including a no-trade clause will keep Pat Burrell in a Phillies uniform for at least 2008. Shane Victorino may be moved to center field if Rowand is not re-signed. Moving Victorino would leave right field to be occupied by Jayson Werth and/or Michael Bourn. Bourn, however, is rumored to be on the move in exchange for pitching. Trading Bourn doesn't seem to make much sense for a few reasons. 1- Bourn probably won't be traded for any anyone better that Kyle Lohse, and trading one of the team's X-factors for a third or fourth starter doesn't seem logical. 2- Depth. the strength of the outfield this season has been its depth, whether it be platooning due to a slumping Pat Burrell, pinch running and fielding for an un-athletic Pat Burrell, or filling in for Shane Victorino during injuries, having Michael Bourn's speed and defense as well as Jayson Werth's all around solid play off the bence were one of this team's greatest assets in 2007. Free-agency is an option for outfielders, but if a free agent is signed, especially to play center, that will beg the question as to why not just re-sign the fan-favorite, face-smashing legend who has occupied center field for the past two seasons.
I know it is early to talk about 2008, as the 2007 playoffs have yet to reach the LCS round. But the Phillies first round loss lead me to believe this season was a building block for the future. The entire roster matured. And even though Philly was swept out of the first round, the experience gained through the year and through the playoffs will ensure the 2008 Phillies are a World Series contender. And now that must be the goal. After finally getting a taste of the postseason, this team has to prove they are the team to beat in the East. And if 2008 ends in anything less than a World Series victory, that will be an under-achievement. But as for '07, everyone should take a step back and realize exactly how much OUR team accomplished over the past 165 games.
There are plenty of ways for this team to improve, and after a season in which over three-million people came through the gates of Citizens Bank Park, and not to mention all the cash that came i during the brief playoff run through merchandising and ticket sales, as well as a projected rise in the number of season ticket holders due to recent successes, the Phillies front office should have plenty of money to put an even better team on the field in 2008. The first issue in need of attention needs to be pitching. As far as the starting five are concerned, the best potential rotation would be Cole Hamels, Jamie Moyer, Kyle Kendrick, Kyle Lohse and Brett Myers. That's right, Myers. But Brett can only be moved back in to the rotation if the bullpen is solidified, and not just pieced together with popsicle sticks and bubble gum as it has been recently. The first order of business would be to re-sign J.C. Romero. Romero was excellent for the Phillies down the stretch and can be a light-out set-up man, Romero needs to be back. Hopefully Ryan Madson will return to full health and become a rock in the bullpen as he has been at times in his career. Flash Gordon, still under contract, will return but cannot be depended on for very much. Alfonseca will, in all likelihood, leave via free agency. A closer is needed. If a top-two starter is not acquired then it is imperative Myers be moved back in to the rotation and a closer is somehow brought to the roster. Ed Wade pulled the Billy Wagner-rabbit out of his hat for Brandon Duckworth, surely Pat Gillick can do something to improve the back end of the bullpen.
Infielders. Tadahito Iguchi is a key to the infield and is an excellent right-handed bat off the bench. Although Utley is the franchise, he has shown signs of wearing down near the end of seasons, and having Iguchi as an option at second base will make it easier for whoever manages in 2008 to justify an off-day for Utley. Third base also needs to be addressed. If Greg Dobbs is the man he needs to improve his inconsistent fielding and learn to hit lefties the way Utley and Howard learned. If third base will continue to be platooned, Wes Helms serves no real purpose and the duties should be split between Dobbs and defensive-specislist Abraham Nunez. The efforts of those two players should be enough in an in-field consisting of three other superstars. Carlos Ruiz proved himself as a major league catcher, but a dependable back-up is always a hot commodity at such a physically demanding position. It would be great to see Chris Coste take that roll, but management hasn't shown much trust in Coste, for whatever reason, so don't be surprised to see a veteran brought in, if for no other reason than to help Ruiz progress and give him an occassional day off.
Outfielders. First and foremost is Aaron Rowand. Rowand will be commanding big money after a career year and the Phillies need to open up the purse strings, especially if the pitching staff is not sugnificantly bolstered. However, if several high-priced hurlers are added, that could justify the loss of Rowand. Beyond Philadelphia's favorite kamikaze, the are several other issuses in the outfield. A big contract, including a no-trade clause will keep Pat Burrell in a Phillies uniform for at least 2008. Shane Victorino may be moved to center field if Rowand is not re-signed. Moving Victorino would leave right field to be occupied by Jayson Werth and/or Michael Bourn. Bourn, however, is rumored to be on the move in exchange for pitching. Trading Bourn doesn't seem to make much sense for a few reasons. 1- Bourn probably won't be traded for any anyone better that Kyle Lohse, and trading one of the team's X-factors for a third or fourth starter doesn't seem logical. 2- Depth. the strength of the outfield this season has been its depth, whether it be platooning due to a slumping Pat Burrell, pinch running and fielding for an un-athletic Pat Burrell, or filling in for Shane Victorino during injuries, having Michael Bourn's speed and defense as well as Jayson Werth's all around solid play off the bence were one of this team's greatest assets in 2007. Free-agency is an option for outfielders, but if a free agent is signed, especially to play center, that will beg the question as to why not just re-sign the fan-favorite, face-smashing legend who has occupied center field for the past two seasons.
I know it is early to talk about 2008, as the 2007 playoffs have yet to reach the LCS round. But the Phillies first round loss lead me to believe this season was a building block for the future. The entire roster matured. And even though Philly was swept out of the first round, the experience gained through the year and through the playoffs will ensure the 2008 Phillies are a World Series contender. And now that must be the goal. After finally getting a taste of the postseason, this team has to prove they are the team to beat in the East. And if 2008 ends in anything less than a World Series victory, that will be an under-achievement. But as for '07, everyone should take a step back and realize exactly how much OUR team accomplished over the past 165 games.
