Rumbling, Bumbling, Stumbling, Tumbling

Week 9 Recap: Saints 28 Eagles 13

As I drove home from work Monday night, the radio host mentioned the Saints hadn’t lost a game in November since 2008. That seemed like a bad omen. Sure enough, it was. Honestly, I don’t feel like wasting a lot of time with a lede for this game recap. I’m exasperated and fatigued, an utterly defeated man begging for mercy. What more can I say that I haven’t already for years?

This game sucked, the Eagles are bad, and they now have the worst point differential in the NFC. The offense showed its true colors tonight and scored 13 points against the worst defense in NFL history. A defense that this offense made look ferocious and opportunistic. A defense that registered 21 fantasy points, after accumulating a total of 31 through the first seven games (with a high of 9).

The Good

1. LeSean McCoy. Ran hard, as usual, and busted chunks of yardage on seemingly every first-half carry. But, as has happened more than a few times this season, Shady’s lack of long speed got him caught from behind (see: 34-yard gain down to the New Orleans 4). The inability to hit that final gear and finish these breakout runs has cost the Eagles touchdowns, especially since their red zone offense is beyond pitiful and produces either a field goal or turnover.

2. First half rushing. Andy Reid and Marty Mornhinweg must have been disgusted at halftime to see the Eagles had racked up 156 yards rushing. I’m very much looking forward to the day we have a coach who builds the offense around a rushing attack featuring LeSean McCoy and Bryce Brown (who flashed against the Saints). Apparently, a lot of the big runs came courtesy of Michael Vick audibling at the line. Andy and Marty, clearly displeased with such tomfoolery, set out to make sure the run game would do no more damage in the second half. They succeeded in their efforts. I don’t want to hear people hide behind the “we were down double-digit points” horse shit. It’s another empty excuse in a long line of them. Teams have erased three-possession deficits by running the ball, so it’s not unprecedented. But God forbid the Eagles get back in the game by pounding the rock even when it’s working, right?

3. Special teams. More than a few times on Twitter it was mentioned that Chris Polk had been useless on special teams this season, accounting for zero points based on Bobby April’s scoring system. Not anymore. Polk punched the ball out on the kickoff immediately following DeSean’s 77-yard touchdown, and Brandon Hughes fell on the fumble.

Of course I loved the ingenuity on the Music City Miracle-esque throwback to Riley Cooper, who evaded detection by lying down and camouflaging himself in the painted Saints’ “S” in the end zone. It was a wonderful, brilliant design — right out of the Annexation of Puerto Rico family. Too bad Brandon Boykin threw a forward pass instead of a lateral. Oh well. Good job. Good effort.

4. David Sims. Yeah, he took a bad angle and whiffed on the Chris Ivory touchdown run, but I actually think Sims played a damn impressive game overall. He, at 5’9”, was matched up against Jimmy Graham, who stands 6’6”, in a no-win situation way too many times. To Sims’ credit, he immediately tackled the gifted tight end after each catch and once made a nice play to swat the ball away. I liked what I saw and think Sims belongs. At least he’s one guy on defense who can tackle.

The Bad

1. Defense. Drew Brees didn’t even have to dazzle in this game yet still finished with an efficient 8.9 yards per attempt. He did it from a clean pocket most of the time as the Eagles once again failed to generate consistent pressure, although in the second half they graduated to generating sporadic pressure. While the pass defense didn’t offer much in the way of resistance, neither did the run defense, which the Saints, with their dead last-ranked rushing attack (72 yards per game), gashed repeatedly for 139 yards on 24 carries. Now imagine how things could’ve gone had Darren Sproles been healthy.

2. Tackling. I didn’t see the necessary effort. Plenty of weak arm tackle attempts, not properly wrapping up the ball-carrier, getting dragged for extra yards. It’s an epidemic again, just like it was last season. Looks like the Eagles are getting burned by the miscalculated scapegoating of Juan Castillo. Oops.

