Comments on scrapple: Ready for End of Andy Reid Era

I am disheartened.

2008-11-17T07:19:00.000-05:00

I am disheartened.

ouch...now that was ugly!!!

2008-11-17T03:04:00.000-05:00

ouch...now that was ugly!!!

I'm near Kennett Square behind Longwood Gardens.

2008-11-16T11:58:00.000-05:00

I'm near Kennett Square behind Longwood Gardens.

Andy had/has the opportunity the be One of the Bes...

2008-11-16T06:59:00.000-05:00

Andy had/has the opportunity the be One of the Best coaches in the league....All that was needed is to Let Your Offensive Coordinator Call The Offense!!...We Had Brad Childress and he never let him run the offense, Mornhinweg calls A play every now or then.
The Hardest thing to do is call plays while Standing Eye Level to The Field.
Put the Play Cards DOWN andy and Let your OC and the man stationed in the skybox call the plays.....Just stand there and hold the Red Flag and Throw It When Told to Do So!!!
Why Can't Our QB call his Own Play's?? Put the Weight On His Shoulders...sink or swim.......

I could also be in for 12/7. I could also potenti...

2008-11-15T10:58:00.000-05:00

I could also be in for 12/7. I could also potentially host something, but I'm probably too far out for most of you guys (Collegeville). Where are you located, Phil ??

Captain

I would be in for 12/7...I would drag the Bull (Bu...

2008-11-14T13:20:00.000-05:00

I would be in for 12/7...I would drag the Bull (Bumble)

Hey, would anyone be interested in getting togethe...

2008-11-14T09:35:00.000-05:00

Hey, would anyone be interested in getting together to watch the at NYG (12/7) or at WAS (12/27) games? Kind of a Scrapplelog end of season complain-o-rama? Much more fun to do this in person. I can probably host if people are interested.

Sorry, lost by ONLY 5 points. Point is sill valid...

2008-11-14T09:25:00.000-05:00

Sorry, lost by ONLY 5 points. Point is sill valid. If the only thing that matters is Ws and Ls, then it shouldn't matter whether another team was more physical or faster or had a better FB, etc. Scoreboard is the only thing that matters.

Bumble, if I remember correctly, the Eagles won a ...

2008-11-14T09:22:00.000-05:00

Bumble, if I remember correctly, the Eagles won a very physical game againt PIT only a month ago. And no matter how physically dominant the NYG looked (and they were), we still only lost by 4 points! This isn't a Rams or Lions or Raiders team with no shot at beating good teams. Again - we lost by 4 points to the BEST team in football. There are no moral victories, but how is that hopeless?

Answer to Bumble's last question:They are my team,...

2008-11-14T01:29:00.000-05:00

Answer to Bumble's last question:

They are my team, so, they are the team I root and cheer for. If my team loses, they are still my team.

- Joe

We'll all be back, that isn't the point. If we di...

2008-11-13T22:13:00.000-05:00

We'll all be back, that isn't the point. If we didn't care, then we wouldn't write random comments about a football team every day with a bunch of cyber guys we've never met. Not true actually, I met most of you at least once and find all of you to be good dudes and upstanding citizens who share my love for the Birds.

Phil the season may not be over, but who's kidding who, this team is going nowhere. They aren't good enough, they are clearly less talented and less tough than many teams they've played. That is pretty indisputable. The game has evolved and left them behind. They cannot man up and play physical football and physical football teams just pummel them. To win in the playoffs, you need to run the ball and stop the run. They cannot do either. So what if they sneak into the playoffs, they are not a championship team. I know that, and I have to believe that deep down you know that. Unlike the Giants and Steelers teams you listed, the Birds do not have a physical presence on either side of the ball. Those teams won because when the chips were down, they could revert to power football, eat clock, play keep away, and physically dominate the other team. That has never and will never happen with an Andy Reid team.

I am laughed at as negative, but I consider it realistic. They have no FB. They have tiny DL who get manhandled with one on one blocking. They have a very slow O line who run blocks poorly. they have a bunch of WR who cannot get open. They have the worst TE in the league. Their kicker sucks. Their OLB is a converted DE who is too slow to switch direction and make plays in the open field and too weak to get off blocks. They have a 34 year old safety who routinely gets beat. They have a highly over-paid free agent CB who makes very few impact plays and created a ton of tension by being here. They have a coach who makes the same poor game day decisions again and again and does an awful job evaluating and procuring talent.

Aside from a QB who is talented (but awful in crunch time), an RB who has some mad skills (but is always dinged up and playing at 80%), and a dynamic young WR, what do they have that imbues you with such optimism? I struggle to understand why people think this is a 10 or 11 win team. I hate that, but my eyes tell me they have more holes than the plot of any Pauly Shore film. I love your loyalty and you may be a better fan than I am, but what has this team done lately to deserve your unwavering faith and devotion?

Bumble

Phil - Speaking strictly for myself, you may be mi...