Thursday, October 4, 2007
0-2 is "What If..." and Looking Forward
The Philadelphia Phillies have made their return to the postseason after a fourteen hiatus, and after two emotional days at Citizens Bank Park the Phillies find themselves in an 0-2 hole. The best-of-five series now shifts, for at least one game, to Colorado. Looking back on the first two games it seems there were plenty of chances for the Phillies to split, if not take both, of their home games. The offense came up small in game one, but Hamels pitched a good game, minus the second inning, in which Hamels allowed three runs and threw forty pitches. Hamels has since attributed his one bad inning to having been over-dressed for the occasion. Hamels started the game wearing a long sleeve t-shirt underneath his jersey and by the second inning was sweating profusely, which resulted in his inability to properly grip his changeup and curveball. Once the 23-year old ace returned to the dugout he took off his long sleeve and went on to surrender no hits and one walk from the third inning until he was taken out with two outs in the seventh inning. Hamels' final line was 6.2 IP, 3 hits, 3 runs, 4 walks and 7 strikeouts. If Hamels doesn't wear the sleeves he very well could have pitched a 7 or possibly 8 inning shut-out and the Phillies win the game and take the lead in the series. In game two, after Kyle Kendrick surrendered back-to-back homeruns in the top of the first inning, MVP candidate lead off the game the way did nine times in the regular season, with a homerun. The Phills went on to take a 3-2 lead in the third inning, before Kaz Matsui hit a grandslam homerun off Kyle Lohse in the fourth. Lohse came in to relieve Kyle Kendrick, who 3.2 innings and gave up 5 runs (Kendrick was responsible for the 3 scoring baserunners on Matsui's slam). This made the score 10-3 Colorado, but hope was not lost. Rollins notched his fourth RBI of the game on a ground-out to Todd Helton in the seventh, scoring Shane Victorino. 10-5 Colorado. The Rockies were held scoreless in the top of the eighth and the Phills managed to load the bases with two outs in the bottom of the eighth but Carlos Ruiz grounded out to end the inning. If Ruiz is able to get on base it would score at least one, and send Chris Coste to the plate with runners in scoring position. This could have brought the game closer, if not tied the score and pumped up the top of the order to win the game in the ninth inning. Sadly these "IFs" did not come true and the team that gave the city of Philadelphia everything it had to win the NL East and a playoff spot is now on the brink of elimination.
One more loss and the amazing 2007 season will be a memory. Three straight wins. The Phillies must go in to Coors Field and win twice, then come back home to the Bank on Tuesday (10/9) and win again. That is what it is going to take to get to the National League Championship Series. Seven teams have come back from an 0-2 hole. Only one of those teams, the 2001 Yankees, dropped their first two home games and then won three straight. So to quote fictional Cleveland Indians manager Lou Brown, from the classic film Major League, "It has been done before." Is it likely? No. But starting a season 4-11 and making the playoffs is not a likely outcome, either. Coming back to win the division from a seven game defecit with seventeen games to play didn't seem very likely to anybody in the city. But this team did it. As they have had to do all season, the Philadelphia Phillies must dig themselves out of a hole in order to keep the 2007 season, and the dream of a champion in Philadelphia, alive. Utley needs to find his stroke. He's 2-for-9 in the series with five strikeouts. Howard homered today and needs to continue to produce after his 0-for-3 with three strikeouts in game one. Burrell continues to impress as does Rollins. Not enough can be said about what Rollins means to this team. Just look at his stats from game two: 2-for-5, 4 RBI, 1 HR, 1 3B. He does it all. Holiday means a lot to the Rox, but J-Roll is a run producing machine as well as a Web Gem waiting to happen. The MVP of this league is Jimmy Rollins. He has no peers, not this year. Yet I digress. Back to this series. The bottom of the order, Rowand, Werth, Ruiz and whoever Charlie Manuel plays at third base are the keys to the next three games. If Utley and Howard start producing as they did in the regular season they will be pitched around. It is up to the bottom of the lineup to prove they are a threat, too.
The second key will be starting pitching. The bullpen rollercoastered through the regular season and are now going down a very steep drop. Getting an early lead, and not giving up early runs, are imperative to the Phillies success of the next three games. Kyle Lohse pitched 1.1 innings in relief today, meaning Jamie Moyer will start game three. The veteran lefty has been here before and will need to lead this to a strong start. If the umpiring of the first two games is any indication, Moyer is going to struggle. But the 44-year old is a crafty pitcher and will need to be on top of his game and be able to think himself out of trouble if the Phillies are going to avoid the sweep. Game three is on Saturday. that gives every body on the roster a day to sit back on the plane to Denver and reflect on exactly what it is they need to do to bring this series back to Philly. It also means an extra day of rest for Lohse, Tom Gordon, J.C. Romero and Brett Myers. they are the only releivers who will be touching the ball for the rest of this series and they will now get a day to recuperate from what has been a long season. Chasing and playing from behind takes a lot out of team, but that is no excuse. The Rockies came back from a huge defecit to take the Wild Card and played an extra game, the tie-breaker vs. San Diego on Monday. It has been an exhilerating and downright amazing season, but the ride isn't over yet. This team knows what they have to do, and, personally, I've given up giving up on them.
Does the outcome of this series look bleak right now? Obviously. But this city has seen far too many crazier turn-arounds to doubt the Phillies. The '64 collapse. The Flyers blowing a 3-1 series lead to New Jersey. The Eagles losing three straight NFC Championship games. In a season where the Phillies' fortunes were seemingly reversed, and the Phills overcame every obstacle to finally get back to the playoffs, maybe coming back from an 0-2 defecit doesn't seem too impossible. And to put this in perspective I will finish this article with three final words: WHY NOT US?
One more loss and the amazing 2007 season will be a memory. Three straight wins. The Phillies must go in to Coors Field and win twice, then come back home to the Bank on Tuesday (10/9) and win again. That is what it is going to take to get to the National League Championship Series. Seven teams have come back from an 0-2 hole. Only one of those teams, the 2001 Yankees, dropped their first two home games and then won three straight. So to quote fictional Cleveland Indians manager Lou Brown, from the classic film Major League, "It has been done before." Is it likely? No. But starting a season 4-11 and making the playoffs is not a likely outcome, either. Coming back to win the division from a seven game defecit with seventeen games to play didn't seem very likely to anybody in the city. But this team did it. As they have had to do all season, the Philadelphia Phillies must dig themselves out of a hole in order to keep the 2007 season, and the dream of a champion in Philadelphia, alive. Utley needs to find his stroke. He's 2-for-9 in the series with five strikeouts. Howard homered today and needs to continue to produce after his 0-for-3 with three strikeouts in game one. Burrell continues to impress as does Rollins. Not enough can be said about what Rollins means to this team. Just look at his stats from game two: 2-for-5, 4 RBI, 1 HR, 1 3B. He does it all. Holiday means a lot to the Rox, but J-Roll is a run producing machine as well as a Web Gem waiting to happen. The MVP of this league is Jimmy Rollins. He has no peers, not this year. Yet I digress. Back to this series. The bottom of the order, Rowand, Werth, Ruiz and whoever Charlie Manuel plays at third base are the keys to the next three games. If Utley and Howard start producing as they did in the regular season they will be pitched around. It is up to the bottom of the lineup to prove they are a threat, too.
