Game 13 Thoughts
- andy and marty went heavy on the run today, which was good, but alas, the running game we've all been begging for was heavily involved in causing the loss today. a costly fumble and repeated inability to grind out tough yards factored heavily in the loss. questions: 1) didn't the eagles draft a short yardage back this year? can't seem to remember his name it's been so long since we've seen him. 2) don't we have a more powerful backup averaging 5+ yards per carry? why only give him 2 carries today? westbrook looks like he gained 10 lbs. in the offseason (probably with some lenny dykstra-style vitamins and mostly in his arms and shoulders), but he still has trouble grinding out tough yards.
- i wish i had access to the coaches tape. i'd really like to know whether there were open receivers and mcnabb was just not pulling the trigger or whether the coverage was just good or whether the birds were playing max protect and only sending 2-3 receivers out on pass patterns. 30 attempts for 179 yards isn't great. it's certainly better than 3 or 4 picks, but it's not great. wasn't able to make the game today due to basement leak in the house, so was limited to the tv view. moose johnson repeatedly stated that there was nobody to throw to, but it would be nice to see if that was really true or not.
- question: how can this defense be so successful (relatively) covering randy moss yet be so pathetic at covering plaxico burress? doesn't matter who we use to cover him, he consistently looks like a hall of famer against the birds.
- time to seriously cut down the workload for westbrook. playoffs are out, no reason to be wasting his touches playing out the string. running backs have a limited number of uses, time to conserve.
- i know last week i was proposing to shut down mcnabb and let him heal up for next season, but after today's game, i'm not so sure that's the right move. i think this team needs to find out if mcnabb still has it. he needs to get his timing or mojo or whatever back by the end of the year, or at least continue to show progression. not too excited about 2008 if this is the mcnabb we're going to get next year.
- i wish i had access to the coaches tape. i'd really like to know whether there were open receivers and mcnabb was just not pulling the trigger or whether the coverage was just good or whether the birds were playing max protect and only sending 2-3 receivers out on pass patterns. 30 attempts for 179 yards isn't great. it's certainly better than 3 or 4 picks, but it's not great. wasn't able to make the game today due to basement leak in the house, so was limited to the tv view. moose johnson repeatedly stated that there was nobody to throw to, but it would be nice to see if that was really true or not.
- question: how can this defense be so successful (relatively) covering randy moss yet be so pathetic at covering plaxico burress? doesn't matter who we use to cover him, he consistently looks like a hall of famer against the birds.
- time to seriously cut down the workload for westbrook. playoffs are out, no reason to be wasting his touches playing out the string. running backs have a limited number of uses, time to conserve.
- i know last week i was proposing to shut down mcnabb and let him heal up for next season, but after today's game, i'm not so sure that's the right move. i think this team needs to find out if mcnabb still has it. he needs to get his timing or mojo or whatever back by the end of the year, or at least continue to show progression. not too excited about 2008 if this is the mcnabb we're going to get next year.
Labels: football
posted by The Mean Guy at 9:18 PM
7 Comments:
The guy wearing number 5 is not McNabb. He's some scared puppy who's a shell of his former self, but he isn't the guy who used to scramble for 40 yards a game, throw well on the run, and generally scare defenses. This guy sucks...badly!!! Underthrown balls, inability to recognize coverages and blitzes, pathetic, piss poor decisions to take sacks unecessarily near the sideline instead of throwing the ball away. Let's be honest, McNabb lost that game today by not winning that game today. By that I mean he did nothing, nada, zilch after the opening series and he looked lost all damned day, a sight way too common for Birds fans the last 3 years. His record sucks the last three years and at some point this is a trend. Problem is, there is no QB on the roster, thus the descent into Ravens/Panthersville is coming.
But make no mistake about it, McNabb must go. His mojo is gone and it ain't coming back. His fragile psyche is too bruised due to the TO fallout and he needs a new start in another city because the guy we have now just flat out cnanot be counted on to win football games. We got 3-4 good games from him last year and 1 this year. Time's up.
Also, I would do whatever it took to move up in the draft and grab McFadden. I know they have holes everywhere, but that kid is a bona fide stud. Westbrook is good but aging and they need the next RB to take the mantle when B Wes is done in 2 years. I'd sure as heck like it to be the most talented college RB I've seen in 20 years. And the guy doesn't have a ton of wear and tear on him despite playing in the best conference in the country because he split carries for much of his career. I'd trade whatever it took to move up in the draft and get him.
Also odds and ends.
1. Lito sucks. I've watched him fail to cover people for years now and let's admit that he's over-rated and upgrade. He probably has soem value, trade him and upgrade. Any decent WR owns him and he seems to have no clue what's going on most of the time.
2. Akers is nearing the end. Not because he missed a long one to end the game, but because he is less than automatic from 45 and in now, he has sucked for 2 years now, and his kickoffs reach only the 10. I believe he is definitely part of the problem in their putrid kick coverage.
3. Gocong is improving. Every week the kid seems to get it a little more. he may just be a player. Now if only JJ would rush him...hmmm.
4. Why suit Buck up? he gets 5 a carry and he touches the ball twice a game. Another indicator that el gordito must also go.
Bumble
P.S.-was anyone else bored with that shitfight today? The first series was great and then...blah. Much like a 16 year old getting laid for the first time, they blew it out for two minutes and apologized for the next 58.
And Reid is going to be 6-12 in the division the last 3 years. In every other sport in this city, we'd be calling for the coach's head who trotted out a 33 winning percentage in their division, yet everyone seems hunky dory with this guy steering the ship. Am i alone in saying that the sands of time have run out for this coaching regime?
Bumble
No Bumble, you are not alone - the Captain supports you 100%. I agree with everything in your column today. Good work!
Captain
I agree the lack of downfield passing was pretty surprising, especially considering they were starting 2 rookie safeties. Maybe they were playing extra deep forcing us to run so much?
5's decisions (sacks near the sidelines) were unexcusable. He's not a rookie!
Nice to see Dawk show up meaningfully for the first time this year. He was all over the place out there. Mikell and Patterson (leading DT tackler in the league?!?!) also had very good games.
I still think the issue with this team is the WR position more than RB or QB. Since we can't develop them, will there be any stud ones available in FA?
The Eagles are at the point where McNabb can't execute the offense well enough to win consistently. The receivers aren't getting any better, and McNabb is not going to throw into the small windows the receivers give him.
The Eagles need a quarterback who anticipates and throws as the receivers are making their break. They need a better pre-snap reader of defenses, and someone not afraid to throw into tight spaces. Maybe that's Kolb, who knows.
Whoever it is, the Eagles are going to need better defense and special teams. Throwing this much with receivers who can barely get decent separation from a lousy secondary like the Giants', there are going to be picks.
Behan
Great win for the team (and McNabb) yesterday. Defense played very well though looks like it was helped out a fair bit by Romo being less than 100%.
Awful officiating. Yikes. They did everything within their powers to hand DAL the game during the first half.
I am willing to give Reid/McNabb one more year to sort it out. Not because they earned it, but rather because I do not see anything better out there.
Also, I think that while they have been incredibly inconsitent this year, especially in putting together a good game on both sides of the ball, with a few breaks they'd be in the playoffs.
However, if they do not go for some stud defense players in the draft (saftey, cb, lbs) that can help quickly, than all bets are off.
Simon
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