The Ugly

1. Pass protection. It was a free-for-all whenever Michael Vick dropped back to pass in the first half, prompting Jimmy Kempski to quip that the embattled quarterback was safer in jail. Don’t mind Jimmy, he’s just spitting truth. Dallas Reynolds appeared to botch a number of pre-snap blocking calls, Dennis Kelly looked completely lost, and both King Dunlap and Todd Herremans (who sustained a serious ankle injury and appears to be starting offensive lineman number three lost for the season) struggled with whatever defensive end came at them. Demetress Bell replaced Herremans and was exponentially worse. Evan Mathis didn’t suck, so there’s that. Vick never even had a chance most of the time. When he did, he underwhelmed. Per usual. By the way, for those of you who want to give Andy Reid a pass because of the injury-plagued offensive line, I direct you to the Steelers, a team that has encountered a similar problem but seems to be getting by okay. Edit: Like they always do.

Officially, Vick was hit on 18 of 53 dropbacks, but it felt like more than that. Here’s a hint, Marty/Andy: Stop dropping him back, if only for his health. It’s not like anything positive had consistently happened in the passing game anyway. In fact, aside from DeSean Jackson’s 77-yard touchdown, the only positive things that happened on offense came on run plays. I wasn’t being facetious when I went on an in-game Twitter rampage and wrote that every offensive snap should’ve been a run. 

2. Scoring points. Stop me if this sounds familiar: 447 yards gained (actually 28 less than the Saints were giving up per game), just 13 points scored. Could there be a better stat to capture the true essence of all-style-no-substance? These are your Eagles in a nut shell, and the futility is record-setting. Lather, rinse, repeat. This team scored 13 points against the worst defense in NFL history, one that was giving up 31 points per game on the season. I’m not even mad anymore; if anything, I think I’m kind of impressed.

The problems with the Eagles are deep-seated, they are foundational, and they are NOT fixable in-season. If they were fixable, the same mistakes wouldn’t be repeated ad nauseum each and every game. Sorry, Andy, time’s almost up. Wish it didn’t have to be this way, but you’re leaving no other choice.

2. Red zone offense. Red zone incompetence, it’s a staple of the Andy Reid era. This season is par for the course. On 20 red zone plays, Marty/Andy called 17 passes and three runs. On 20 red zone plays, the Eagles gained -24 yards (-123 if you count the interception return for a touchdown). Five times the Eagles had the ball inside the 15-yard line and didn’t score a SINGLE touchdown. Only the Eagles could do this. No, for real, ONLY the Eagles. The Eagles’ red zone offense actually netted -1 points total. The entire debacle is nearly unconscionable. But we’re talking about the Eagles, so I guess nothing should be unconscionable. Congratulations, boys, you managed to outdo yourselves this time.

The Eagles had 1st and Goal four separate times. Here’s how each drive ended:  

Drive #1, 2nd & Goal from NO 6: After three straight running plays that went for 8, 40, and -1 yards, Marty/Andy thought it would be a prudent idea to call a pass play, despite the disastrous state of the offensive line. What followed was classic Eagles. We saw it at the end of the half against Arizona on a fumble return for touchdown, and this time we were treated to the same result via interception. Here’s the ESPN.com box score play-by-play: “M.Vick pass short left intended for B.Celek INTERCEPTED by P.Robinson at NO 1. P.Robinson for 99 yards, TOUCHDOWN. PENALTY on PHI-M.Vick, Low Block, 15 yards, enforced between downs. The penalty for a low block during the interception return will be assessed on the ensuing kickoff.” Vick made a poor throw, Celek reached out and deflected the ball with his fingertips right into the waiting hands of Patrick Robinson.

Drive #2, 1st & Goal at NO 4: LeSean McCoy had just ripped off a 34-yard gain and was summarily taken out of the game to catch his breath, I guess. Here’s how the next three plays went: Handoff to Bryce Brown for no gain, shovel pass to Shady for no gain (courtesy of a Dennis Kelly missed block), pass incomplete to DeSean Jackson (who sure looked like he should have caught the ball), Alex Henery 22-yard field goal.

Drive #3, 1st & Goal at NO 8: Michael Vick pass incomplete, Michael Vick sacked at NO 19 for -11 yards, Michael Vick pass incomplete. Not handing the ball off to LeSean McCoy on 1st and Goal from the 8 should be a fireable offense. I mean it.

