Eagles collapse into the bye
The Eagles seem incapable of putting anybody away early. Maybe that will change, maybe some day, but as the evidence mounts, it does not seem likely. They are a good offense, but mistake-prone. They are a stingy defense, but make few big plays. The result is agony. Get used to it -- and double up on the prescription for nitroglycerin pills during the bye week.
Eagles collapse into the bye
The Eagles seem incapable of putting anybody away early. Maybe that will change, maybe some day, but as the evidence mounts, it does not seem likely. They are a good offense, but mistake-prone. They are a stingy defense, but make few big plays. The result is agony. Get used to it -- and double up on the prescription for nitroglycerin pills during the bye week.
The Eagles are 3-3 after Sunday's 26-23 overtime loss to the Detroit Lions, and about 90 percent of the day was spent sweating blood. They trailed early, pulled ahead, but kept giving back opportunities to put the game away. And in the end, after the Eagles could do nothing with the first possession of overtime, the Lions won it when Jason Hanson kicked a 45-yard field goal after 4 minutes of the extra period.
The boo s were directed at both Eagles coach Andy Reid and quarterback Micahel Vick as they exited the field about a minute apart. It was a badly-played game by both teams, and it was a bad result for the home team, and now the Eagles have to let it lay there for 2 weeks.
The first half left everyone asking two questions as the Eagles and Lions ran off the field: 1) How are the Eagles leading by 7-6 and, 2) How is Vick able to run at this point, no less walk. Fox was reporting the gruesome numbers: 10 hurries, 10 hits, 8 knockdowns. It might have been the worst one-half beating Vick has taken all season, which is saying something.
Lions linebacker Stephen Tullo ch was a particular nemesi s. After one vicious Tulloch hit in the second quarter, a couple of plays before his 2-yard touchdown pass to LeSean McCoy, Vick was att ended to on the sideline by team medical personnel. But he came back out. He always seems to come back out.
The second half witnessed what has become a common phenomenon for this Eagles team: much better offensive line play in the third and fourth quarters than in the first and second. It was an afternoon where the Eagles could never really get their running game going, but in pass protection, things tightened up considerably.
And so, with that stability, the offense was able to get a rhythm going in the third quarter, finally. They moved the ball, and Vick hung in the pocket nicely, and the quarterback hits went way down -- but the Eagles could not score touchdowns.
On two drives, tight end Brent Celek -- who got the heck beat out of him, as he does most weeks -- dropped one catchable touchdown pass and had another touchdown catch nullified because he was ruled to have committed offensive pass interference by shoving off the defender.
The Eagles settled for Alex Henery field goals instead -- of 26 and 32 yards -- and then Henery added a 49 field goal early in the fourth quarter to give the Eagles a 16-6 lead.
The Lions came back and scored their first touchdown of the game, with 10:30 remaining in the fourth quarter, on a 1-yard run by quarterback Matthew Stafford. That made it 16-13, but it was even worse for the Eagles because defensive tackle Fletcher Cox was ejected from the game after d raw ing a personal foul penalty on the extra point.
And then it got really interesting.
On the first play of the next drive, Vick had DeSean Jackson open on a deep post pattern, but he under-threw the pass and it was intercepted by the Lions’ Chris Houston. Suddenly, the Lions had the ball on their 34-yard line with 10:21 to play. But the Eagles held, the Lions punted, and then -- finally -- the Eagles broke it open with 5:18 left to play when they caught the Lions in a big blitz and Vick hit wide receiver Jeremy Maclin with a 70-yard touchdown pass.
Did I say broke it open? What I meant to say was, the Eagles gave themselves a few seconds of breathing room before the Lions marched right back down the field and scored on a 17-yard touchdown pass to Nate Burleson. That cut the Eagles’ lead to 23-20 with 3:32 remaining.
Oh, and then the Eagles went 1-2-3 punt.
You know, just to make it even more interesting.
Again, the Lions marched. A great catch by Calvin Johnson, originally ruled an imcompletion but overturned by replay, got the Lions to the 25-yard line with 1:12 remaining. The Lions ran on the next two plays and got it to the Eagles' 9-yard line. But then safety Colt Anderson, playing in place of the injured Nate Allen (hamstring), was called for pass interference in the end zone.
On first-and-goal from the 1, though, the Lions threw two incompletions and settled for a 19-yard field goal to send the game to overtime.
All of which set up the ending.
This team ought to be ashamed of themselves after that display. Beginning of the end for Andy.
— NEP2311- How many turnovers does it take to get benched?— atb124
- the falcons? seriously? proof read please. be a newspaper.— jb99
- 1st time since 1983 that our defense has gone 3 games without a sack.
5-5 won't save Reid's hide.
For the 2nd week in a row, the defense blows a 4th-quarter lead.
Reid's play calling not only get his QB killed, but loses the game.— Lonewolf11 - What happened to the Babin sack machine?
Putz is probably too busy being surly toward the fans, instead of doing his JOB competently.— jman - What part of 2 interceptions and a fumble is "learing to protect the football"?
The seasons over..this is not a SB competitive team.. heck, it's not even an average competitive team.
Reid, Marty Castillo and April are gone.
Foles should get his experience for next year..
Let's only hope all of that starts the 1st game after the bye week.— dedhed - Hopefully they keep losing so they can clean house...that means you too howie— 1stamendment
- 1st time since 1983 that our defense has gone 3 games without a sack.
5-5 won't save Reid's hide.
For the 2nd week in a row, the defense blows a 4th-quarter lead.
Reid's play calling not only get his QB killed, but loses the game.— Lonewolf11 - the coaching staff is garbage. MM, JC Bobby April straight garbage. AR is responsible for these idiots. does Coleman work for free, hows is he even is the NFL. The Oline just sucks period end of story. weknew going into the season and AR did nothing weak , quick guys will always be handle by big strong players...pure garbage of a team.
- Fumbelina Vick. Who else? Is Reid getting fired this week, Lurie?
This team has no chance. Despite, Vick's dynasty team and Vince Young's dream team. They are still a nightmare team. Loser's like the rest of the cities teams.— eaglesman1 - What part of not good enough does Jeffrey Lurie not understand?— bentlip
- Why don't the Eagles fire Reid at the break!
— Fan74 - This team is maddening. Andy and Vick need to go. Enough already please.— sore richard
Don't blame Vick. The defense lost another fourth quarter lead.— CCRichards- This loss hurt bruh— elijah29
