For Eagles, Now What?
So, here we are, 8-8, season over. What now?
For Eagles, Now What?
Les Bowen
So, here we are, 8-8, season over. What now?
It’s interesting that Eagles players, most of whom held forth at length after Sunday’s season-ending 34-10 victory over the Redskins, are scheduled to talk again Monday, as they clean out their lockers, and that nothing else is firm. A team spokesman said Eagles chairman Jeffrey Lurie will speak later in the week – it’s unusual for there to be a formal Lurie address at the end of the season – and then head coach Andy Reid will speak sometime after that.
I know the Eagles wanted to avoid a repeat of last year’s debacle, when Reid spoke the day after the season ended and strongly endorsed defensive coordinator Sean McDermott, only to show McDermott the door – he finessed McDermott’s departure for Carolina – later in the week.
But I think if everybody’s back and nothing is changing, you don’t build up suspense for that. For that, you have Lurie or maybe team president Joe Banner available in the postgame locker room Sunday, even if just on background, and you make sure that message gets out, with the appropriate organizational spin. This sounds more like a pending organizational announcement.
If Reid is leaving, a lot of players are going to be really, really shocked. But it wouldn’t be at all shocking if the Eagles decide not to put a happy face on Juan Castillo’s year as defensive coordinator, even after allowing just 46 points over the final four games.
Castillo was not available to talk to reporters after the game, which seemed significant.
Reporters, even some of the ones who thought they knew Reid pretty well, were surprised by the tone the coach took after the game. “Snotty” would not be an overstatement. You figure, you miss the playoffs despite a truckload of talent, show enough down the stretch to make it clear you had the horses but just ran a bad race, maybe at the end you’re contrite or apologetic or at least humble.
Reid seemed quite ticked that reporters wanted him to talk about the season, instead of about Chad Hall’s touchdown catch, or whatever.
A bland question from your Eagletarian, asking Reid why he thought the Eagles missed the playoffs, elicited this response, delivered with a smirk: “Well, we’re 8-8, and the other teams, they weren’t. They had better records, so they made it.”
Reid said he had no answer about his future because he hadn’t thought about it yet. He was asked if he thought he deserved to be back, and when he wouldn’t answer that, he was asked if he wanted to be back. Reid chose to pretend he had been asked the same question twice and chided the reporter who asked the second question, instead of answering it.
“I’ll think about it when I want to think about it,” Reid said, when pressed for a timeframe.
Other uncertanties loom:
*Offensive tackle Todd Herremans said he has spoken with 69-year-old offensive line coach Howard Mudd, and Herremans said Mudd intends to return.
*Cornerback Asante Samuel didn’t play in the finale because of a hamstring injury. Samuel was not available in the postgame locker room. Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie played in Samuel’s spot against the Redskins and did well, tipping a Rex Grossman pass to Nate Allen for an interception. The Eagles might trade Samuel in the offseason to clean up their corner situation.
*Wideout DeSean Jackson was conciliatory after the game; for the first time in a while, it seemed like Jackson really wanted to stay with the Eagles. Asked if being franchised for next season would be all right with him, Jackson said: “Why wouldn’t it be?”
If the Eagles don’t franchise Jackson, he could leave as an unrestricted free agent.
“I think I’ve learned a lot about how this is a business, and professionally, how to come to work and not let things affect me,” said Jackson, whose 62-yard touchdown catch against the Redskins was the Eagles’ longest TD catch of the seasson. “I can admit to certain things affecting me during the season. I just want to apologize. I could have handled things a little differently.
“Now, sitting here after the season is over, I can sit here and say I was able to to put things behind me (eventually) and fight for my teammates and this organization. I know that something good will come out of this situation. I was able to get to that and move forward. We’ll see how it plays out.”
*Running back LeSean McCoy finished with the same total he had when the day began, 1,309 yards, fifth-best on the franchise’s alltime list. McCoy’s bid for the NFL rushing title officially ended when he was deactivated with a sprained ankle, after telling reporters he was going to play. (And after Reid said on Friday that McCoy should be able to play.) Reid said after the game that trainers were not able to get the ankle to the point where McCoy could cut.