Drive #4, 1st & Goal at NO 5: Michael Vick pass complete to Clay Harbor for no gain but a penalty for illegal man downfield on Demetress Bell pushes ball back to NO 10, Michael Vick pass incomplete to LeSean McCoy but penalty on — guess who! — Demetress Bell for a false start, Michael Vick sacked for -7 yards, Michael Vick passes complete to Brent Celek who fumbles at the NO 8 and, after momentarily falling on the ball, has it squirt out. Saints recover.

3. Second half play-calling. Seven touches for LeSean McCoy in the second half, including ONE in the third quarter. Totally unacceptable, especially given what Shady did in the first half. Listen, the DeSean touchdown was nice, but why did Andy/Marty call for three straight passes inside the Saints’ 20-yard line after the ensuing kick return fumble recovery? How does Shady not get even a single touch on that series? Andy’s smug answer to that same question during his post-game press conference was so arrogant and aggravating, it made me want to destroy my TV. And wouldn’t you know it, that recovered fumble, which presented a chance to build on the budding momentum, resulted in a meek field goal. As far as I was concerned, that’s when the Eagles’ chances of winning ceased to exist.

I don’t know how many times I yelled, “WHY THE FUCK ARE WE IN FUCKING SHOTGUN GODDAMMIT FUCK ALL OF YOU ASSHOLES!!!!!!” in the second half, but it happened a lot. Then again, my (irrational?) reaction was predicated on a deep desire to see the Eagles continue to run the ball no matter what. Also, can someone explain to me the rationale in running empty backfield sets when the offensive line can’t block anyone? To compound it, Vick somehow appeared surprised when a free Saints blitzer was in his face as soon as he received the snap.

Overall, aside from the indefensible decision not to give Shady the ball in the second half, the coaching actually wasn’t to blame. Schemes and designs were fine, the execution was not. Ho hum. Trent Dilfer on the post-game show said the Eagles simply didn’t have the players to get the job done. He and Steve Young both called the Eagles’ situation “catastrophic.” An undermanned squad, ravaged by injury but without enough talent at the backup positions to persevere… yeah, sounds pretty catastrophic to me.

4. Hugh Douglas. Uh oh, even Big Hugh has turned on these Eagles. I thought last year was ugly, but I’m not sure I’ve ever seen Philadelphia fans plain HATE a team more than this one. “Unlikeable” is by far the most frequently used adjective when Eagles fans talk about this team.

Conclusion

Same shit, different season. And just in case you were wondering, the Eagles haven’t hit rock bottom yet. That loss to the Saints was dreadful, no doubt, but the opportunity to truly hit rock bottom will present itself Sunday at home against the Cowboys. If the Eagles perform as they have all season, it’ll happen. Jason Babin thought he heard appalling stuff from the enraged fans before? Get your earmuffs ready, dude, because you ain’t heard nothin’ yet. The rancor will be even more venomous, perhaps likely with the accompaniment of hard projectiles. Although I guess if there’s one team that could outdo the Eagles, it’s these hilariously inept Cowboys. I’m not counting on it, though. This situation is a Molotov cocktail ready to explode, let’s see if the Eagles finish the job and light it on fire.

Week 8 Recap: Falcons 30 Eagles 17

Sigh, I guess that’s what I get for dialing up the optimism going into this game. I knew it was an inadvisable idea. I tried to give Andy Reid the benefit of the doubt, but all he did was further prove he’s likely in his fourth season past expiration. Sunday’s drubbing also continued to hammer home the notion that this era of Eagles football concluded with the NFC Championship Game loss to Arizona on January 18, 2009, followed by Jim Johnson’s passing a little more than six months later.

These 2012 Eagles, after two weeks off that saw a “team-wide evaluation” yield the dismissal of Juan Castillo, came out flat as can be on Sunday. Like a team that didn’t believe in its coaches, didn’t believe in itself. Like a team that had already given up on the season. The defense was in fourth quarter mode from the very beginning, letting the Falcons move down the field at will, even aiding their efforts by committing dumb penalties and allowing third down conversions. Over and over. Lather, rinse, repeat. It was just so absurdly easy for Atlanta, I was embarrassed (a word you heard a lot from the players) and ashamed.