The second key will be starting pitching. The bullpen rollercoastered through the regular season and are now going down a very steep drop. Getting an early lead, and not giving up early runs, are imperative to the Phillies success of the next three games. Kyle Lohse pitched 1.1 innings in relief today, meaning Jamie Moyer will start game three. The veteran lefty has been here before and will need to lead this to a strong start. If the umpiring of the first two games is any indication, Moyer is going to struggle. But the 44-year old is a crafty pitcher and will need to be on top of his game and be able to think himself out of trouble if the Phillies are going to avoid the sweep. Game three is on Saturday. that gives every body on the roster a day to sit back on the plane to Denver and reflect on exactly what it is they need to do to bring this series back to Philly. It also means an extra day of rest for Lohse, Tom Gordon, J.C. Romero and Brett Myers. they are the only releivers who will be touching the ball for the rest of this series and they will now get a day to recuperate from what has been a long season. Chasing and playing from behind takes a lot out of team, but that is no excuse. The Rockies came back from a huge defecit to take the Wild Card and played an extra game, the tie-breaker vs. San Diego on Monday. It has been an exhilerating and downright amazing season, but the ride isn't over yet. This team knows what they have to do, and, personally, I've given up giving up on them.
Does the outcome of this series look bleak right now? Obviously. But this city has seen far too many crazier turn-arounds to doubt the Phillies. The '64 collapse. The Flyers blowing a 3-1 series lead to New Jersey. The Eagles losing three straight NFC Championship games. In a season where the Phillies' fortunes were seemingly reversed, and the Phills overcame every obstacle to finally get back to the playoffs, maybe coming back from an 0-2 defecit doesn't seem too impossible. And to put this in perspective I will finish this article with three final words: WHY NOT US?
Monday, October 1, 2007
That's Not How Sunday Should Have Ended
On a day when the Philadelphia Phillies clinched the National League East, found their way into the playoffs after a 14-year hiatus and dethrowned the Mets, the Philadelphia Eagles, for the first time in a long time, were not the lead story in Philadelphia. But the Eagles were a story yesterday, a story that could be found under "TRAGEDY" in any local library. The Eagles were embarrassed in a 16-3 defeat to their NFC East rivals, the New York Giants. The Giants defense, lead by Osi Umenyiora's 6 sacks (note: that is not a typo, Umenyiora had 6 sacks), sacked McNabb a total of twelve times and forced him to fumble twice. The receivers returned to the form of the first two weeks and refused to get opened and when they did they dropped the ball. The defense was again impressive, surrendering only 10 points (the Giants D scored a touchdown on a fumble return and then missed the extra point), intercepting an Eli Manning pass in the red zone, stuffing the run and containing Plaxico Burress, although Burress did catch a touchdown on a jump-ball play over the head of Sheldon Brown (sounds pretty familiar, doesn't it?) So on a day where the Birds could have been the icing on an extraordinarily delicious Philadelphia sports cake, they again looked dreadful. So the question remains, how good (or bad) are the 2007 Philadelphia Eagles?
Once again, I don't believe the Eagles are as bad as they appeared to be last night, but they are light years behind their week 3 performance in which they scored 56 points and simply dominated. I would first, due mostly to the gleeful mood the Phillies, like to focus on the psitive. It shouldn't take very long and it'll be best to just get it out of the way. The defense. The D gave up only 83 net rushing yards on 27 rushes for an average of 3.1 yards per attempt. Omar Gaither recorded an interception in the red zone and there was even a JEVON KEARSE SIGHTING! That's right, Kearse, who recorded a half sack in week one's loss to Green Bay and no tackles since that game, recorded 3 tackles, including a sack. This brings Kearse's season toals (after 4 games) to an underwhelming 4 tackles, 1.5 sacks. The defense also held Plaxico Burress and Jeremy Shockey to a combined 41 receiving yards on only 5 catches. Beyond the defense, the only bright spot was Correll Buckhalter. With Brian Westbrook sidelined after straining his abdomen while juking out a Lions defender last week, Buckhalter rushed for 103 yards on 17 carries and caught 4 balls for 35 yards. The lone bright-spot on the offense, Buckhalter proved the Eagles offensive strength is running the ball, with or without Westbrook.
Now for the bad. For the readers who do not have much time I suggest going to whatever prior engagment now and returning when there is more time to read. The Eagles looked like my beloved Temple Owls last night, in that there was a lot of bad. As do so many games in the NFL, the game was decided by the battle at the line of scrimmage last night. The offensive line allowed the Giants' defense to pickup a record 12 sacks Sunday night, six of which were by Osi Umenyiora. Matched up against 2006 second-round draft choice Winston Justice, Umenyiora dominated in every way imaginable and beat Justice like he were a criminal. Out with a knee injury, the Artist Formerly Known As 'Tra', William Thomas is the Eagles' best pass-blocker and was desperately missed last night. Although Justice is the top O-line prospect and will probably develop into Kevin Kolb's blind-side protector one day, there should have been a change at half-time when it became obvious he could not contain Umenyiora. Todd Herremans has experience at left tackle and could have been shifted to that position and been replaced at guard by Max Jean-Gilles. This may not have made a difference, but Justice didn't need to be John Madden and Al Michaels' whipping boy once it became clear Umenyiora was too much for Justice. The rest of the o-line wasn't much better but Justice is the goat on this Monday. But it wasn't all the line's fault. They did an excellent job of run-blocking and selling Buckhalter's cutbacks and McNabb's counters and pitch fakes. The playcalling was again Andy-esque, as there were 31 pass plays and only 23 rushes. The net yards per pass play was a mere 0.2 yards, which was actually an overall improvement from the halftime total of -0.4 yards per pass. The rushing plays, however, averaged 5 yards per attempt and accounted for 8 of the Eagles' 16 first downs. Buckhalter alone gained over 100 yards and averaged over 5 yards per carry, and although he lacks Westbrook's explosiveness, was able to rip off several long gains on the ground and warranted more touches. But I suppose that would just make too much sense. It seemed as if Reid, or Marty Mornhinweg, or a 14-year old kid playing Madden08, had his back turned to the action while calling plays, because as the passes failed for so very many reasons and the run opened up as if Westbrook were playing, the decision makers continued to drop McNabb back to pass and opened him up to a season's worth of abuse that he will need more than just the bye week to recover from. The receivers again disappointed with an effort that saw Reggie Brown and Kevin Curtis combine for 38 yards on 5 catches. Correll Buckhalter lead the team in receiving and Brent Celek contributed with 3 grabs for 31 yards. On a positive note, Celek seems to be getting comfortable running his routes and catching the ball over the middle in LJ Smith's absence. Reggie Brown looked as if he overcame his season-long slump when he caught a touchdown from McNabb, wide opened in the corner of the endzone. It was not to be, however, as McNabb had scrambeled past the line of scrimmage before floating the pass into Brown's waiting arms. Brown finished the night with 3 grabs, a season high, bringing his pre-bye week totals to 8 catches for 81 yards and 0 TDs.