Reporters gathered around McCoy’s locker stall for an explanation after the game, but they didn’t get one.
“I just told you – you didn’t hear me? I just told you I didn’t play today, so I don’t have anything to say,” McCoy said, while an Eagles spokesman affirmed McCoy’s right not to talk to reporters because he was “an injured player.”
McCoy seemed no more injured than he’d been on Friday, when he held forth about how important it was for the Eagles to go out and finish as a team against the Redskins, McCoy included.
McCoy’s insistence on not talking Sunday was strange, puzzling and frustrating for anyone seeking answers. But those adjectives applied equally well to the Eagles’ season.
This is a broken record that you Eagles fans keep paying to listen to. When are you going to wise up? Andy is staying. Get ready for another year of frustration...on and off the field!!! The only way to stop this is to stop paying those outrageous season ticket prices. A few empty seats and Lurie will get the message, because it is apparent he really doesn't care about the results on the field.— Mule53- Andy Reid showed us again how dumb we are, he said they didn't make the playoffs because the other teams had a better record than 8-8. LMFAO :] No matter what happens to Reid I'll never forget that line.— philsfan417
- Why didn't Reid say any more? Because the Eagles had to wait to have Spagnuolo get fired, negotiate with him and hope they win out over other teams that want him. All of that can't be done on Monday.— Johnny Callison
- Thanks, Joe Banner. Mope..— LuckyNucky
- right on ratterman, people dont get of what it takes to win a superbowl, all the other coaches are winning more sbs less than ten years on their team and reid is just a lame duck. i dont care if spags becomes the new head coach on this team, we have talent on this team, we dont need high powered coaches, we just want a coach that will plug in the right holes in this team, running the ball and win.— lonewolf83
- It's a shame how many of the "fans" in this blog don't seem to get it at all. One says that nothing needs to be done with the team and another says Andy Reid is, essentially, the best thing since sliced bread. So let's review - no championship in 13 years under Reid. Andy still gets outcoached on a regular basis. Andy had to have players like Mike Vick - a convicted criminal with no business in any franchise, a guy who won't last long taking all the hits he takes, and a guy who had a sub-par season. Andy promoted Juan Castillo to a job he obviously wasn't ready for, apparently not because Andy was thinking about the team but because Andy wanted to be loyal to Castillo. Final point - Andy was an unknown quantity, relative to a head coaching job, when he was brought here; it's pretty certain there is other untapped talent out there and bringing in someone who will actually not be a SNOT at his press conference, by itself, will be refreshing.
Folks want to make a big deal out of the fact that the Eagles won their last four games. Let's see, weren't they all against losing teams? I'm pretty sure that Andy's comment, after the Redskins game, about this team playing good football and able to beat anyone, was met with laughter in Atlanta, New Orleans, New England, Pittsburgh, and other places where there actually are good teams. This team is BAAD and it showed all season long. They're poorly coached and took bad and unexplainable penalties that hurt them. But some of you folks just plain won't admit that, apparently because you either have no football sense or because you're just too proud to admit the truth.— ratterman - If Les Bowens and other writers in Philly don't get Pulitzers, Ohio State Awards and other journalism prizes every year should they be fired too? The opinion sports writing masqueraded as NEWS by this paper is criminal. Every team has good and bad years. The way these idiots spin it, every coach not in the SB should be fired. Eagles will be fine if biased writers are fired and cannot mislead fans with BS stories.— allworld2
- Quixote: Please go comment somewhere else. Are you related to Andy Reid? The man has fully earned whatever contempt the writers choose to express about him.— Dave Clemens
- AN EAGLES LAMENT:
Red is the color
Of opportunity lost
Over the fence of time.
— portmatilda - Gentlemen Andy acted at his press conference as always....who cares? I am sure we will finish Andys contract here as the team is making money and it is, after all a business. I would like to see MeSean locked in but that wont happen, with out luck theyll trade him to the redskins. I dont want to hate but it would sure be nice to have at
Least a chance at theLombardi trophy someday. I just dont think Andy has the tools to get us there.— joeyrofrano - SNOTTY??? What on earth do you people smoke before you go to these press conferences? Reid was doing his best to treat you with an undeserved level of respect, delivering answers as best he could, even if you repeatedly asked unanswerable questions. "Does the glass feel half OPEN or half full right now?" What?
