Posted: Sunday, September 28, 2008, 11:44 PM | 38 comments |
 

Dealing with life without Westbrook
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CHICAGO - "The scoreboard is frozen," referee Walt Coleman announced to the crowd at Soldier Field. It was early in the fourth quarter of a football game that would not end, a night when the quarterbacks wore bulls-eyes and the running games were useless and nothing for either team really went according to form.

It was more demolition derby than football, much more about mistakes than anything else. That the Eagles will always miss Brian Westbrook remains plain enough. That Bears quarterback Kyle Orton is still Kyle Orton is also fairly obvious.

But as it wound down, slowly, inexorably, it came to this: the Eagles, trailing by 24-20, about a half-yard away from the end zone with 3:40 left to play. Eagles coach Andy Reid called a timeout to put together a play. The field goal was decided against. This was it, a chance to salvage a bruising, difficult night.

I formation…calling signals…the give is to Correll Buckhalter, who took the ball and battered in behind the right side of the Eagles' offensive line and immediately met resistance.

It was close, but not really.

No gain. Chicago ball.

Bears 24, Eagles 20.

This is life without Brian Westbrook. This is what happens when you play without one of the great offensive weapons in the National Football League. This is what happens: you don't get into the end zone on four cracks from inside the 5-yard line.

Westbrook came out before the game and tested his ankle on the turf, tried to run a little, cut a little, and then huddled with coaches and team officials to make a decision.

When the decision was no-go, it changed everything.

There is no camouflaging a loss like Westbrook.

Posted by Rich Hofmann @ 11:44 PM  Permalink | 38 comments
38
Comments   
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 11:53 PM, 09/28/2008
    how about a qb sneak from a foot with a 6-3 245lb mcnabby?
    — sniper
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 11:55 PM, 09/28/2008
    Also no camouflaging life without Shawn Andrews. All due respect to Max Jean-Giles, but I'm thinking Andrews gives a little better push in situations like that.
    — hunsinator
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 11:57 PM, 09/28/2008
    As long as MCnabb is a QB for the Eagles I cant cheer for them. I'm done, this dissapointment has to be taking years off my life. He smiled as we lost. I've gotten to old for this. I've seen the way this type of season ends too many times
    — phillyking22
  • Comment removed.
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 11:58 PM, 09/28/2008
    Where was play action? Putting aside Akers misses, we had to have something other than pound pound pound with our undersized backs on that goal line stand. WR screen, play action rollout to Celek, something. This one goes on Andy.
    — Echo
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 12:03 AM, 09/29/2008
    D was great but only 5 and a partial O line. Where were the passes to Celek or Baskett? How about some deep to Reggie or DeSean?
    — MaddenFL
  • Comment removed.
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 12:03 AM, 09/29/2008
    Reid just said that McNabb being sore this week is the reason he didn't go for the sneak. Ridiculous and someone needs to call him on it once and for all. Enough already. He was out there all game with a chance to get hit and can't run 1/2 a yard with the game on the line knowing full well that if you score the game's over b/c the Bears' offense is awful? This is not McNabb's fault. It's the Walrus on the sideline blowing another game with horrible play calls as the game is on the line. And lets change the play calls when we're in the 45-50 yard FG range too because clearly Akers has lost something and can't hit those kicks anymore.
    — Realistic One
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 12:07 AM, 09/29/2008
    I like Jim Johnson's pressure but must they blitz every darn down??? that leaves too many opportunites for screens or draw plays. PLay straight up for once. The D never should have given up that first down after the failed goal line play!
    — Boyce
  • Comment removed.
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 12:10 AM, 09/29/2008
    Tony Hunt's "run" on 2nd down was a waste and pushed them back a few yards. He should not be on the field during that play.
    — androoo
  • Comment removed.
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 12:14 AM, 09/29/2008
    The best thing to happen for the Eagles this year was for Reggie Brown and Kevin Curtis to be injured at the start of the season- It allowed McNabb & Co. to establish new chemestry and flow w/ Jackson and Basket. Now that Reggie brown is back, he has to go... BUTTERFINGERS! I'm sorry, but he sucks. At least it's still early in the season.
    — repoman
  • Comment removed.
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 12:15 AM, 09/29/2008
    AR has got to go. The best you can get from him is mediocrity. Worst game day coach in the NFL
    — No Ids


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About Rich Hofmann
Rich Hofmann arrived at the Daily News in 1980 for a job whose status was officially designated as "full-time, temporary." A senior at Penn at the time, he was hired to fill in on the copy desk during a staff illness. The notion of him covering the Eagles or being a columnist did not exist in anyone's imagination. It was supposed to be six weeks and out, but he never left. It is only one of the reasons why so many people have concerns about him as a potential house guest. Rich has blogged the postseasons of the Flyers and Eagles. E-mail Rich at hofmanr@phillynews.com

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