Injuries also forced Reno Mahe into service in the offensive backfield and actually picked up a first down on an over the middle turning route. Where the ridiculousness began is when Mahe was left in the backfield as a blocker, while Thomas Tapeh stood on the sidelines, leading to a near crippling sack by (who else?) Osi Umenyiora. While Mahe may serve a purpose on special teams (I don't see it but Andy keeps telling me he does), but to put him on offense as a blocking back is simply ludicrous. In the punt return game Mahe returned three punts for an average of 6 yards and fumbled. If Mahe is going to fumble I don't understand why he is on the roster when this team could use a lot of other things. Another personnel decision that seemed questionable, although didn't hurt the team, minus the only Giants offensive touchdown, was the Sheldon Brown/Plaxico Burress matchup. While it is true offenses often dictate matchups, it just doesn't make sense to put the 5'10" Brown up against Burress' 6'5" 230 pound frame. Will James, (6' 0") was acquired last season to add size to the cornerbacks, so why not line him up in man coverage against Burress and let Brown defend the small and speedy Amani Toomer. James has been forced onto the field because of Lito Sheppard's ankle injury, so why not utilize him in the most effective way? Once again, this match-up didn't lose the game for the Eagles, but it just seems nonsensical.
Penalties were quite problematic for the Eagles last night, as Philadelphia was flagged 15 times for a back-breaking 132 yards. Andy Reid needs to get his team under some semblance of control because the Eagles simply aren't good enough to be giving up 132 yards worth of field position every week. The D-line's aggression has been their reason for success but the offsides need to stop, as do the pass interferences, face masks and the focus penalties: illegal formation, WR false starts, et-cetera.
When the offense isn't producing, special teams needs to step up to ensure the defense is not faced with defending a short field on every possession. Sav Rocca, acclaimed for his cannon-like kicking leg in the pre-season, had 4 punts for a 33.8 average at the half and finished the game with 8 punts for a 36.5 yard average. The defense will not be able to consistently keep opposing offenses off the board when they are starting from near mid-field. Either Rocca needs to find his homerun kicking power he displayed to win the punting job or Dirk Johnson, recently released by the Bengals, should be brought back to the team. If holding for Akers is a great concern I would suggest releasing Reno Mahe to make room for Koy Detmer to hold. The punting games was bad last night and hasn't been very good all season.
I have not yet watched any replays of the game, and all of the analysis above is gut reaction from watching a terrible game on Sunday Night. There is, in all likelihood, a lot more blame to be passed around, but at this point I have neither the time nor the energy to go into the rest. Here's hoping that the bye week gets this team healthy and focused and ready for a late season run. In the mean-time, GO PHILLS!!
Once again, I don't believe the Eagles are as bad as they appeared to be last night, but they are light years behind their week 3 performance in which they scored 56 points and simply dominated. I would first, due mostly to the gleeful mood the Phillies, like to focus on the psitive. It shouldn't take very long and it'll be best to just get it out of the way. The defense. The D gave up only 83 net rushing yards on 27 rushes for an average of 3.1 yards per attempt. Omar Gaither recorded an interception in the red zone and there was even a JEVON KEARSE SIGHTING! That's right, Kearse, who recorded a half sack in week one's loss to Green Bay and no tackles since that game, recorded 3 tackles, including a sack. This brings Kearse's season toals (after 4 games) to an underwhelming 4 tackles, 1.5 sacks. The defense also held Plaxico Burress and Jeremy Shockey to a combined 41 receiving yards on only 5 catches. Beyond the defense, the only bright spot was Correll Buckhalter. With Brian Westbrook sidelined after straining his abdomen while juking out a Lions defender last week, Buckhalter rushed for 103 yards on 17 carries and caught 4 balls for 35 yards. The lone bright-spot on the offense, Buckhalter proved the Eagles offensive strength is running the ball, with or without Westbrook.
Now for the bad. For the readers who do not have much time I suggest going to whatever prior engagment now and returning when there is more time to read. The Eagles looked like my beloved Temple Owls last night, in that there was a lot of bad. As do so many games in the NFL, the game was decided by the battle at the line of scrimmage last night. The offensive line allowed the Giants' defense to pickup a record 12 sacks Sunday night, six of which were by Osi Umenyiora. Matched up against 2006 second-round draft choice Winston Justice, Umenyiora dominated in every way imaginable and beat Justice like he were a criminal. Out with a knee injury, the Artist Formerly Known As 'Tra', William Thomas is the Eagles' best pass-blocker and was desperately missed last night. Although Justice is the top O-line prospect and will probably develop into Kevin Kolb's blind-side protector one day, there should have been a change at half-time when it became obvious he could not contain Umenyiora. Todd Herremans has experience at left tackle and could have been shifted to that position and been replaced at guard by Max Jean-Gilles. This may not have made a difference, but Justice didn't need to be John Madden and Al Michaels' whipping boy once it became clear Umenyiora was too much for Justice. The rest of the o-line wasn't much better but Justice is the goat on this Monday. But it wasn't all the line's fault. They did an excellent job of run-blocking and selling Buckhalter's cutbacks and McNabb's counters and pitch fakes. The playcalling was again Andy-esque, as there were 31 pass plays and only 23 rushes. The net yards per pass play was a mere 0.2 yards, which was actually an overall improvement from the halftime total of -0.4 yards per pass. The rushing plays, however, averaged 5 yards per attempt and accounted for 8 of the Eagles' 16 first downs. Buckhalter alone gained over 100 yards and averaged over 5 yards per carry, and although he lacks Westbrook's explosiveness, was able to rip off several long gains on the ground and warranted more touches. But I suppose that would just make too much sense. It seemed as if Reid, or Marty Mornhinweg, or a 14-year old kid playing Madden08, had his back turned to the action while calling plays, because as the passes failed for so very many reasons and the run opened up as if Westbrook were playing, the decision makers continued to drop McNabb back to pass and opened him up to a season's worth of abuse that he will need more than just the bye week to recover from. The receivers again disappointed with an effort that saw Reggie Brown and Kevin Curtis combine for 38 yards on 5 catches. Correll Buckhalter lead the team in receiving and Brent Celek contributed with 3 grabs for 31 yards. On a positive note, Celek seems to be getting comfortable running his routes and catching the ball over the middle in LJ Smith's absence. Reggie Brown looked as if he overcame his season-long slump when he caught a touchdown from McNabb, wide opened in the corner of the endzone. It was not to be, however, as McNabb had scrambeled past the line of scrimmage before floating the pass into Brown's waiting arms. Brown finished the night with 3 grabs, a season high, bringing his pre-bye week totals to 8 catches for 81 yards and 0 TDs.
