What they're saying about the Eagles
Here's the weekly roundup of what the national media are saying about the Eagles as they prepare to close out the regular season against the Cowboys.
What they're saying about the Eagles
Sheil Kapadia, Philly.com
Here's the weekly roundup of what the national media are saying about the Eagles as they prepare to close out the regular season against the Cowboys.
And in case you missed it, on Thursday night, I took a look at the Eagles' chances of getting to the Super Bowl as a three-seed.
SI.com's Don Banks bumps the Birds down to No. 7 in his power rankings:
So much for the notion that the Eagles are the NFC's most explosive team heading into the postseason. Philly looked out of sync and uninspired in the Tuesday night loss to the 6-9 Vikings, and if Andy Reid rests most of his starters in Sunday's home game against Dallas, the Eagles will enter the playoffs having played about a half-quarter of quality football in the final three weeks of the regular season. Could it be that Philly already has learned to lean too heavily on Michael Vick's heroics, and when they're not there, they're just an average team?
Banks names Vick his Offensive Player of the Year:
Vick has undoubtedly electrified the league with his renaissance season for the Eagles, and in the process given us some breath-taking performances. Like that tour de force 59-point destruction of the Redskins on Monday night, and a comeback for the ages against the Giants two weeks ago. He's a quarterback and a runner this season, consistently bedeviling defenses with both his arm and his legs.
He has Vick as a runner-up for MVP and Comeback Player of the Year.
Jack McCallum of SI.com provides guidelines for covering the Vick story:
In short, the Vick story has to play out over time. It's his first season in the glaring spotlight -- he was a poorly utilized wildcat-back nullity in 2009-10 -- and we don't know if he's truly a changed man. The only thing that has changed for sure is his ability to play quarterback, that he has somehow become a read-and-react guy rather than a react-and-rarely-read guy, that he's seemingly figured out how to play a position that once seemed to be playing him. That's a storyline that must be told, and if you don't want to read it, turn the page. Perhaps there will be a story reminding you of what Vick once did. Just don't expect it every day.
ESPN.com has the Eagles ranked seventh in its power rankings:
There is no way Michael Vick's body can take playing three games in as few as 12 days.
Alex Marvez of FoxSports.com lists his 10-most fascinating people in the NFL from the past year. He's got Vick No. 1:
With his speed back to pre-arrest levels and his throwing accuracy much improved, Vick has reestablished himself as the NFL’s most exciting player.
And besides an off-field hiccup at a birthday party celebration gone awry during the offseason, Vick has stayed away from trouble as he tries to rebuild a reputation marred by his dogfighting past. He keeps in regular communication with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and can even count President Obama as a fan. Only one more achievement is needed to complete this storybook comeback: a Super Bowl ring.
Adam Caplan of FoxSports.com has the Eagles fifth in his power rankings:
The Eagles will certainly be challenged by the short work week. They could really have used a bye week, but they won't get one after losing to the Vikings.
Pete Prisco of CBSSports.com names Vick his Comeback Player of the Year:
His career looked dead. Now look. He's about to become a rich man -- again.
Prisco has the Eagles' 38-31 comeback win over the Giants as his Game of the Year. And he has Eagles fans cheering Donovan McNabb at the Linc as his runner-up for the season's best moment.
Prisco lists the Eagles seventh in his power rankings:
They better hope that was an aberration and not a sign of things to come. That defense made Joe Webb look good and Michael Vick couldn't handle the blitz. Ouch.
ProFootballTalk.com has the Eagles seventh in its power rankings:
Well, at least the MVP vote won’t have much drama.
You can follow Moving the Chains on Twitter or become a fan on Facebook.
Download our NEW iPhone/Android app for even more Birds coverage, including app-exclusive videos and analysis. Get it here.
Hang that loss on Andy for not adjusting during the game. He is the worst gameplan adjuster. He should be GM and put a game day coach in there.— cm3737- Charlie Gardner - your beef isn't really well aimed as noted by amg. The current iteration of this team throws the ball about 57% of the time. That's not really all that crazy, so where is your point? no credit given to Reid for cobbling together this group this year and winning the NFC EAST AGAIN!???— chaz19054
- uh no, your not understanding the game here fully. Mike Vicks scrambles give them 57% passes but the CALLED PASS PLAYS by marty and andy are like 65%...Vick takes off scrambling to cut that down to 57% which is the whole reason they are winning right now. The CALLED PASS PLAYS are 60-80% EVERY GAME. EVERY SEASON. AS ITS ANDY PHILOSOPHY. until the actual called run plays are put in there, there will no SB...understand the game please I am trying to help the less knowledgable eagles fans not get thier hopes up like I did in 01, 02, 03, 04 etc. after thatI realized he had a serious problem lol...the 08 championship game debacle where he threw it 80% PERCENT against a winnable team was his last chance the when I realized HE WOULD NEVER WIN A SB WITH THAT GAMEPLAN...I looked up the stats and they all proved me correct which I have been telling people ever since. RIED IS AN IDIOT AND HE WILL NEVER WIN A SB. EVER.
