Eagles at Giants Post Mortem
Let's go to the tape:
Keys to the Game
1) Got to win the turnover battle. - YES
2) Avoid stupid penalties. - KINDA
3) Big plays by the offense. - YES
4) Red zone efficiency. - YES
5) Give Eli happy feet early. - NO
6) Shut down Jacobs. - NO
Thoughts on the Game
Did anyone else think the officiating was one sided early on? I thought they cost PHI at least 4 points (non-call on Celek in end zone) and probably another 3-7. I was very upset about this at half time and was pleasantly surprised it didn't carry over to 2H.
DeSean Jackson - holy effing a is that kid amazing to watch. I think he's already better than Westbrook ever was in his prime. What's the upside here?
Huge drive in 4th quarter. 91 yards. 7+ minutes. 8 points. That put the game away right there. Simply huge with lots of guys coming up big. This is the type of drive this team hasn't accomplished recently and the type of drive that championship teams pull off.
Unfortunately, they don't have a defense that can win a championship. At least as they played last night. How bad was that tackling? Atrocious. As good as DeSean was, this defense looked just off.
Lucky, lucky, lucky. Eagles recovered all 4 of the game's fumbles which should be 50/50. This won't last.
This was a game they didn't have to have, but won anyway. All wins are big, especially against a division rival in December. Sweet.
(and with another win we'll see another week of no comments. sigh)
Keys to the Game
1) Got to win the turnover battle. - YES
2) Avoid stupid penalties. - KINDA
3) Big plays by the offense. - YES
4) Red zone efficiency. - YES
5) Give Eli happy feet early. - NO
6) Shut down Jacobs. - NO
Thoughts on the Game
Did anyone else think the officiating was one sided early on? I thought they cost PHI at least 4 points (non-call on Celek in end zone) and probably another 3-7. I was very upset about this at half time and was pleasantly surprised it didn't carry over to 2H.
DeSean Jackson - holy effing a is that kid amazing to watch. I think he's already better than Westbrook ever was in his prime. What's the upside here?
Huge drive in 4th quarter. 91 yards. 7+ minutes. 8 points. That put the game away right there. Simply huge with lots of guys coming up big. This is the type of drive this team hasn't accomplished recently and the type of drive that championship teams pull off.
Unfortunately, they don't have a defense that can win a championship. At least as they played last night. How bad was that tackling? Atrocious. As good as DeSean was, this defense looked just off.
Lucky, lucky, lucky. Eagles recovered all 4 of the game's fumbles which should be 50/50. This won't last.
This was a game they didn't have to have, but won anyway. All wins are big, especially against a division rival in December. Sweet.
(and with another win we'll see another week of no comments. sigh)
Labels: football
posted by Chasing10K at 6:27 PM
16 Comments:
I was at the game with my friend who is a Giants fan. The biggest difference between Birds and Giants fans was that I wore my reggie White throwback and cheered every time the Birds did anything good and the Giants fans and I had a laugh at it. There were a few drunk a-hole Birds fans there taunting and starting fights. Embarrassing as the common Giant fan is pretty knowledgeable and a decent guy, at least in my limited experience.
A few observations.
1. Witherspoon was terrible last night. if the coaches watch that film, he will not be resigned. Actually engaged with blockers vs. flowing to the ball. Wasn't sure what he was reading. Also had a terrible whiff on the Nicks touchdown.
2. 27 played the worst game I've ever seen an individual Eagle play. 3 bad penalties, 2 TD whiffs, didn't cover a soul all night. Absolutely terrible job by him.
3. Justice played a very solid game in run and pass. he looks like a new man.
4. Refs missed just as many penalties against the Birds. Peters went offsides three different times pre=snap and it wasn't called. In general, the refs were atrocious on both sides all night.
5. Jackson is waaaaaaay faster that anyone on the field. He was open all night.
6. Here come the defenders, but McNabb did not have a very good game for most of the night. AT one point he was 12-26 or something for 150 yards. He had two wide open, and I mean wide open TD earlier in the game (one to Celek and one to Jackson) that he badly overthrew by 10-15 yards. That said, when it mattered, he absolutely killed it. that 91 yard drive was all about him. he owned the huddle, he checked off at the line, he had the Giants guessing like some JV city team. He literally looked like Peyton Manning on that drive. I was amazed and Giants fans all left the stadium after that drive.
7. Eli had a great game. The Giants are actually a more dangerous team right now when they go 4 or 5 wide as they have a bunch of athletic receivers, a few RB who can catch, and a TE who can catch and run. Eli is accurate in the short game and that was no fluke that they racked up 500 yards, he hit spots and open guys all night. They need to decide to start moving from power running to spread because their personnel is more the latter.