Injuries also forced Reno Mahe into service in the offensive backfield and actually picked up a first down on an over the middle turning route. Where the ridiculousness began is when Mahe was left in the backfield as a blocker, while Thomas Tapeh stood on the sidelines, leading to a near crippling sack by (who else?) Osi Umenyiora. While Mahe may serve a purpose on special teams (I don't see it but Andy keeps telling me he does), but to put him on offense as a blocking back is simply ludicrous. In the punt return game Mahe returned three punts for an average of 6 yards and fumbled. If Mahe is going to fumble I don't understand why he is on the roster when this team could use a lot of other things. Another personnel decision that seemed questionable, although didn't hurt the team, minus the only Giants offensive touchdown, was the Sheldon Brown/Plaxico Burress matchup. While it is true offenses often dictate matchups, it just doesn't make sense to put the 5'10" Brown up against Burress' 6'5" 230 pound frame. Will James, (6' 0") was acquired last season to add size to the cornerbacks, so why not line him up in man coverage against Burress and let Brown defend the small and speedy Amani Toomer. James has been forced onto the field because of Lito Sheppard's ankle injury, so why not utilize him in the most effective way? Once again, this match-up didn't lose the game for the Eagles, but it just seems nonsensical.
Penalties were quite problematic for the Eagles last night, as Philadelphia was flagged 15 times for a back-breaking 132 yards. Andy Reid needs to get his team under some semblance of control because the Eagles simply aren't good enough to be giving up 132 yards worth of field position every week. The D-line's aggression has been their reason for success but the offsides need to stop, as do the pass interferences, face masks and the focus penalties: illegal formation, WR false starts, et-cetera.
When the offense isn't producing, special teams needs to step up to ensure the defense is not faced with defending a short field on every possession. Sav Rocca, acclaimed for his cannon-like kicking leg in the pre-season, had 4 punts for a 33.8 average at the half and finished the game with 8 punts for a 36.5 yard average. The defense will not be able to consistently keep opposing offenses off the board when they are starting from near mid-field. Either Rocca needs to find his homerun kicking power he displayed to win the punting job or Dirk Johnson, recently released by the Bengals, should be brought back to the team. If holding for Akers is a great concern I would suggest releasing Reno Mahe to make room for Koy Detmer to hold. The punting games was bad last night and hasn't been very good all season.
I have not yet watched any replays of the game, and all of the analysis above is gut reaction from watching a terrible game on Sunday Night. There is, in all likelihood, a lot more blame to be passed around, but at this point I have neither the time nor the energy to go into the rest. Here's hoping that the bye week gets this team healthy and focused and ready for a late season run. In the mean-time, GO PHILLS!!
"Dancin' In The Streets"
Not only is the title of this entry a catchy Van Halen song, but it is also a literal description of the joy taking place up and down Broad Street immediately following today's National League East clinching 6-1 victory over last year's post-season spoiling Washington Nationals. That's right. The Philadelphia Phillies have won the 2007 NL East pennant. Aided by the New York Mets' monumental collapse, the Phills overcame a 4-11 start, injuries that landed 19 of their 25 opening day starters on the DL, 199 Ryan Howard strike-outs, an obviously blind third-base coach, a bullpen seemigly pieced together with toothpicks and bubble-gum, Pat Burrell's mendoza line first half, Adam Eaton's league worst 6.29 ERA, and the heart-breaking memories of "close but no cigar" seasons past, and now wait for Wednesday when either the San Diego Padres or Colorado Rockies will come into Philadelphia for game one of the first playoff baseball series in which the Phillies have been involved since Joe Carter sent a Mitch Williams fastball into Toronto's left field seats to end Philly's World Series hopes 14 years ago.
Anticipation ran throughout Citizens Bank Park, today. The Marlins lead the Mets by a mile before the Phillies even took the field, and for the first time all season, sole possession of the division lead was in sight. Jimmy Rollins electrified the sell-out crowd by leading off the bottom of the first with a single, then proceeding to steal both second and third base and eventually scoring on a Chase Utley sacrifice fly. The Phills never looked back, and now they can look forward to post-season action. The core of this team has never been through the playoffs. Home-grown talents Chase Utley, Ryan Howard, Jimmy Rollins, Pat Burrell, Shane Victorino, Cole Hamels, Brett Myers, Carlos Ruiz and every player who started their careers in Philly have never seen October baseball. Greg Dobbs has never been there. Wes Helms was active for one playoff game with Atlanta, and had no at-bats. Inexperience, however, shouldn't be an issue. Must-win games during the regular season have prepared this team for its playoff run, the same way August and September games aganst the Phillies prepared the Florida Marlins for their 2001 World Series run. Kyle Lohse and Jamie Moyer have both pitched in big spots, as has Tom Gordon, who served as Mariano Rivera's set-up man for years. Aaron Rowand and Tadahito Iguchi won the Wolrd Series with Chicago in 2005. These will be the veterans who guide the young players through this opportunity of a lifetime. Playoff baseball is where legends are made, and now Rollins, Utley, Howard & Co. get a chance to build their legend.
This will be an exciting month. It has been 14 years since playoff baseball was last seen in this city. The players proved over the last month that they are ready for the next step. The fans proved they are ready by providing an undescribable ballpark atmosphere down the stretch, and linng the sides of Broad Street, in parade/festival-like fashion, from Pattison to City Hall on the day of the playoff berth. The playoffs are finally here. Let's savor this, it may not happen every season (or every decade), and let's prove why we are the greatest fans in the country.
Anticipation ran throughout Citizens Bank Park, today. The Marlins lead the Mets by a mile before the Phillies even took the field, and for the first time all season, sole possession of the division lead was in sight. Jimmy Rollins electrified the sell-out crowd by leading off the bottom of the first with a single, then proceeding to steal both second and third base and eventually scoring on a Chase Utley sacrifice fly. The Phills never looked back, and now they can look forward to post-season action. The core of this team has never been through the playoffs. Home-grown talents Chase Utley, Ryan Howard, Jimmy Rollins, Pat Burrell, Shane Victorino, Cole Hamels, Brett Myers, Carlos Ruiz and every player who started their careers in Philly have never seen October baseball. Greg Dobbs has never been there. Wes Helms was active for one playoff game with Atlanta, and had no at-bats. Inexperience, however, shouldn't be an issue. Must-win games during the regular season have prepared this team for its playoff run, the same way August and September games aganst the Phillies prepared the Florida Marlins for their 2001 World Series run. Kyle Lohse and Jamie Moyer have both pitched in big spots, as has Tom Gordon, who served as Mariano Rivera's set-up man for years. Aaron Rowand and Tadahito Iguchi won the Wolrd Series with Chicago in 2005. These will be the veterans who guide the young players through this opportunity of a lifetime. Playoff baseball is where legends are made, and now Rollins, Utley, Howard & Co. get a chance to build their legend.
