Eagles collapse again
Cardinals 21, Eagles 17
Eagles collapse again
Rich Hofmann, Daily News Sports Columnist
It was a spectacularly bad game. It was a game so terrible that, sources say, the NFL’s marketing office has already requested every available copy of the film and prepared the kindling for a bonfire.
And it might just have been the end of the Eagles’ season.
It was a day when the Eagles, yes, blew another fourth quarter lead. Because of that, the game was 14-14 in the middle of the final period. Then, Alex Henery kicked a 36-yard field goal with 5:06 remaining to put the Eagles back in front. It followed an interception by Nnamdi Asomugha.
But then the Eagles blew the lead again. Cardinals quarterback John Skelton threw a 5-yard touchdown pass to Early Doucet to put Arizona ahead for good, 21-17, with 1:53 remaining. It was a touchdown set up by a long pass to Larry Fitzgerald -- who had two earlier touchdowns -- a play in which Fitzgerald was inexplicably being covered by safety Jaiquawn Jarrett.
And on their final possession, Eagles quarterback Michael Vick was unable to muster the kind of come-from-behind drive that would have redeemed what was, for him, a disappointing day.
So, the Eagles’ record is now 3-6. Their chances of somehow making the playoffs are predicated upon their ability to run the table from here and win their final seven games of the season.
You do the math.
The pre-game headline was that wide receiver DeSean Jackson was inactive because he slept through a meeting on Saturday morning. After the kickoff, the story was all about the offensive ineptitude of both teams. The Cardinals’ problems made sense, given their overall talent level and the fact that Skelton was running things in the absence of Kevin Kolb and his bum toe. The Eagles’ problems made much less sense -- because while Jackson has his explosive moments, no wide receiver alters games that much by himself. Of course, Jeremy Maclin’s in-again/out-again day -- because of shoulder and hamstring injuries -- were also a significant issue.
Continuing a pattern, Vick was erratic and ineffective. He threw two interceptions overall. One was a red zone interception. He had another one called back because of holding penalty that occurred 20 yards away from the interception in the end zone, and had another one overturned by a replay challenge that only took place because the scoreboard operator came up with a definitive replay and then froze it on the Linc’s enormous video screens until Eagles coach Andy Reid finally dropped the red challenge flag.
The final interception, with 34 seconds remaining, on a ball badly overthrown up the left sideline, was the end.
Vote: Eagles report card
Quitters. Quitter chump QB. Quitter Defense. What's the matter, Namdi wanted no part of 11 at crunch time. Let Jose and Jarrett cover him. Bizarre.— oldBird- What team has soft safeties that can't make a tackle at the goal line, to save what ever is left of their season?— jman
- Reid just has to do a better job, put the players in a better position— frank12345
- Well, this should actually force the FO to now just say NO to any of the Eagles' coaches. Fire them all and start over. The lackluster players also must go. Even if one starts next yr. with unproven draft choices and the hard workers that are here, it is better than what we saw today. I hoped Andy could ...but then he is Andy and now he has been at the fair too long.— Koons
- Hey Lurie, did Andy's "binder" have a final page with self-destruct instructions, to be executed once the empire started toppling?
SIXTY SECONDS AND COUNTING.......— jman - Howie Roseman is drooling over how to "outsmart" everyone else in the NFL with that high first round draft pick.— Luriesucks
- This Eagles team is absolutely the perfect for the City Philadelphia. Perfect in every way. Couldn't ask for better.— RememberGB
- Since the DJAX miracle against the Giants last year, the Eagles are 3-9 in games played. Also Vicks stats and play have been on a steady decline. Looks as if defenses for the most part have made adjustments to limit his success.— watsonmr
- Can't sustain drives
Can't convert short yard age plays
Don't run enough
Drop passes
Stupid penalties
Can't make fourth quarter stops
Poor tackling
Get beat on crucial plays by beating a linebacker with a fullback circling out the back field
Can't catch breaks (note this way down, but the ball bounces weirdly every week
QB throws red zone interceptions....Vick got lucky one was called back.
Other than that can't understand why their 3-6. One conclusion and it's an intangible so really a hunch is that they're playing not with fiery desperation but panic over fear of failing to achieve the lofty and unrealistic expectations.
And Rich I'm sending the philly.com sports writers a list of 20 other ways to say "blew the lead." Not sure any lead is really there's to blow since the other team gets the ball. I wouldn't describe giving up a 95 yard drive "blowing a lead." I understand how one can "blow" a lot of money." Or maybe a big lead can be "blown" You can even be more descriptive of what happens, like the team failed to pin the Cardinals back at a crucial time by giving up big plays. Some were tipped balls but the Cards made a lot of big plays in the fourth quarter. Oh well...one a them years.— retzlaff 
Comment removed.- HahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHaha!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!— PastisPrologue
- Can Michael Nutter ask the NFL for an expansion team?— jman
- Reid will say what he always says. I got to put my team in a better position to win. its my responsibility . Fire Andy Reid!
- Was this the biggest stinker of an Eagles game in the whole Andy Reid ? Sure, they have lost tough games before - but this one bordered on total imcompetence by almost everyone on the team.
I would single out Coleman as the lousiest excuse for a professional football player I have ever seen - not on one or two plays but on about 10 plays. Woeful !
Trent Cole continues to take stupid penalties week after week, whether it is jumping offsides or late fits. How about Stevie Smith going down two yards short of the first down mark - putred.— candidly - I have cared about this team for 40 years, wherever I have lived in the country. Today that has ended. I refuse to get my guts in a knot anymore. Here's to long walks in the park with the wife on sundays!— Ken B