For the third straight game, the Eagles didn’t make winning plays. Whereas they made those plays earlier in the season when they needed to, it’s no longer happening. The Eagles once again look like the team we have all come to loathe in recent years. Again, I have to ask: Have you been entertained AT ALL this season AT ANY POINT? Maybe for a few interspersed moments during the Ravens game? Maybe the second half against the Giants? More than anything, the Eagles just engender feelings of frustration, anger, hatred and rage.

Andy Reid is a rapidly depreciating asset who’s almost out of tricks, and the Eagles are going down with him. All that’s left is to sit back as the climax of wreckage unfolds, or life miraculously rises from the ashes. The fact that Reid has lasted nearly 14 years here is a monumental accomplishment in its own right, but the reality is he’s been a fairly mediocre head coach ever since the Super Bowl season in 2004. He has been living off equity for the past eight years. Now, with the decline unmistakable and pronounced, it seems like we’ve reached the end of the road. And to think, Andy Reid’s Eagles are 11-15 (including playoffs) since pulling off the Miracle at the New Meadowlands.

The Good

1) No turnovers. YAY!!! Except now the Eagles can be safe with the football and still suck, which is an important thing to know.

2) Second-half defense. Only allowed six points, though the Falcons never seemed too interested in anything more than possessing the ball and chewing up clock. I like that Brandon Graham started to take the snaps of the increasingly useless and detrimental Jason Babin, who is now doubly awful because he can’t get to the quarterback AND commits his idiotic — and trademarked — drive-extending penalties. Is it time to drastically cut Babin and Trent Cole’s snaps in favor of Graham, Phillip Hunt, Darryl Tapp, and Vinny Curry? I mean, it can’t get much worse, right?

3) LeSean McCoy. It wasn’t a sparkling statistical performance for Shady (though no fault of his own), but he seems like one of the few guys who played hard and with a sense of purpose. It was also refreshing to hear him speak out and take the team to task after the game for a lack of pride and heart. While Shady only put up 67 total yards on 19 touches, he scored both touchdowns, gave it his all and, as usual, would’ve been even better had Marty/Andy made him the focal point of the offense. Which reminds me, don’t let the 19 total touches deceive you. Through the first three quarters, McCoy had nine. Nine! That’s right, only in the fourth quarter with time dwindling and the game essentially out of reach, did Marty/Andy earnestly feed McCoy. If anyone has a suitable explanation as to why Shady got a mere nine touches in the first three quarters, when there was still plenty of time to get back in the game, but then ten in the fourth, I’m all ears. Marty Mornhinweg and Andy Reid, as game-planners and play-callers, either have warped senses of humor or are grossly incompetent.

I said multiple times in the week leading up this game that I’d stop watching the Eagles if Shady didn’t get at least 25 touches against the Falcons. Truth is, I wanted that number to be closer to 30. I won’t put my money where my mouth is just yet, but I’m getting to the same point of indifference that prompted me not to tune in for the final four games of last season. It’s not like subjecting myself to this team is a fun and enjoyable way to spend three-plus hours anyway. I’d rather watch Red Zone Channel.

4) Offensive line. I haven’t taken a look at the tape, but it didn’t seem like the offensive line was a glaring handicap. At least not enough to be part of “The Bad.” There were some breakdowns here and there, which happens, but I didn’t find myself thinking that group is what crippled the Eagles. Vick wasn’t getting pummeled on every dropback, plays weren’t constantly screwed at the snap. In fact, the line started to get push in the running game on the second drive, behind Todd Herremans and Dennis Kelly on the right side in particular, but of course Marty/Andy never stuck with it. God forbid the run game should be relied upon.

The Bad

1) Marty and Andy. I just don’t understand. The Eagles had success on the ground during their first scoring drive, ending it with five straight runs and a Shady touchdown. Then, on their next drive, after the Ryan-to-Jones 63-yard touchdown strike, the Eagles offense was faced with a 2nd and 2 at the Falcons 49 after getting into a bit of a rhythm. The handoff went to McCoy, who was stuffed for no gain. On the next play, instead of going back to the offense’s best player and hoping the line could get enough of a push to pick up those two yards, Marty called for a quick pass over the middle that got batted away. On 4th and 2, with momentum hanging in the balance, Andy decided to punt. And by punt, I mean concede defeat. There is a time to trust your defense, but not when it’s simulated butter and the opposing offense a hot knife. That was capitulation, LOSER FOOTBALL, plain and simple. Andy Reid gave up. The Eagles’ only hope at that point was to maintain possession and get a score before the half, after which they were set to receive the ball to start the third quarter. Instead, Andy foolishly thought Todd Bowles’ muddled and bewildered defense could get a stop. Why the fuck would he think that after seeing how the first three drives went? Have a pair of testicles and go for it, Andy. Why do you have to act like a gigantic pussy and go down like such a bitch? It’s no shock the team follows that lead.