This town deserves better sports writers.— croozn - The season is over, thank God. I am going to bury it and forget it until the preseason. Maybe by then we will have a new coach, a new quarterrback and all new assistants.— mario1239
- Reid goes out in a blaze of arrogance. What an A-hole. All year, the fans have suffered his abusive, conceit, waiting for him to show some contrition, some kind of remorse for the disaster of a season. He's so obnoxious, he can't even fake it. Sounds just like another A-hole, Ray Handley, when he completely ruined a Giants season years ago. He was gone within the week. Guess what, Andy? We'll think about you continuing as our head coach when we want to think about you continuing. In the interim, don't let the door hit you in your big posterior on the way out. A-hole.— farside37
Comment removed.- Quixote -- the amount of time you spend critiquing writers on here is laughable. Les Bowen is awesome and his tweets show he's a real dude with a sense of humor. Why do you even read the articles if 7 out of 10 are going to be, in your opinion, of subpar quality? I wish I had as much free time to tear into sports writers with as much gusto and frequency as you.
— Matt321 - The Eagles should fire Les Bowen.— thefadd
- People who think Reid is going anywhere need to have their heads examined. If you want him gone you are an idiot too. Overall 3rd in Offense and 8th in defense. They don't turn the ball over we win the division going away. Eagles will be one of the NFC favorites to go to the Super Bowl next year. That is with Big Red!— Philly Squid
- People who think Reid is going anywhere need to have their heads examined. If you want him gone you are an idiot too. Overall 3rd in Offense and 8th in defense. They don't turn the ball over we win the division going away. Eagles will be one of the NFC favorites to go to the Super Bowl next year. That is with Big Red!— Philly Squid
- People who think Reid is going anywhere need to have their heads examined. If you want him gone you are an idiot too. Overall 3rd in Offense and 8th in defense. They don't turn the ball over we win the division going away. Eagles will be one of the NFC favorites to go to the Super Bowl next year. That is with Big Red!— Philly Squid
- It was a reeeeaaaalllly stupid question les.it deserved a stupid answer.— Illeagle
- The Land Whale - charming as always.— NM Eagle fan
- just an awful year that really cut the heart out of the fan base. it's almost like eagles management is daring the fans to stick with them. really pathetic.— snakeplissken
- Comment removed.
- First off...I myself don't blame the author of this article for anything...he was just doing his job asking questions that someone else would have asked anyway. So..get over it Quixote. Besides...Reid has a habit of not answering certain questions he obiviously has no answer for. And reguardless of what everyone looking at this from the outside thinks of Philadelphia fans....it's finally time for Reid to have some accountability. Too bad it's now Howie Roseman's turn to get a reprive like Reid has been given in previous seasons.
— tony b - Those who ignore history are doomed to repeat it. Reid will never win a SB. They need to show him the door and start rebuilding. It's not about negativity; it's about recognizing that this team is a big step down from the NFL elite (Packers, Patriots, Saints).