2008-11-13T19:35:00.000-05:00

Phil -

Speaking strictly for myself, you may be misreading the sentiment a little. I also haven't given up on the season and think anything is possible. I bet others (maybe not Bumble) feel the same way.

I remain optimistic that things will turn out better and we'll make the playoffs. I'll be rooting to the bitter end.

Nevertheless, the Giants kicked the crap out of us, dominating in a way that was painful to watch.

There's no getting around it.

I still think this squad is better than some people here think, and better than they have played; it just gets pretty frustrating seeing the team make the same mistakes and offer the same excuses game after game. For me, Andy has to go not because he isn't a good coach or a decent human being. He has to go because he's sucking the life out of Philadelphia.

Aside from the Phillies, I care about this team more than any other. The sad reality is that they are less fun to watch now than they used to be. Doesn't mean we're giving up on them, doesn't mean we aren't hoping for better things.

I'll be with you in this thing until the end, and I'll be back next year no matter how it ends.

Ed Wade

Well, I for one am excited to see if the Eagles ca...

2008-11-13T12:17:00.000-05:00

Well, I for one am excited to see if the Eagles can make the playoffs. I'm not giving up! They're 1 stinking game out with 7 games to play, but you'd think we were following the Lions or Raiders. Giants and Steelers have shown that all you have to do is make the playoffs and you've go a shot at winning the SB. The Eagles don't have an impossible shot either. Will it be easy? No. Will it require better play? Yes! But it's not like 5 and 36 aren't capable of carrying this team. Maybe Scapplelog has gotten too used to very goood football teams and only cares about rooting for underdogs in other sports. Phooey on you!

And how any objective person can point a finger at the O after putting up 30 points is beyond my comprehension. JJ deserves most of the blame.

Had the Eagles scored 50 points and won the game, ...

2008-11-13T06:52:00.000-05:00

Had the Eagles scored 50 points and won the game, I'd still have been left with the following impression:

Egad, the Giants kicked the shit out of us. They could have scored as many points as the needed simply by running the ball up the gut over and over again.

The fact that the score was close serves only to mask the chasm that has developed between the quality of these two teams. I wish I could write it off to a bad night, a culmination of flukey plays, "3 yards, 3 games" or whatever, but we all know that isn't the case.

From my humble vantage, the Giants were much the better team, physically dominant, and couldn't have lost this game under any circumstances.

In this regard, the 30 points are a rather moot point, even though I get what you're saying about how that should be enough to win under most circumstances.

Ed Wade

against the giants, the eagles turned turnovers in...

2008-11-12T22:01:00.000-05:00

against the giants, the eagles turned turnovers into touchdowns.

regardless of whether the style is power football or finesse football, sustained drives or quick scores, scoring 30 points should be enough points to win a game.

agree TMG, defense has to do their part, but it is...

2008-11-12T21:05:00.000-05:00

agree TMG, defense has to do their part, but it is very deflating when you get turnovers or have a huge stop and your offense goes out and turns the ball over within 2 minutes. If you look at all time great defenses and even just very good defenses, they break at some point. Baltimore has lived this for years, as have the Bears this year and the Vikes this year. Great defenses cannot offset inconsistent offenses. And when your kicker always gives the otehr team starts at the 30 or worse, then you relaly struggle because a team can drive 30 yards on you and be in legitimate scoring position. That is nerve wracking.

Bumble

Note-I said 3 and out or 2 minute drives. My point...

2008-11-12T13:08:00.000-05:00

Note-I said 3 and out or 2 minute drives. My point is their offense doesn't devour clock and keep the defense fresh. The massive disparity between time of possession tells that tale. I am not sure if that stat is kept, but I'd love to know the average TOP disparity in most Birds games.

not sure, but TOP by itself isn't a very useful stat. i think for what you're talking about number of plays may be more meaningful (or possibly not). anyway, the eagles offense has run 567 plays from scrimmage and the eagles defense has defended 560 plays from scrimmage. so overall, they've had the ball more than their opponents have had the ball (though only marginally so).

i agree with the notion that the offense can help keep the defense fresh by staging long drives, but i think the primary way the defense can help keep themselves fresh by is by getting themselves off the field.

Note-I said 3 and out or 2 minute drives. My poin...

2008-11-12T13:01:00.000-05:00

However, Reid,though he has been saying it for yea...

2008-11-12T09:44:00.000-05:00

However, Reid,though he has been saying it for years, has been unable to establish a conistent running game when McNabb has played. Strangely it worked when Garcia or Feeley played.

the play mix is completely different for mcnabb vs. any other QB. can't establish a running game if you don't run the ball.

reid's generally seems to want to have the ball in his best player's hands. if mcnabb is on the field, it's in his hands. if mcnabb isn't on the field, it's in westbrook's hands.

My "favorite" play is when they have passed 5 straight times and the 6th is a play-action that does not fool anybody...just great.

or when they call play action in the last two minutes of a half. what defensive player is falling for that?