This will be an exciting month. It has been 14 years since playoff baseball was last seen in this city. The players proved over the last month that they are ready for the next step. The fans proved they are ready by providing an undescribable ballpark atmosphere down the stretch, and linng the sides of Broad Street, in parade/festival-like fashion, from Pattison to City Hall on the day of the playoff berth. The playoffs are finally here. Let's savor this, it may not happen every season (or every decade), and let's prove why we are the greatest fans in the country.
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
THESE ARE THE GAMES
These are the games that must be won. The opening game of the final six, all at home, in front of an absolutely electric and rally-towel waving crowd against an Atlanta starting pitcher not named 'Hudson' or 'Smoltz'. Backed into a tie for the National League Wild Card lead after last night's San Diego loss, the Phills can, essentially, control their own destiny by continuing their winning ways. It should be simple, win and you're in. Lose and, as manager Charlie Manuel put it, you don't deserve to make it. But then the game began. The fans were ready, but, as has happened at so many inopportune times this season, the pitching staff was not. 44-year old lefty Jamie Moyer got off to a sluggish start, allowing three runs in the first. The offense, however, showed up. Rollins started the game with his ninth leadoff home run, his 30th of the season. Moyer seemingly settled down after the first, setting Atlanta down in the second and third innings, before giving up another run in the fourth inning. The Phillies offense bailed him out, courtesy of Ryan Howard's 43rd home run of the season, a 2-run shot, and Jayson Werth's solo home run, both in the bottom of the fourth, followed by Burrell's sacrifice fly in the fifth inning, giving the Phills a 5-4 lead heading into the sixth inning, where Moyer and Geoff Geary teamed up to give up four runs, and turn the lead back over to the Braves. Chase Utley hit a solo shot in the seventh, his 22nd, to reduce Atlanta's lead to 8-6 heading into the eighth inning. With the Phillies leading the league in come-from-behind victories, the Braves lead seemed surmountable, to say the least. That is, until Chipper Jones smashed a 2-run home run into right field, his 28th, off of Tom Gordon and iced the game at 10-6.
The way the pitching staff has been pulling rabbits out of hats recently, especially the much meligned bullpen, they had to come up small some time. But that type of thinking simply won't do. If the Phillies hadn't started 3-10, or hadn't lost 2-of-3 to the Kansas City Royalys, or hadn't lost 1-0 to the Padres in the Cole Hamels- Chris Young showdown, and were the wild card leaders, there would be room for "we'll get 'em tomorrow." But not now. The Phills have been chasing all season and don't have any more room for error. It has been a great season, but without a playoff appearance it will be yet another failure.
There are plenty of "shoulda had 'em games". The relief staff has more than 20 blown saves. But these are the games that will be looked back on as the games that made or broke a season. These games, beyond injuries and slumps and bad managing and roster moves, determine whether or not this team is "great" or "underachieving". Aaron Rowand said earlier this week that the "glass is half full." From that approach the Phillies will go 5-0 after tonight's loss and finish with 90 wins, their most since 1993 (97 wins). That is what has to happen, 90 wins and hope the Padres cave under the pressure. The Phills were depending on Houston to lose in 2005 and it didn't happen. The feeling about this team is that "it's different." The heart, the hustle, the clutch hitting, all different. Everything about this 2007 team needs to be different, because if they were the same they would fail. Luck will play a part, but business needs to be taken care of. These are the games that need to be won, because we have lost them too many times before.
The way the pitching staff has been pulling rabbits out of hats recently, especially the much meligned bullpen, they had to come up small some time. But that type of thinking simply won't do. If the Phillies hadn't started 3-10, or hadn't lost 2-of-3 to the Kansas City Royalys, or hadn't lost 1-0 to the Padres in the Cole Hamels- Chris Young showdown, and were the wild card leaders, there would be room for "we'll get 'em tomorrow." But not now. The Phills have been chasing all season and don't have any more room for error. It has been a great season, but without a playoff appearance it will be yet another failure.
There are plenty of "shoulda had 'em games". The relief staff has more than 20 blown saves. But these are the games that will be looked back on as the games that made or broke a season. These games, beyond injuries and slumps and bad managing and roster moves, determine whether or not this team is "great" or "underachieving". Aaron Rowand said earlier this week that the "glass is half full." From that approach the Phillies will go 5-0 after tonight's loss and finish with 90 wins, their most since 1993 (97 wins). That is what has to happen, 90 wins and hope the Padres cave under the pressure. The Phills were depending on Houston to lose in 2005 and it didn't happen. The feeling about this team is that "it's different." The heart, the hustle, the clutch hitting, all different. Everything about this 2007 team needs to be different, because if they were the same they would fail. Luck will play a part, but business needs to be taken care of. These are the games that need to be won, because we have lost them too many times before.
Sunday, September 23, 2007
Eagles Dominant, But Many Questions Still Unanswered
And just like that order has been restored in Philadelphia. . . As far as the Eagles are concerned, at least. Donovan McNabb, fresh off of his latest controversy-sparking comments regarding the treatment of black quarterbacks in the NFL, silenced critics and fans (many of whom booed upon hearing McNabb's name announced in the pre-game introductions) by completing 21 of his 26 pass attempts for 381 yards and 4 touchdowns, which netted him a perfect QB Rating of 158.3 (note: if anybody on this planet knows how to caculate the QB rating please let me know, for I am clueless). 3 of McNabb's TD throws went to Kevis Curtis, the "big-ticket" free agent receiver who, until today, had not put to rest the skepticism of his ability to be an outside receiver after playing in the slot and being the third or fourth option in St. Louis for the beginning of his career. Curtis put up single game career highs in receptions, with 11, and yards, with a gaudy 221. Brian Westbrook was a fantasy league all-star as well, today, complining 110 rushing yards on 14 carries, and 111 receiving yards on 5 catches, and racked up 3 touchdowns (2 rushing, 1 receiving). Tony Hunt also scored his first career touchdown with a goal-line handoff, and Correll Buckhalter scored in the same fashion. Not to be outdone, and despite allowing Jon Kitna to pass for 446 yards, the defense played exceptionally well, especially considering the high-powered potential of Detriot's offense and missing Pro Bowl defensive backs Lito Sheppard and Brian Dawkins. Quinton Mikell stepped in for Dawkins and played like Weapon-X himself, recording a sack and roaming the secondary with the skill and confidence one would expect from number 20. William James had the un-enviable task of covering Roy Williams and didn't play great, but Williams is an all-star and the D-Line provided enough pressure to ensure missing Sheppard wouldn't doom the Eagles to an 0-3 start. Leading the defensive line was Trent Cole, who notched 3 of the defense's 9 sacks. Juqua Thomas and Brodrick Bunkley also dragged Kitna down two times a piece. Thomas and Cole also forced fumbles, Thomas recovered his own and Quinton Mikell recovered Cole's, and Sean Considine made a spectacular play, intercepting a Kitna pass in the back of the endzone and dragging both feet to stay in bounds, to win the turnover battle 3-2. So after the subpar efforts in Green Bay and at home, on Monday Night Football, against Washington, the Eagles seemed to have returned to an elite level, and it is not yet time to burn our McNabb jerseys or hang Coach Reid by the wires of his headset. Yes, I was a part of the euphoria today, sincerely shouting "14-2!" while walking out of the Linc and through the patking lot between chants of "E-A-G-L-E-S EAGLES!" but as the excitement of today's 56-21 victory subsides, and players, coaches and fans begin preparing for a showdown with the 1-2 Giants in the Meadowlands, a sense of reality must set in.