Don't settle for mediocrity.— troubledog 
Just get rid of Juan as DC and get a better coach. Get some good LBs and Safeties, resolve Djax one way or the other, and give the ball to Shady more. The KISS principle in effect.— kjuggs77- A first round pick on an impact defensive player, a trade with SF to get their back up MLB, hire Spags and let Juan go, sign DeSean early or make a move for him, lock up McCoy and if you do let DeSean go, find a suitable replacement (HTML deleted)— albertpa
- A first round pick on an impact defensive player, a trade with SF to get their back up MLB, hire Spags and let Juan go, sign DeSean early or make a move for him, lock up McCoy and if you do let DeSean go, find a suitable replacement
— albertpa - 4-8 when it mattered. 4-0 when it didn't.— zeke128
workaround— Sam Crow- I listened to the postgame presser, and it seemed like some of these reporters didn't listen--they did ask the same question twice--only rephrased it. No wonder Reid was upset.— bobbyuk
- If Andy Reid wasn't so fat, he would get a lot more respect from reporters. Instead, every article is biased against him. The prejudice is disgusting.— eldiablodelsol2009
- DeSean Jackson made similar comments last year. When will he figure it out? Does his behavior continue to regress?— Clt Philly Fan
- Keep Andy, fire Juan. Bring in a real DC, draft a LB with that 1st round pick and sign and top-notch FA linebacker too.— TVGuy22
- The Birds haven't been relevant since 2004. The rah rahs might look at 2008 as legitimate run but it was more that the NFC sent some lousy teams to the post season. 8 years of nothing....NICE.— 2ndNlong
- Bye, bye Andy. The time's yours. Hopefully, you'll use it to develop a little humility after you've turned in one of the worst coaching performances -- former Sixers' coach Eddie Jordan still has that distinction -- I've ever seen in the city.— iceman
- I'm certain that Andy Reid has already spoken to Lurie and/or Banner, therefore already knows his fate going forward. The fact that he doesn't want to share that information right after the game is not strange at all. There may be other decisions still to be made about who will be back and who won't be, and Andy simply doesn't want to discuss any of it until the appropriate time...perhaps until he and the rest of Eagles management have a chance to get their stories straight about what the company line will be. Reporters ask the stupidest questions sometimes....such as "Do you think you deserve to return as coach?". What do you expect him to say? That he doesn't deserve to keep his job? Come on....be realistic!— SteveS11
- I'm certain that Andy Reid has already spoken to Lurie and/or Banner, therefore already knows his fate going forward. The fact that he doesn't want to share that information right after the game is not strange at all. There may be other decisions still to be made about who will be back and who won't be, and Andy simply doesn't want to discuss any of it until the appropriate time...perhaps until he and the rest of Eagles management have a chance to get their stories straight about what the company line will be. Reporters ask the stupidest questions sometimes....such as "Do you think you deserve to return as coach?". What do you expect him to say? That he doesn't deserve to keep his job? Come on....be realistic!— SteveS11
- no playoffs no success period— merc22
- no playoffs no success period— merc22
- Reality is the only thing that needs to change is some the fake fans that come to these boards to make comments. They need to change their geographical address and go root for another team since they're so discontented with this one. As far as the team goes nothing to drastic of a change needs to be made, maybe they need to find a good kick-returner, another quality backup QB to Vick and just come into next season with an aggressive attitude. This team is pretty much primed and ready for next season and being able to practice together before the season starts will prove to be a big plus. Go EAGLES 2012!!!!!!!Bring on the negative garbage because I know its coming. (HTML deleted)— realtruth
- Reality is the only thing that needs to change is some the fake fans that come to these boards to make comments. They need to change their geographical address and go root for another team since they're so discontented with this one. As far as the team goes nothing to drastic of a change needs to be made, maybe they need to find a good kick-returner, another quality backup QB to Vick and just come into next season with an aggressive attitude. This team is pretty much primed and ready for next season and being able to practice together before the season starts will prove to be a big plus. Go EAGLES 2012!!!!!!!
Bring on the negative garbage because I know its coming.— realtruth - Well, you can have your little regular season Super Bowls and the rest of us knowledgeable fans will get our entertainment when this arrogant buffoon is gone from Philly.
— Atomic Fury - I totally agree, the negative fake fans who root for us to lose must go away. Their lives are miserable and they blame the Eagles. We also need 2 stud LBs which we can get with the 1st 2 picks. MLB with the first and OLB with the 2nd. That could make this defense formidable.
- Comment removed.
- Don't like the article? Write one you do like. — Atomic Fury
- "ALL IN" with the money, and "ALL OUT" of the playoffs.
Don't repeat the same mistake and expect different results. - Reid has made a laughing stock out of the Eagles.
The Giants handed out towels which say "All-In."
Lurie did his part by opening the check book, but Reid failed miserably. Now Lurie needs to take Step 2 - fire Reid. - I've decided my New Year's resolution will be to create a cute little signature symbol like Quixote's section sign. I'm thinking maybe a dagger † or something... what do you think, Don Q? — Sam Crow