Simon just nailed my primary concern. Y'all are advocating dumping a coach that AVERAGES over 10 wins a season (and has a winning record again so far). I understand and appreciate everyone's frustrations, but these are tiny issues compared to getting stuck with another Kotite (or Crennel or Linehan or Lane or Cameron or Nolan or . . ). It sounds like you want Childress back and they hate the offense he runs in MIN.

well, he's averaged 8 wins a season for the last 3 years, and for me that's not enough winning to offset his boring style of offense and the puny makeup of his roster.

the team may hit 10 wins this year, but 10 wins probably doesn't get them into the playoffs, and then we're in full rebuilding mode around a fledgling QB.

The problem is they are on the field for 40 minute...

2008-11-12T09:36:00.000-05:00

The problem is they are on the field for 40 minutes a game because the offense has so many 3 and out drives or 2 minute drives due to no power running game that chews up clock.

i don't know that the eagles has more 3 and outs than other teams. they all have 3 and outs on offense.

however, i'd be shocked if the eagles defense was even middle of the pack in forcing 3 and outs on defense. if the offense has a 3 and out, it's the defense's job to force their own three and out. the eagles haven't been able to get off the field on third down for several seasons now. it's a big problem.

TMG-Walsh had Craig and Rathman for the power game. That seems pretty powerful to me.

tom rathman was a stud, no doubt about it, but i don't recall him being used all that much as a lead blocker to be honest with you. i definitely could be wrong about this, but i remember rathman being used as a pass blocker, a pass catcher, and an occasional ball carrier, but don't recall him being used all that much as a lead blocker.

again, definitely could be wrong, but i just really remember a lot of split back formations with rathman running one way at the snap and craig running in the opposite direction.

Well, PHI's only middle of the pack when it comes ...

2008-11-12T09:16:00.000-05:00

Well, PHI's only middle of the pack when it comes to plays/game (14th) and 1 more play/game (63 average plays per game) would get them to 10th in the league this year. Their rank in this has been 13.3 over the past 6 years with a wider variance (4th in '02, 5th in 2007 vs. 29th in '03) than scoring. The numbers don't back up your opinion that this is a 3 and out offense.

Disagree on the defense Phil. Yes they are tiny a...

2008-11-12T08:38:00.000-05:00

Disagree on the defense Phil. Yes they are tiny and inadequate against power running teams and are really built to stop the pass, but they are a pretty talented group. The problem is they are on the field for 40 minutes a game because the offense has so many 3 and out drives or 2 minute drives due to no power running game that chews up clock. if the offense could put points on people and grind clock, it would force other teams to throw which is exactly playing into the teeth of their D. Conversely, if you don't score, you open the door for other teams to grind you down, exactly what you don't want. Is the defense versatile enough, no. Are they good enough, yes. The woes stem from offense.

Also, last I checked Andy Reid did not invent football. seems like some new faces and new ideas are doing great things in Baltimore, Atlanta, Miami, and Arizona. Good coaches exist, that is the job of Eagles management to find them. Don't assume you'll get Kotite. And who ever heard of Reid before he came here?

TMG-Walsh had Craig and Rathman for the power game. That seems pretty powerful to me.

Bumble

Simon just nailed my primary concern. Y'all are a...

2008-11-12T07:35:00.000-05:00

Simon just nailed my primary concern. Y'all are advocating dumping a coach that AVERAGES over 10 wins a season (and has a winning record again so far). I understand and appreciate everyone's frustrations, but these are tiny issues compared to getting stuck with another Kotite (or Crennel or Linehan or Lane or Cameron or Nolan or . . ). It sounds like you want Childress back and they hate the offense he runs in MIN.

And all this is besides the real issue. The issue is not an offense that is 4th in the league in scoring this year (and 10.7 average rank over the past 6 years), it's the defense. When you average 28 points a game, the issue is not offensive philosophy or small players. The issue is the defense. JJ needs to go before Reid.

The strange thing is that McNabb throws a killer d...

2008-11-12T03:11:00.000-05:00

The strange thing is that McNabb throws a killer deep ball, but is only average at the 5 yard slant that is supposed to get YAC. However, Reid,though he has been saying it for years, has been unable to establish a conistent running game when McNabb has played. Strangely it worked when Garcia or Feeley played.

My "favorite" play is when they have passed 5 straight times and the 6th is a play-action that does not fool anybody...just great.

On Reid, I think the current argument is legid. I am just worried that they will stink for the next four year if they switch headcoaches.

Look how Holmgren runs it, Gruden runs it, Bill Wa...

2008-11-11T23:55:00.000-05:00

Look how Holmgren runs it, Gruden runs it, Bill Walsh ran it

it's been a while, but i don't recall that walsh ran a lot of power stuff. i think he's the one who popularized the "pro set" with split half back/full back with both available as runners or receivers.