DAVID MAIALETTI / Staff Photographer
The Eagles' Donovan McNabb walks off as guard Max Jean-Gilles (62) takes a breather in the second quarter of Sunday's game. Fans are still smarting over the team's poor performace.
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Ashley Fox: Birds' faithful find comfort in Phils
Just wondering: If the Eagles had Jimmy Rollins on their roster, could he teach them how to be clutch? Either you've got that ability, or you don't. Rollins does. The Eagles, for whatever reason, don't.
It's going to be a nightmarishly long week for the Birds. The faithful aren't happy at all about that little 13-9 loss to Oakland, and for good reason. Meanwhile, across the street is the shining example of how to come from behind and win in the postseason.
Folks who participated in my online chat yesterday were overjoyed at the Phils' Monday night rally and horrified the Eagles lost to a one-win team. Here's a sampling:
If the Eagles had half the heart of the Phillies, how many Super Bowls do you think they would have won this decade?
- Guest
More than they have, most likely. You can't teach what the Phillies have. They want the spotlight, and thrive in it. It's not cockiness, but it's supreme confidence. And it's so rare. Look how long this city has waited for a championship team. They don't come around often. To compare one franchise with the other is unfair, but the differences are so striking.
To answer your question, I'll say the Eagles would've won two - XXXVII over Oakland and XLIII over Pittsburgh.
How can Andy justify running the ball so few times in a low-scoring, defensive game? Reminds me of the same bad game plan against the Saints. If the offensive line can't pass block, and Donovan is having a bad game, there has to be a Plan B.
- Steve in San Antonio
Seems logical to me, but clearly against the Raiders, Reid wasn't able, or willing, to make adjustments. Oakland was teeing off on McNabb, who seemed to grow more exasperated each time he got hit, and for good reason. He's not that far removed from a broken rib. How about help him out, and protect him a little bit, by handing the ball off to Brian Westbrook.
Every time Westbrook touched the ball, he gained a substantial amount of yards. Why the Eagles only rushed it 12 times and threw it 54 times was either out of ego or stupidity. Take your pick.
Was this the worst regular-season loss of the Andy Reid era?
- Chetski
No question. There is no reason the Eagles should've lost to the Raiders. Oakland had scored only one touchdown in their previous three games, and had barely beaten the Kansas City Chiefs, a team the Eagles crushed even with McNabb on the sideline.
Good teams put their foot on the throats of teams like the Raiders, and don't let up. Look what the Giants did: a 44-7 beat-down.
If the Eagles weren't ready, weren't mentally focused, and got surprised by what the Raiders did, as some of the players claimed after the game, that's coaching. Point the finger at the man in charge for this one.
Do you ever get a sense that the Eagles players/coaches see what the Phillies are doing and get a sense of healthy competition.
- Matthew
There's competition, for sure, but it's more between the franchises as a whole and not between the players per se. Certainly there was a race to see who would break the city's winless streak, and the Eagles were bummed it wasn't them. Another Phillies parade might send them over the edge.
Contact columnist Ashley Fox
at 215-854-5064 or afox@phillynews.com.