8. What the hell happened to the Giants D. Not only did they cover poorly, but that vaunted D line made nothing happen all night. Don was never uncomfortable. Now his O line did a super job, but where were the creative blitzes? Aside from Tuck, who goes all out and plays run and pass very well, they look abysmal on defense.
9. Papers will say that Shady was off, but I don't agree. He had a bunch of productive carries, they just didn't feed him the ball. He gets in trouble when he tries to stretch things too wide, but when he rams the ball up a hole, he is a guaranteed 4. I like him a lot.
10, Reid's offense crew called a superb game. Giants were literally subbing 5 and 6 at a clip desperately trying to make something, anything happen. Nothing worked. They were irate on the sideline. The game plan was great.
11. They need to use Vick more. He is a weapon and the Giants truly had no clue how to defend him. Had Stone Hands Brown not dropped a ball in the end zone, that gadget play from the 2 scores. That play was amazing as the entire Giants team had no clue who to chase with Desean, Don, and Vick all touching the ball. Plus Don threw a crackback block on Yumeniora and just decleated him on the play. Loved it.
12. Don can bench 405 for 5-6 reps. That is Tebow like for a QB. Woof!
They did what they needed to do and can go 1-2 here on and win the division. I see a competitive game this weekend, but they will not be stopoped on offense unless it pours. I still think the Giants are a good team-just good in a new way and can hang 40 on people vs. getting 10 sacks. Pack is also good. Looks like Vikes, Aints, Cards, Birds with G Men and Pack as wild cards. Not one stiff in that bunch.
Bumble
Very nice observations. Yeah, Mikell was awful though I still think the Winston/Giants game from 2 years back was worse.
So McNabb had a so-so game (I don't necessarily disagree), but was clutch at the end? Ha-ha. No comment there.
Several articles out today saying Vick is getting better (which is obvious), but I don't think you give him more touches. I just think that 1) he becomes more effective with what he does and 2) he helps out the offense by making the defense game plan for him more. He's still less effective than McNabb overall and is 1 turnover away from getting run out of town. He's working out about as well as could be expected. Let's just not get too excited there. Kolb's still the future, not Vick.
Does McCoy look "bad" or does he just pale in comparison to Weaver? I think this is just a rookie being a rookie. He hasn't looked any worse than Westbrook in his rookie year. I think it's more about Weaver looking incredible than McCoy looking ineffective.
At the risk of sounding like an echo, I think 10 is on the cusp of greatness. It's so rare in professional sports for a player to stick out so obviously.
Jackson reminds me of Bobby Orr. He just blows by everybody on the field, making others look like they play in slow motion.
I think the problem with the defense is that no one explained that the NFL wasn't a two-hand touch league. Play that style in the playoffs and go home early.
More important, what the hell are the Phillies thinking? Getting Halladay doesn't make a ton of sense when it costs Lee, prospects, AND payroll. We already know Lee can beat the Yankees. Halladay can't improve on what Lee already did. Lee's agent has flat out dismissed the idea that he would not sign an extension to stay in Philly. The idea is to get Halladay and KEEP Lee. Yikes, please let it be Hamels...
Ed Wade
Phil I will say this on Vick, teams are starting to fear him. the Giants were literally changing defensive formations when he'd come in and they seemed helpless to stop any play when he, Don, and Desean were together. It was awesome to see another team fearing what might happen. They got him in for about 10 plays and that seems like a good number. He also throws lasers.
Ed it's the same old story I fear with the Phils. Go with the purse, not the burning desire to win championships. No other explanation. The "we don't want a $60M payroll" is lame when the Yanks, Sox, and other great teams are doing that. if you don't like it, don't resign Lee next year when the Boys in blue pinstripes get him. No excuse for going cheap on this one. it sickens me that they are giving up Lee and minor leaguers and not getting better.
Bumble
Great comments, gentlemen - I pretty much agree on all points. Don was so-so until that awesome fourth qtr drive, 10 is amazing and I appreciate the way he's staying humble and not trying to upstage the rest of the team (yet). Love the chest/butt bump with him amd Reid. He might be the first player I've ever seen make Big Red smile. Anyone catch Buck & Aikman making fun of the rcvr's "Cinderella" shoes on that out of bounds TD catch. AND how about big red getting a challenge call to go his way.
Defense is scary bad...Sheldon Brown is injured and can't cover anybody, Quentin was AWFUL - I think he needs a Dawkins like guy back there to help him know what to do. Bad tackling all around-UGH!
I used to get so frustrated when the Giants had there Phill Simms types, and the cowboys had Troy and those guys always seemed to manage the game right, come thru in the clutch, and not make bonehead mistakes that cost you games. We always seemed to have these great athletes with rocket arms, jet legs and 10 cent heads. It's good to have Eli and Tony in the division so the other teams have the dufus's for a while. Enjoy the ride, I don't think it ends in a SB, but who knows !!??