While I hate to be the snowball that pelts Santa Claus, there are still plenty of questions about this team moving forward. 1) Will the offense continue to set the tone by running early, and fueling the passing game with effective play-action? I sure hope so. Westbrook averaged almost 8 yards per carry against Detroit and has been the only sort of consistency this offense has seen, both this season and last. Buckhalter also made use of his carries today, and rookie Tony Hunt scored. It's also good to see Thomas Tapeh getting involved a little each week, the fullback is a dying breed, but can be an effective part of this offense. History says that if Reid is in charge of this offense, which seemed to be the case in weeks one and two, McNabb will be dropping back more than anyone else thinks he should be, whether hes 100%, 85% or 60% healthy. If "Big Red" hands over the play-caling duties as he did last season and seemed to do today, balance will be restored and every faze of the offense will be better. If Westbrook's knee injury from week two or this week's rib injury limit Westbrook's availabitlity in anyway, expect an askew pass-run ratio reminiscent of 2005. 2) Are the wide receivers any good? After watching Brown, Curtis and company do their best impressions on Todd Pinkston and James Thrah from the 2003 NFC Championship game in the first two weeks of the season, the coaches decided it was time to find ways to force the wide-outs to get opened. Against Detroit, there was finally motion among the receivers, allowing them cleaner breaks off the line ensuring McNabb would not have to hold on to the ball waiting for anybody to break free. Screen and swing passes were called, not only to Westbrook, but to Curtis as well, allowing both to use their superior speed to get to the second and third levels and busting big gains. Play-action was also a factor, thanks to the offense's re-commitment to the run. If this continues the receivers should continue to produce. 3) Where is Reggie Brown (really an extension of question 2)? While Curtis exploded for a T.O.-like performance against the Lions, and Avant has been a consistent slot receiver through three weeks, Reggie Brown seems to be digressing in his development as a "stud" receiver, catching 2 balls today for 23 yards, bring his season totals to an underwhelming 5 receptions for 64 yards and no touchdowns. After the entire receiving corps failed to beat tight, press coverage over the first two weeks, the Lions, inexplicably, ran zone coverages almost exclusively, allowing McNabb and the offense to roll them over. That is, except Reggie Brown, who still seemed to have trouble finding open space in the wide-open plain that was Lincoln Financial Field, today. Brown has good speed and excels at breaking tackles and gaining yards after catch, and after over-coming a mid-season case of the drops last season, was a key part to the Eagles late NFC East winning charge. After today's performance, Kevin Curtis should be drawing a lot of double coverage and Brian Westbrook always draws a lot of defensive attention.Andy Reid has been criticized for never developing any of his drafted receivers into stars, and it seems his latest project has stalled out as well. With LJ Smith out recovering from surgery for an undetermined amount of time, Brown NEEDS to step up in a big way. 4) Will LJ Smith return to the line-up any time soon? Despite the holes in his game, Smith is a big, fast, difference making tight end who takes a lot of heat off of the receivers and running backs by drawing a lot of the defense's attention. His unique size and abilities require corners and saftetis in coverage, which leaves the outside receivers in single coverage, and many times leaves a linebacker to try and cover the ever speedy and allusive Westbrook. Tight ends are intrical to the success of McNabb and the offense, and while Schobel is a strong second option, he lacks the pure athleticism of Smith. Brent Celek will, in all likelihood, replace Smith next season, but a rookie has never excelled under Andy Reid, and somebody with so little experience cannot be expected to help carry an offense. The passing game's success over the course of this season depends on Smith's return. 5) Will this defense hold up? After being beaten down repeatedly last season both by opposing offenses, who gained 2,182 rushing yards, and a quick strike offense that rarely held the ball long enough to give its own defense a rest, the D is back and looking even better than its 2004 version. While the offense stumbled through the first two weeks, the defense has held opponents to only 71.7 rush yards per game, good enough for third best in the league, and 19 points per game, which is the fifth best in the league. If pass-rushing ends Cole, Thomas and Jevon Kearse hold up, along with young tackles Bunkley and Mike Patterson, the yes, this defense will be a force. If the line continues to create the pressure it did against Detroit (who gave up the most sacks in the league in 2006) it will free up Takeo Spikes and the linebacking corps to shut down the run, as well as give less time for receivers to break away from the corners, which will ensure fewer big plays from opposing receivers, and more big plays from the likes of Sheppard, Dawkins and Co. If the line does get worn down (often a product of unbalanced time of possession) the defense will be susceptible to back-breaking drives, much like the drives displayed by New Orleans in their two victories over the Eagles last season. 6) Finally, was McNabb's performance against the Lions an epiphany or aberration? Through two weeks McNabb could not have looked worse. His timing was way off, he was hesitant, he pissed off an entire city by playing the race card and his receivers really weren't doing him any favors. He was booed heavily in the home-opener and again during his introduction today. Then, McNabb seemed to return to prime form by torching the Detroit defense for nearly 400 yards. If this is the return of the Donovan who can make any throw then the offense could very well continue to put up Cincinnati-like stats, especially if it remains balanced. A healthy McNabb, confident in his and his targets' abilities equals, at the very least, an appearance in the NFC Championship. That is what history says. If McNabb has truly declined, and the performances from weeks 1 and 2 were a reflection of his age and laundry-list of injuries and not simply rust from being off for the past nine months, this will be a long season, and McNabb's last in Philly.
As you read this, please, do not lose faith. However, please take the incredible performance by our beloved Birds in stride. They are not as good as the appeared to be against the Lions. Nor are they as inept as they appeared against the Packers and 'Skins. There are 13 games left. The schedule gets no easier. This is going to be a hard fought season. Trips to all division rivals still await, as well as to Foxborough and New Orleans. The Bears and their punishing defense will come in to the Linc, as do the find-any-way-to-win Seattle Seahawks. The momentum and confidence built off of today's victory have poised the Eagles to dig themselves out of the 0-2 hole they have dug for themselves, just as they did in 2004. While stringing together nine straight victories may not be a feasable expectation, this team showed a lot today both in the way it came out firing and the way it continued to apply the pressure and finish the game, a characteristic the Eagles lacked last season, and will go a long way in determining the fate of this team. Heart will play a big role in the outcome of this Eagles team, but the questions posed above need answering, on the field. The answers of these questions will determine just how far the 2007 Philadelphia Eagles can go, and also just how much tenure is left on the McNabb/Reid era.