- Ive never posted before,just read all the posts i had to sign up to post I cant take you guys no more! Thiers two guys who said it correct! they were calling us a 8 and 8 team with the cowgirls winning the east,we have holes to fill,but we had a great season! SO why dont you all just shut your dam mouths. We have a wild card game to play, why dont you just cheer the EAGLES on! I live in the tampa area now, the fans here root and cheer the bucs so much win or lose.I and cheer the EAGALES win or loose, ITS CALLED BEING A FAN! THE ANNOUNCERS are bad enough, let alone you girls.— phillyinbtown
Comment removed.- Priscoe almost had it right as the seasons best moment. It did involve McNabb, but it was the day he got traded from the Eagles. Happy New Year.— watsonmr
- iM 42 LOOPY AND I THINK UR NAME SAYS IT ALL!— phillyinbtown
- Phillyinbtown, if bucs fans love their playoff contending team so much why can the local high school archery team hold practice at their stadium during home games? Great first post, don't you know everybody on the 'internets' is a cynic?
- Lets not get too depressed about the loss to the Vikes. Obviously flat after an emotional win. 1 game does not a season make. Look how bad the Bears looked against the Giants. And before making too much of the defensive play. Remember they had only allowed 10 in the 1st 3 quarters. They are the #12 D and 2nd in takeaways afterall. Maybe not great but its not bad either. Lets keep it real here.
The Nay-Sayers always come out in force especially after a Eagle loss. I expect nothing less from them. Even worse if we were to rank them LEAST TO MOST Distasteful. I would rank... The Shudda, Cudda, Why Didn't we Monday morning QB. Next The Ship Jumpers...ALWAYS ON BOARD "While we're winning"?. Y'all know who you are Bunch of #$!@%*& Whiners. Then there are the stat fanatics like me... Did u know the Eagles are ranked 1st in Total Offence 399.1 YPG OR The Eagles(4.u.CG25) are ranked 3rd in the NFL in Rushing 146.9 YPG. The 2010 NFC East Division Champion Philadelphia Eagles... It's remarkable the level of disappointment coming from some of y'all... For me... ohh BABY.. YEA what a SWEET unexpected year it has been. We. Ain't. Done. Yet. As a die hard fan at the beginning of this season I hoped for a playoff berth, but after the Dallas losses last year... The Youth Theme...I was forced to Accept the many unknowns. To have been part of what this season has been... WASH...NY wins.The victories over the Colts did I believe at the beginning that Kev would have been capable of these things or that Mike Vick actually did them...MAN...Unbelievable...If this is to be a Superbowl year oh yea I Believe IT IS... I want to face the BEST TEAMS...Bringing their (A) game. Playing for the highest stakes... STARTING with Green Bay not Tampa Bay...Would like to see the BEARS again and Maybe the Team I consider the Eagles toughest challenge the New Orleans Saints...Be CAREFUL WHAT U ASK FOR U JUST MIGHT GET IT....Sooo Lets Get it OOONN...Ain't "SCIRRED" of NO ONE...So strap it ooonnnn...Go Eagles. SEE U IN DALLAS.- Seriously, people?! Remember, this team is still in rebuilding stage...the secondary blows, even with "I refuse to tackle" Samual and the inury-prone linebacking corps. Defense is tiny and scared. It's a shame to have a high-powered offense with a weak defense. Don't heap too much expectations on fat Andy and his cheap team-building techniques ("small but speedy"). Get it Philly...our team is in mid-rebuild and don't fall for the occassional flashes. Enjoy it for what it really is and look forward to the future!— sj1926
- I'm with Garner...it's frustrating. The frustrating part, is that we've been close so many times, and we could get close this year too, but you know the ultimate won't happen, the same way you know they won't be able to adjust to a wrinkle thrown at them in a big game. It's clear that all of the buzz and expectation that have been created this year, have been created by Vick and it's NOT some byproduct of the coaching. They just keep dropping him back there, hell or high-water, if anyone's mesmerized by the "Jordan effect" it's the play-callers. Great things happen in these games when they're mixing in the run, some misdirection, some screens, some designed runs for Vick, etc. But now that they've hit a couple huge bombs to Desean, it's like that's all they want to do. They are running out of ideas, just as defensive coordinators are sharpening there own. But I'm not too pessimistic. The league is wide open this year, and we have a chance in any game, if the ball bounces right.— auntesther
Follow
Sheil on Twitter. And become
a fan of Moving the Chains on Facebook.
Download our NEW iPhone/Android app for even more Birds
coverage, including app-exclusive videos and analysis. Download it here.
