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
Rich Hofmann, Daily News Sports Columnist
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.
3rd straight game no sacks. Vick 5 games with multiple turnovers. Calvin Johnson clutch when needed Asomugha and Rodgers-Cromartie not. Vick lack of care of the football and now the skills have eroded him so now it's time for a change. Time to look at McNabb to give us a chance this season with 2 weeks he can be ready after the bye.— lonewolf 10- To both of you fools. Vick has put his defense in position to win the game twice now, and the scheme has been absolutely awful. We've been good in the first three quarters, but we're two giants missed field goals away from being 2-4, because when it counts most, quarterbacks in this league know what we are going to do and pick us apart. Vick's two picks today really didn't hurt us, in fact after the one on the deep ball thrown to Jackson, he came back and scored a touchdown and should've put the game out of reach. Then Juan's defense fell apart. It was also clearly missing Allen. But as for Vick, are ya kidding? He was 28-46 for 300+ yards you ignorant fool. Celek catches the one touchdown and doesn't get called for the B.S offensive pass interference and Vick's line is 30-46, for 300+ yards, 4 touchdowns and 2 INTs. Vick won the game for this team despite having literally 0 blocking. A combination of the Juan and Marty's play calling/ and the defenses lack of ability to get a stop late in games in what lost us this game, not Michael Vick.
— roseyx0129 - You should learn to read before calling anyone a fool. I'm not blaming Vick. He's made some critical mistakes, but he's brought us back each and every time. That's all I can ask.
Can I blame Celek for dropping a sure TD or for negating another because of a pass interference? No.
There are a million things that "could have" changed the outcome. The bottom line is the defense lost a 10-point lead twice in one game. That's where the game was lost. - roseyx0129, Don't be such a tool. Vick has 100% blame for this loss. NO ONE discusses how much time Vick kept his own D ON the field in the crunch when the Eagles O should have been working the clock. Sure we didn't run enough. But it sure didn't work when we did either. Vick CANNOT throw that last pick to a WIDE OPEN DJax at a clutch performance and tell us that HE put the team in a position to win the game. Why doesn't MM get any credit for that. NO ONE mentions the 3 and out in the last 3 min of the game, when we could least afford it. I new something bad was coming early in the 4th wuarter. The only thing this team can be counted on is to find a way to lose each game. This team DESERVES to be 0-6. And you can check my timeline by clicking on my name. I'm one of Mike Vick's biggest apologist on this site. No longer can I sit by and pass blame elsewhere. Vick needs to sit. It's absolutely apparent at this point. — papabear702
- You are an idiot bear. Vick is 100 percent to blame, but you failed to mention how the defense collapsed and how celek dropped a crucial td. Man, it's one thing to dislike Vick, but to say it is totally his fault just shows how dumb you are. — Lpboys
- NO MORE KOOL AID! THIS TEAM IS GARBAGE!! SIT VICK NOW!!! — papabear702
- Who is surprised at this outcome? 3-3. They have yet to play well. They are the second lowest scoring team in the league. They are turning the ball over too often.
They escaped Cleveland. The Ravens were robbed. The Giants missed a field goal to win the game. What adjustments has this team made? McCoy rushed 14 times. Vick has 30 fumbles in his last 30 games. (He only lost 12, but still...) Jackson and Maclin are underperforming this year. Where are the sacks?
This team is SEVERAL playmakers away from winning anything. This team is unable to play consistently or getting on a roll. Forget about a balanced offense. Forget about getting new linebackers in here. Vick and Reid are not capable of performing at an elite level.
Don't worry, though. Kurt Coleman will celebrate an average play.
How long will we cheer for this average team? How long will we attend the games and pretend we're a few bounces of the ball away from winning the Super Bowl?
Time's yours, boys and girls. Time's yours.— rubicon24 - This comment has been deleted.— Dew Schbag
- Fri, Oct. 5, 2012, 12:45 AM | 17 comments |
Marcus Hayes: Vick relying on defense to help Eagles win games
Ty Detmer and Jeff Garcia, bless their hearts, knew it from birth.
Quarterbacks rarely win games. Often, and much more easily, they lose them.
Michael Vick, finally, is learning this.
Never before has there been a weapon like Vick. Even now, at 32, no one combines arm strength and foot speed and elusiveness. Sorry, Donovan, and Randall, and Fran Tarkenton and Steve Young.
None of them was able to win anything by himself. Each of them benefited from an outstanding defense.
Vick now has an outstanding defense. And he is letting the defense win the games. - 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 - Beleive it
— phillyaz - Fire the entire coaching staff now and get a head start on next year.— colorado_al