Captain
jumping in with some contrarian thoughts.
1) the sentiment on vick is positive now because he did some nice things. so was andy continuing to work vick into the game plan even when it was obviously not working early on andy being stubborn and arrogant? that's what he was being accused of by media and sometimes our group as well, and seems to be an ongoing complaint. people can't be right all the time, but if they're right most of the time i don't think it makes sense to accuse them of being arrogant for sticking to their guns.
2) halladay trade. here is how i'm thinking about it:
- aumont plus ramirez roughly equals drabek plus tommy john surgery
- gillies roughly equals taylor (or so i heard the phillies think)
if you cancel those out you have
one year of lee plus travis d'arnaud for four years of halladay
i'd like to keep halladay and lee too, but the phillies apparently can't make that work in their budget.
it's not a slam dunk win for the phils but it doesn't seem that bad of a trade to me.
-- meanguy
TMG!!!! What up brother? i thought you had left the island and abandoned us Bird lovers.
I accuse them of a lot, but I have always liked the Vick move on many levels. Most of all the man needs a chance to restart his life after paying his debt. I know there are dog lovers who say he should burn in hell, but I have seen contrition and true grief over stupid life decisions and I'm glad the PETA fools didn't win a public relations battle.
Bumble
Welcome back, TMG.
I don't dissagree with your assessment of the Phils trade now that the prospects have been named and the deal is fleshed out.
Still, I'm bummed that the Phils couldn't find a way to expand the payroll enough to keep Lee. I know it's not my money, but yikes would keeping Lee have made this a lethal team.
Given that the Phils are married to a $140 million payroll, I think the deal was damn creative, and more evidence that the Phils will do what it takes (within their own framework) to improve the team.
At the risk of provoking your furry, I'd like to point out that Amaro is part of Head's legacy...
Ed Wade
Who's this TMG guy?
I don't know if DeSean is humble. He's got a bit of a mouth (he definitely likes him some him), but he definitely buys into the team concept. He works his butt off and hasn't thrown anyone under the bus yet. This might just be because he's still young and hasn't fully opened up the media.
All that does not temper in my least my like of this guy.
Given that the Phils are married to a $140 million payroll, I think the deal was damn creative, and more evidence that the Phils will do what it takes (within their own framework) to improve the team.
At the risk of provoking your furry, I'd like to point out that Amaro is part of Head's legacy...
agree completely on three points:
1) very disappointed that they couldn't find a way to keep both and somehow peddle hamels instead of lee
2) amaro is showing incredible creativity as a gm
3) i was dead wrong in my apprehension about ruben's potential as a gm
however, even though ruben has his nominal roots as ed wade's protege, i believe he learned to be a gm by watching gillick.
i don't think it's at all coincidental that the three participants in this trade are all ex-gillick teams and i believe all three are headed by gillick apprentices.
meanwhile, the astros under head only make obvious or inconsequential moves.
-- meanguy
I accuse them of a lot, but I have always liked the Vick move on many levels. Most of all the man needs a chance to restart his life after paying his debt. I know there are dog lovers who say he should burn in hell, but I have seen contrition and true grief over stupid life decisions and I'm glad the PETA fools didn't win a public relations battle.
definitely. i think we were all in agreement that this move didn't have a downside for the birds (other than riling up cataldi and peta).
i'm referring more to reid's sticking with the wildcat even as it was sucking game after game.
sorry i'm in and out. i'm working two jobs right now and fitting in work on the house as i can.
-- meanguy
Does McCoy look "bad" or does he just pale in comparison to Weaver? I think this is just a rookie being a rookie. He hasn't looked any worse than Westbrook in his rookie year. I think it's more about Weaver looking incredible than McCoy looking ineffective.
my $0.02
i think mccoy doesn't have the deep speed to play running back at an elite level given his lack of power. unless he gets himself on some really good vitamins, i don't see how he'll be an upper echelon back.
he's shifty enough, but he breaks fewer tackles than a pre-trapzilla westbrook without westbrook's top gear.
-- meanguy
ed, how much of halladay have you seen? people keep referring to him as the "best pitcher in baseball".
i haven't seen enough of him to make a qualitative judgement, but looking at his stats, it seems to me that roy has been consistently very good but never really great.
is he really better than tim lincecum?
I've probably seen Doc pitch 15 times. He's the real deal. Clearly one of the top 5 pitchers in baseball. Maybe the best. He pitches a ton of innings. Throws strikes. Love him. He's even better than Lee.
Wouldn't it have been awesome to see Doc AND Lee in the same rotation? Could've happened for the low low price of $9 Mill for 1 year for a team that essentially runs a Fort Knox each evening. Now it'll always be a "what if" situation.
Bumble
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