Vick breaks hand, Eagles break down
Giants 29, Eagles 16
Vick breaks hand, Eagles break down
Rich Hofmann, Daily News Sports Columnist
It might be time to start worrying.
The Eagles frankly looked awful Sunday in losing to the Giants, 29-16. Every team looks lousy at times in the NFL, but things are getting way too interesting, way too early for this team. The Eagles lost a game they should have won last week in Atlanta and they lost a game they should have won against the battered Giants. All of which means that we all might have to reassess our expectations.
Oh, and Michael Vick is hurt again.
Last week, it was a concussion. This week, it is a broken right hand. Yes, it is his non-throwing hand -- but it is hard to imagine he would be able to play with it. All of which means that Mike Kafka will be the guy in charge of stabilizing this unsteady ship -- that is, unless the two interceptions Kafka threw in the fourth quarter disqualified him from this game of quarterback roulette.
Which means, Vince Young? Or not?
Everybody figured the Giants would try to run the ball at the Eagles' suspect linebacking corps, and they did run it well. But the Giants scored four touchdowns on passing plays -- and, along the way, Eagles mistakes littered the field.
Brandon Jacobs scored on a 40-yard catch and run, a plan in which linebacker Casey Matthews over-committed on a play fake and watched as Jacobs ran by him. Later, Victor Cruz scored on a 74-yard pass from Eli Manning in which safety Kurt Coleman and cornerback Nnamdi Asomugah both had shots at Cruz after the catch but failed to bring him down.
Then, in the fourth quarter, Cruz caught a 24-yard touchdown pass in which he out-fought Asomugah and Jarrad Page for the ball. Later, it was Ahmad Bradshaw on an 18-yarder that provided the awful punctuation.
Given Vick's injury, it is hard to argue that the defense is the day's bigger concern. Still, this wasn't supposed to happen. This was supposed to have been fixed. They were going to give up rushing yards, yes, but not these kinds of big passing plays.
As for the offense, maybe because Vick was coming off of a concussion or maybe because he seemed a little timid or maybe because Shady McCoy was on fire, but the Eagles went with a ground-oriented attack for the first time in forever. McCoy was over 100 yards in the third quarter and finished with 128 yards on 24 carries.
But the Eagles were stuffed near the goal line on one series where we all saw way too much of fullback Owen Schmitt. They also failed to convert a fourth-and-1 at the 43-yard line in early stages of the fourth quarter.
Early crisis, then.
And you thought the Phillies were in trouble.
#EAGLESAFTERMATH: Be heard on the Birds- Tyrone. What's MV"s record the last 5 games he's started for the Eagles?
— DallasEagle - That is what happens with a one man team and the one man get paid big bucks for dancing around and worshipped like no other all for doing nothing and you get peanuts for the grunt work.— RRynalds
- this is what happens when the arrogance/hubris of the head coach makes an offensive line coach with ZERO defensive coordinator experience in the NFL the new defensive coordinator.— coloradoeagle
- Thanks CE. I've been preaching this sermon all season. How do you make a guy who coached one of the sorriest offensive lines in the NFL last year the defensive coordinator? Especially when the last time he coached on the defensive side of the line was in the 1980s - at Texas A&M Kingsville. — DallasEagle
- I said pregame the Giants would be coming and they did. Knocked Vick out, as I expected. Face it, we are going to go through this all year. The combination of the makeshift offensive line with a new coach, and the way Vick plays, injuries will be commonplace. And the tackling, or lack thereof on defense. Giants manhandled the Eagles at their home field. And one more thing. People call Rli, Shelie or whatever. He had a very good game today, with a makeshift receiving core. He was by far he better QB today. Oh, and he does have a SB ring, so its not a fluke.— watsonmr
- This team is in a lot of trouble. Besides Reid and his incompetence, there is a hint that another rift is brewing. In Mike Vick's press conference he made references to the o-line. He goes there and watch out...he loses the O-lineman. Not a very smart thing to blame the refs and then your O-lineman. The next beating he takes may be the decisive one.— Lets Eat
- Tyrone: it ain't racism; it's Mike's style of play, but still the ref's have to get the whistle blowing when he gets those late hits.— misterhman
- LOSERDELPHIA FREEDOM AT IT'S BEST!!!!
VICK IT WAS THE REFS!!!!!— quadgator - I refuse to watch this team any longer while Reid is the coach. I have been watching for 25 years and I just can not stand by and watch this loser coach them to lose. Enough is enough.— Hamels35
- By the way--"told ya!"— RRynalds
- I don't think the Phillies are in trouble. Cliff, Cole & the Roys will not be denied...— Brian F.
- Losers...waste of time as usual.— Phillyfan666
- Face it, without a healthy Vick, this team cannot win. Doesn't help either that no one knows how to tackle. High paid players doing nothing.— dogman5
- current stats...time left in 1st half....
Kevin Kolb #4 QBCMP ATT YDS TD INT
14 17 139 1 0
— PhillyguyinVA
