Eagles fall to Steelers, 16-14
PITTSBURGH -- A cold rain fell intermittently on Heinz Field. It was the second half of Eagles vs. Steelers, and the Eagles were trying to overcome another first half of mistakes.
Eagles fall to Steelers, 16-14
Rich Hofmann, Daily News Sports Columnist
PITTSBURGH -- A cold rain fell intermittently on Heinz Field. It was the second half of Eagles vs. Steelers, and the Eagles were trying to overcome another first half of mistakes.
It was a game where Michael Vick could not hold on to the ball, again. And where they couldn’t sack the quarterback, and where they trailed at the half, again. The deficit this time was 10-0, but that was just a detail. It is as if the first act of the script is written in ink now. There is nothing the Eagles can seem to do about it.
And this time, they could not overcome.
Vick led the Eagles on two second-half touchdown drives and the Eagles took a 14-13 lead in the fourth quarter. But in the end, the defense could not hold. A Shaun Suisham field goal from 34 yards with only zeroes left on the clock gave the Steelers the victory, 16-14.
Two Vick fumbles in the first half -- one of them just a yard away from scoring a touchdown -- doomed the Eagles to another afternoon of climbing out of a crater. Neither resulted in points for the Steelers, but one robbed the Eagles of points and the other just perpetuated a worrisome syndrome. It is a ridiculous way to try to make a living in the NFL, and the fact that they have been so good at it so far this season does not alter that truth.
It is too hard.
It cannot continue.
All of that said, the Eagles do make things thrilling. Down at the half, they kept coming. They scored their first touchdown with 6:32 left in the third quarter on a 15-yard touchdown pass to LeSean McCoy, a short throw that featured a devastating cutback move by McCoy that paralyzed Steelers linebacker Larry Foote.
Then, after a Steelers field goal, the Eagles put together a 17-play, 79-yard touchdown drive that ate up 8 minutes, 18 seconds. Along the way, they converted two fourth-down plays -- a gutsy fourth-and-1 from their own 31-yard line, when McCoy only gained the necessary acreage with a second effort, and another fourth-and-1 from the Steelers’ 47, when McCoy just slammed into the line for 2 yards.
The touchdown play was a 2-yard pass to tight end Brent Celek. Buried at halftime, the Eagles led by 14-13 with 6:33 left in the fourth quarter. Once again, their defense would either hold or not -- last week against the Giants’ Eli Manning, this week against the Steelers’ Ben Roethlisberger.
This time, it could not hold. They could not sack Big Ben, and the Steelers’ quarterback hung in and made just enough plays to pull out the game. But he is a good player, and he is going to make some plays. This is not a defensive issue.
This is about fumbles. It is about another slow start. When will it end? If you know the answer to that question, you know how the Eagles’ season is going to turn out.
winners find a way to win.
losers find a way to lose.— ekw555- In response to fan-74.The blame is not all on the offensive line,As Troy Aikman pointed out today ,Vick needs to understand that he needs to get rid of the ball sooner against certain blitz packages,Unfortunately Vick does not posess enough savy to understand that.Time to let Folles play to see if he is your quarterback of 2013 or not.How bad would it be around here if the Eagles were 0-5 which they could obviously be— spanish7
- Even tho they made it, can't believe they went for it on 4th and 1 from their own 31 with 13 plus minutes left in the game. The play got stuffed and only because of McCoys' second effort did they get the first down. Stupid call.— klbloom1
- Ringless and Clueless one more year in the NFC East!!! City of LOSERS!— toiletofphilly
- Just as Denver's altitude caused Obama's bungling debate effort, the rain was to blame for Vick's sloppy game.— Disco Dave
- If the Eagles can't beat the Steelers; they are not even remotely in the same league of a top team, like the Texans!— dtsjr
- I think we are better off if Vick stays healthy and we continue to get results like this and ultimately end up out of the playoffs. Vick getting hurt almost automatically gives Andy another chance. Lurie needs to grow a pair and fire this band of clowns... and then cut Vick.— itzjake
- Its the same thing week after week. Andy is here through his contract year because we will get to rounf 1 of playoffs and be eliminated. Vick is gone he was a coach killer (no pun intended) in Atlanta and it continues here. A bad game on both sides the Steelers got lucky this week.— joeyrofrano
- Asomugha is as overrated as they come!— waltv
- Vick is as careless with the ball as he is with his life. LOSER all the way.......... If it wasn't for Reid laying it on the line with all of those 4th down situations this wouldn't have been a game at all.— RufusG
- Vick is, indeed, a liability.
Did anyone note how, on the first drive and in a panic, he just heaved the ball downfield blindly? Fortunately, it was not intercepted. Had I seen this in a high school, I could accept it. Not, though, from an NFL QB.
Also, it appeared that on his long throws, essentially he was just heaving it and hoping for something good to happen (it did not).
He has trouble reading defenses and anticipating pressure.
Oh yeah ... and the fumbles. 'nuff said.
Admittedly his OL was not up to speed, but that is no excuse for STUPID playmaking. Honestly, I have to believe that Nick Foles could not do any worse, and quite likely would play a much more mature, intelligent game.
Finally, don't know if Gruden would want this job, but I'd sure be interested in exploring the possibilities if I'm Lurie.
— FishFryFrank - I could almost buy into this charade except for Vick. No matter how good the D is or if for some strange reason Genius Andy decides to actually use Shady, the team is limited by this TO monster.— Phils_World_Champs
- If it weren't for McCoy, the Eagles season would be a total loss... he's got to be the most complete back in the league.— mumf86
- vick is done.
fumble him off the bus on the way home.
so sick of this slop.— bloodymess - Why do so many football "experts" think that Michael Vick is so great? What has he ever won in the NFL? He's responsible for 11 turnovers so far this season and leads a team that's averaged 16 points a game. The Eagles are not going to win any championships with him. He may be "exciting" and fun to watch, but he's no leader and definitely not one of the elite quarterbacks. If the Eagles do not win at least one playoff game this season it's time to get rid of the $100 million man -- and maybe the entire coaching staff!
— Ron T
