Reid, Vick have hand in defeat
Philadelphia Inquirer Sports Columnist Bob Ford writes about the Eagles, the Phillies, the Sixers and the Flyers.
Reid, Vick have hand in defeat
Bob Ford, Inquirer Sports Columnist
What the Eagles hoped would be an uplifting home opener against a struggling divisional rival turned into a multi-faceted nightmare Sunday afternoon at Lincoln Financial Field.
For the second straight week, the Eagles had to finish without quarterback Michael Vick. Against Atlanta, Vick left the game with a concussion, but he recovered quickly enough to start Sunday against the New York Giants. He didn’t finish, however.
The Eagles blew a fourth-quarter lead and lost 29-16 to the Giants, falling to 1-2 on the season.
Vick suffered a broken bone in his right (non-throwing) hand in the third quarter. He apparently sustained the injury on a quarterback sneak attempt. Not only weren’t the Eagles protecting Vick from banging his head into the line, they weren’t protecting him in any way.
Of course, that had been the case from the start of the game. On the first offensive series of the afternoon, the Eagles called a quarterback sneak on 3rd-and-1, sending Vick headfirst into the line.
The Eagles drove well on that first series, but it ended with an interception and the Giants then took early control with touchdowns on their next two possessions. Both scores highlighted deficiencies in the Eagles defense, with Casey Matthews unable to cover running back Brandon Jacobs out of the backfield on the first, and safety Kurt Coleman failing to bring down receiver Victor Cruz on the second.
Linebacking and tackling have been issues for a while for the Eagles and those departments helped put the Eagles in a 14-0 hole. Nate Allen replaced Coleman at free safety after that second score.
But while the first quarter went to the Giants, the Eagles came back in the second quarter to make it a 14-13 game at the half, sandwiching a pair of field goals around a 70-yard drive that was highlighted by an 11-yard LeSean McCoy touchdown run, his fifth TD of the season.
The Eagles took a 16-14 lead in the third period when the series on which Vick was hurt ended with a field goal. After a punt, Vick returned from the locker room where he had received X-rays and went back into the game. Maybe someone misread the X-ray results.
In any case, Vick drove the Eagles into Giants territory, but they stalled and Andy Reid elected to go for a 4th-and-1 at the Giants 43. If they missed on it, the Giants would have good field position in a game that required only a field goal to give them the lead. They missed, with LeSean McCoy losing three yards. It was a terrible decision by the head coach, but the defense didn't bail him out, either.
Eli Manning promptly took advantage of the good field position and took the Giants downfield for a go-ahead touchdown, scored when Cruz outleaped Nnamdi Asomugha and Jarrad Page. The Giants converted the two-point conversion and the Eagles were going to have to come back with Mike Kafka at quarterback.
That didn’t work. His first pass was an interception, the Giants drove for another touchdown and, yes, everything that could go wrong had gone wrong.
There weren’t many silver linings in the cloudy sky. The defense had been awful when really needed, Vick couldn’t stay healthy again, and Reid had gaffed on the only tough decision of the day.
Consolation? The home season has to get better. Can’t get much worse than this one.
it's probably safe to say it's time to rebuild.....starting with a new coaching staff and thru out. how anyone expects to win nfl games with a front offensive line (and the word offensive really does apply)that allows it's qb to get hit on every single play from scrimmage and amazingly the coaches never addressed it during the off season. The defense looked horrible with players that have yet learned how to tackle. This dream team is a nightmare. From coaching staff on down. Let's remember AR for the winning seasons, not the fool that outsmarted himself in 2011. really, king dunlap ???— edseagles- phillies 8 game losing streak doesn't look as bad. at least there will be playoffs next weekend— jrwute42
- What's next, moving Casey Matthews to the other side? Also, Asomugha got pretty much burnt on that touchdown pass. He even interfered on the play. That Kurt Coleman non-tackle was putrid.— p-diddy
- Dream team with a $100 million quarterback who can't stay on the field. LMAO.
- It's as likely that Vick is going to see $100 million as it is that the Eagles will win the Super Bowl- both fictional smoke and mirrors from the gold standard in ludicrous spin. He'll be lucky to see 40% of that. — jtj06
- Skip Bayless is an Honest Guy. The fact that the majority of Fans listen to the Media or dislike a human for personal reasons baffle me. Its as easy as ABC, Next week, play Vince Young and watch how the eagles start winning. All this Kafka being #2 issh should stop now, weak arm, no experience!. The eagles are not rebuilding, the eagles are trying to win. Vince will start QB drama once he starts winning (as usual). So STOP being Personal and go with Truth and Winning.
www.trackingvinceyoung.com for proof— Reasonabledoubt - Yeah, Young is so good he can't play because he doesn't know the offense. As a reclamation project, at least Vick learned it. Young stinks. — mike l
Comment removed.- Take A Breath People, It's Only Game 3!— EZG1
- Comment removed.
- I have stood behind Reid for too long. Even when he traded Donovan McNabb. But now I'm getting fed up. Same old thing every season, losing games you shouldn't to opponents that suck. And unable to adjust your gameplan when things are going badly. Unless we reach the Super Bowl this year fire Andy Reid. It is very clear what the problem is. No more McNabb to hide behind now.— youaho11
- Same with me, this mess is all on Reid. In all these years with Reid, no Eagles team looked so confused and helpless as these "dreamteamers". But also Vick looks completely overmatched and overrated and overhyped. — AachenEagle
- Reasons Reid must be fired: 1. Gifting a clearly overmatched Castillo the title of defensive coordinator w/no training. 2. Hiring Howard Mudd to coach an O- line with re-treads, journeymen and a 26-year-old rookie who can't play. 3. Mismanaging the game with stupid 4th and 3 calls in the middle of the field, calling ridiculous pass plays with a back-up QB, while ignoring one of the best RB's in the league, poor time management, and miserable instincts on challenges. 4. Oh, and who could forget? Terrible drafting. REID MUST GO!!! Who will start the website (a la, Ed Wade)?— farside37
- Comment removed.
- it's probably safe to say it's time to rebuild....Vick is 31 years old.
— primo