While I hate to be the snowball that pelts Santa Claus, there are still plenty of questions about this team moving forward. 1) Will the offense continue to set the tone by running early, and fueling the passing game with effective play-action? I sure hope so. Westbrook averaged almost 8 yards per carry against Detroit and has been the only sort of consistency this offense has seen, both this season and last. Buckhalter also made use of his carries today, and rookie Tony Hunt scored. It's also good to see Thomas Tapeh getting involved a little each week, the fullback is a dying breed, but can be an effective part of this offense. History says that if Reid is in charge of this offense, which seemed to be the case in weeks one and two, McNabb will be dropping back more than anyone else thinks he should be, whether hes 100%, 85% or 60% healthy. If "Big Red" hands over the play-caling duties as he did last season and seemed to do today, balance will be restored and every faze of the offense will be better. If Westbrook's knee injury from week two or this week's rib injury limit Westbrook's availabitlity in anyway, expect an askew pass-run ratio reminiscent of 2005. 2) Are the wide receivers any good? After watching Brown, Curtis and company do their best impressions on Todd Pinkston and James Thrah from the 2003 NFC Championship game in the first two weeks of the season, the coaches decided it was time to find ways to force the wide-outs to get opened. Against Detroit, there was finally motion among the receivers, allowing them cleaner breaks off the line ensuring McNabb would not have to hold on to the ball waiting for anybody to break free. Screen and swing passes were called, not only to Westbrook, but to Curtis as well, allowing both to use their superior speed to get to the second and third levels and busting big gains. Play-action was also a factor, thanks to the offense's re-commitment to the run. If this continues the receivers should continue to produce. 3) Where is Reggie Brown (really an extension of question 2)? While Curtis exploded for a T.O.-like performance against the Lions, and Avant has been a consistent slot receiver through three weeks, Reggie Brown seems to be digressing in his development as a "stud" receiver, catching 2 balls today for 23 yards, bring his season totals to an underwhelming 5 receptions for 64 yards and no touchdowns. After the entire receiving corps failed to beat tight, press coverage over the first two weeks, the Lions, inexplicably, ran zone coverages almost exclusively, allowing McNabb and the offense to roll them over. That is, except Reggie Brown, who still seemed to have trouble finding open space in the wide-open plain that was Lincoln Financial Field, today. Brown has good speed and excels at breaking tackles and gaining yards after catch, and after over-coming a mid-season case of the drops last season, was a key part to the Eagles late NFC East winning charge. After today's performance, Kevin Curtis should be drawing a lot of double coverage and Brian Westbrook always draws a lot of defensive attention.Andy Reid has been criticized for never developing any of his drafted receivers into stars, and it seems his latest project has stalled out as well. With LJ Smith out recovering from surgery for an undetermined amount of time, Brown NEEDS to step up in a big way. 4) Will LJ Smith return to the line-up any time soon? Despite the holes in his game, Smith is a big, fast, difference making tight end who takes a lot of heat off of the receivers and running backs by drawing a lot of the defense's attention. His unique size and abilities require corners and saftetis in coverage, which leaves the outside receivers in single coverage, and many times leaves a linebacker to try and cover the ever speedy and allusive Westbrook. Tight ends are intrical to the success of McNabb and the offense, and while Schobel is a strong second option, he lacks the pure athleticism of Smith. Brent Celek will, in all likelihood, replace Smith next season, but a rookie has never excelled under Andy Reid, and somebody with so little experience cannot be expected to help carry an offense. The passing game's success over the course of this season depends on Smith's return. 5) Will this defense hold up? After being beaten down repeatedly last season both by opposing offenses, who gained 2,182 rushing yards, and a quick strike offense that rarely held the ball long enough to give its own defense a rest, the D is back and looking even better than its 2004 version. While the offense stumbled through the first two weeks, the defense has held opponents to only 71.7 rush yards per game, good enough for third best in the league, and 19 points per game, which is the fifth best in the league. If pass-rushing ends Cole, Thomas and Jevon Kearse hold up, along with young tackles Bunkley and Mike Patterson, the yes, this defense will be a force. If the line continues to create the pressure it did against Detroit (who gave up the most sacks in the league in 2006) it will free up Takeo Spikes and the linebacking corps to shut down the run, as well as give less time for receivers to break away from the corners, which will ensure fewer big plays from opposing receivers, and more big plays from the likes of Sheppard, Dawkins and Co. If the line does get worn down (often a product of unbalanced time of possession) the defense will be susceptible to back-breaking drives, much like the drives displayed by New Orleans in their two victories over the Eagles last season. 6) Finally, was McNabb's performance against the Lions an epiphany or aberration? Through two weeks McNabb could not have looked worse. His timing was way off, he was hesitant, he pissed off an entire city by playing the race card and his receivers really weren't doing him any favors. He was booed heavily in the home-opener and again during his introduction today. Then, McNabb seemed to return to prime form by torching the Detroit defense for nearly 400 yards. If this is the return of the Donovan who can make any throw then the offense could very well continue to put up Cincinnati-like stats, especially if it remains balanced. A healthy McNabb, confident in his and his targets' abilities equals, at the very least, an appearance in the NFC Championship. That is what history says. If McNabb has truly declined, and the performances from weeks 1 and 2 were a reflection of his age and laundry-list of injuries and not simply rust from being off for the past nine months, this will be a long season, and McNabb's last in Philly.
As you read this, please, do not lose faith. However, please take the incredible performance by our beloved Birds in stride. They are not as good as the appeared to be against the Lions. Nor are they as inept as they appeared against the Packers and 'Skins. There are 13 games left. The schedule gets no easier. This is going to be a hard fought season. Trips to all division rivals still await, as well as to Foxborough and New Orleans. The Bears and their punishing defense will come in to the Linc, as do the find-any-way-to-win Seattle Seahawks. The momentum and confidence built off of today's victory have poised the Eagles to dig themselves out of the 0-2 hole they have dug for themselves, just as they did in 2004. While stringing together nine straight victories may not be a feasable expectation, this team showed a lot today both in the way it came out firing and the way it continued to apply the pressure and finish the game, a characteristic the Eagles lacked last season, and will go a long way in determining the fate of this team. Heart will play a big role in the outcome of this Eagles team, but the questions posed above need answering, on the field. The answers of these questions will determine just how far the 2007 Philadelphia Eagles can go, and also just how much tenure is left on the McNabb/Reid era.
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