Reid staring at the end
Falcons 30, Eagles 17
Reid staring at the end
Rich Hofmann, Daily News Sports Columnist
The operating theory, mostly because Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie has said as much, is that Andy Reid awoke Sunday morning with 10 games to save his job. It was the clearest of imperatives. After all of the years, all of the great moments, all of the disappointments, it was to be a final sprint to the finish and then a clear decision.
Now, after a particularly timid abomination -- Falcons 30, Eagles 17 -- there are more questions than answers.
Can it really be?
Nine more weeks.
Nine more weeks?
Until Sunday, the Eagles had never lost the game immediately following the bye week under Reid. Given that, and given the decision to fire defensive coordinator Juan Castillo during the break, the widespread belief was that the Eagles would come back from their short vacation refreshed and re-focused, fully realizing what is at stake. Instead, they arrived in body only. Their hearts and minds were elsewhere. They did not turn over the ball and still got their backsides handed to them.
Defensively, they lacked both cohesion and fire under new coordinator Todd Bowles. Offensively, they got it blocked a little better but still couldn’t score points early, when it mattered. The special teams were the same, except for the punt return team. We don’t know about them because the Falcons never punted until there was 5:35 left in the fourth quarter.
The hearts-and-minds thing is what bears the closest watching. Reid has had exactly one team quit on him in his 14 seasons -- the 2005 team, after all of the Terrell Owens stuff and after quarterback Donovan McNabb got hurt. That team just curled up in the fetal position at the end -- but it was almost understandable, given the post-Super Bowl hangover and everything that happened.
This is different.
Nine more weeks.
Nine more weeks?
The Falcons’ opening drive of the game was the maiden voyage for Bowles: 16 plays and 80 yards; 8 minutes, 44 seconds of having the ball shoved down his defense’s throat. The touchdown pass to Drew Davis featured a blown coverage, just the biggest hint of a permeating confusion. Along the way, a holding penalty on Jason Babin extended the drive.
The Falcons were ahead by seven before a crowd that was two-thirds full had had a chance to be chilled by Hurricane Sandy’s first winds. And they booed. It would be the first time that happened but not the only time.
Did I already say that the Falcons never punted until 5:35 in the fourth quarter?
Along the way, Julio Jones scored Nnamdi Asomugha on a 63-yard touchdown pass, one in which safety Nate Allen made sure he was no possible help by taking a terrible angle on the play. Linebacker Mychael Kendricks did not start the game, reportedly as punishment for being late for a team meeting. A continuing lack of pressure on the quarterback -- despite the team’s first two sacks in about a month -- just opened up the defensive for carving by Atlanta’s Matt Ryan, and that is exactly what happened.
As the game ended, the wind whipped and the rain fell sideways onto nearly-emtpy stadium seats. Most everyone was rushing home to beat the storm; Andy Reid was not nearly so lucky.
Time to rebuild. Goodbye Andy. Disagree there are more questions after the game. The ANSWERS ARE CLEAR. They are not that good. To get better they have to get better players, especially on defense. Its not rocket science.— alak0926- Another heartless performance. The defense basically played the entire 1st Qtr- I think the Offense ran 5 plays. So by halfway thru the 2nd Qtr, the D is gassed.
I still don't understand how BAD the O Line is. I have never seen so many defensive players in the back field SO fast. Shady and Vick can only run for their lives.....— Mike Boryla - Coach Killer Vick, is circling the wagon. Philly will finally wakeup and realize all of their hopes and dreams were in a streetball QB dressed up as an NFL QB. He scorched Atlanta and we are better for it. Keep sleepin' Philly, the hangover will be hell!— Rob_Rocker
- Coming soon, Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints. Somebody wake up Jeffrey Lurie so he doesn't miss the game. Alka Seltzer anyone????????— mario1239
- The Eagles could easily be 0-7. Too bad they pulled out last minute wins vs. Cleveland, Baltimore and NYG or Andy would be fired now.
It is past time for a completely new regime: new head coach, coordinators, and a GM who can actually evaluate and draft talent, especially on the O line and defense.— DPinDC - Reid can't motivate and pull the strings anymore to get his players performing at a high level. He pulled it all out the last four games last year to save his job...now his motivation is tuned out, does not work anymore. He knows it too. His last futile step was to put Bowles in as a different voice...not working either. Its done. Over.— Taser
- Lurie truly is "the guy in France"— kjuggs77
- What I learned today:
Andy has to do a better job putting guys in the right positions.
Andy takes full responsibility.
Andy gets it and will fix it.
What a f***ing load of you-know-what!!!— dasher - ha ha haaaa!!!!— jeffrn
- I'm usually one of the positive ones on this thread, but that was a horrible display. Vick is my favorite player in the league, but that offense played scared out there. I don't remember us throwing deep at all...which is supposed to be what we do best. Cut Vick loose and let him do his thing...picks turnovers f it. Let him loose MM and AR...and let the rest of the players loose too. They look scared out there. No fire at all!!— elijah29
- VICK SUCKS.....Vick has the eagles LAST IN POINTS SCORED PER GAME in the entire NFL.....enough with all the little 3 yard passes, Vick is a $100 million bust....DUMP VICK....START NICK.— Bob112
- Failed organization from the owner to the coach and the players who have quit— shawnmac
- It's funny that people think Reid is definitely going to be fired. The Eagles, no matter how bad they looked today and to start the season, will not finish 3-13. They'll find a way to win 5 or 6 more games, get close enough to smell playoff contention—perhaps even squeak in—and Reid will be brought back because the team will be on the "uptick". Unless they tank the season I'd be stunned if Lurie fires Reid now (especially if he benches Vick and does reasonably well with Foles).
Writing comments on the internet and screaming on the radio is not going to change anything. Eagles fans...you want to make Jeffrey Lurie take notice? STOP going to the games and STOP watching on TV. If their stadium is empty, and their TV ratings fall, things WILL change. Until that happens Jeffrey Lurie has absolutely no reason to upset the gravy train because you guys continually support this team and line its owner's pockets.— Eilex826 - Both Falcons corners are playing 10 yards off of our receivers - throw the 5 yards slants for heaven's sake! That's how you set up the double move which Asante bites on all the time. Our safeties are an embarrassment, both can't tackle and Coleman bites on anything remotely resembling play action.— northeagle
- And yes, that O-line was TERRIBLE. Those Falcon defenders were in the backfield like there was no one even there— elijah29