If it happens that Jeffrey Lurie is in pursuit of a new head coach this summer, I want him to present the above scenario as part of the interview. The candidates who think punting is the way to go should be eliminated from the search process immediately.

2) Pass rush. Yeah, the defense managed to end its drought by getting two second-half sacks (congratulations to Cedric Thornton on the first of his career), but pressure from the front seven was absent early in the game when the Falcons did all their damage. Naturally, when a defender did have a free run at Matt Ryan, he flew right by the quarterback, letting Ryan adroitly shuffle his feet, keep his eyes downfield, and buy extra time to make a play.

3) Nnamdi Asomugha and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie. A horror show for both players. DRC had perhaps his worst game as an Eagle from start to finish, littered with poor play, terrible penalties, and general apathy. Nnamdi tried to one-up his fellow starter and, in the play that might come to define his time as an Eagle, got burnt to a crisp by the speedy Julio Jones on a straight go route for a long touchdown. He didn’t even try to get a jam on Jones at the line, reduced to fruitlessly chasing from behind as the Falcons’ second-year star blew by and ran under a perfect throw from Matt Ryan. It brought back the “free agent bust” chorus that had quieted down a bit after Asomugha matched up so brilliantly against Calvin Johnson.

The pass defense as a whole, which had been the league’s stingiest up to Sunday’s game, was systemically picked apart by Matt Ryan. Oh, and Kurt Coleman bites so hard on every single pump fake and play action. I believe I’m being literal when I write “every,” but he’s not alone. Up next: A pissed off Drew Brees on Monday night. 

4) Drops. There were a bunch, each more aggravating than its predecessor. Jeremy Maclin has made it an art to drop passes on third down and then complain to the officials that an undeserved flag should be thrown. But easily the most costly drop was that of Fletcher Cox, who had an easy pick-six on the second play of the game. Unfortunately, he wasn’t able to hold onto the ball, and the Falcons used the next 14 plays to march down the field and score their first touchdown, setting the tone for domination.

5) The crowd. For the second straight game, the atmosphere inside the Linc was one of catatonia. Matt Ryan and friends never allowed the crowd to get involved, and for fans teetering on the edge, it didn’t take much to make them lose faith. Streams of people began leaving the stadium once the Falcons scored their second touchdown with less than a minute to go in the first quarter. Call me crazy, but I don’t think their departure had anything to do with the initial rains of Hurricane Sandy. Meanwhile, the fans who stayed incanted the first “Fire Andy” chants of the season.

The Ugly

1) The defense. I don’t think this is what Todd Bowles had in mind for his debut as defensive coordinator. But it was Juan Castillo’s fault, right? I saw some encouraging moments in the second half (including the two sacks), but this game was decided in the first 30 minutes when Bowles’s unit put forth an utterly wretched display. Once again, no turnovers were forced, leaving the pitiful total at two in five games. Nobody makes any fucking plays. Overall, the Falcons’ first six possessions yielded six scores — three touchdowns followed by three field goals. So, what are the excuses now? We’ll see in the coming weeks how Bowles operates in his new role and whether the defense can right the ship. Edit: Maybe implement a schematic tweak that focuses on taming the aggressiveness of the line — which can’t get to the quarterback as it is — a bit so the defense isn’t incessantly gashed by screens and short/dump off passes? I don’t know, some ADJUSTMENT of any kind.

2) This. I know I harshly discredited anonymous sources in my previous article, but I can’t do the same when the anonymous source is actually in the shit. Do I wish this anonymous player would’ve attached his name to these scathing words? Yes. But can I blame him for looking out for his own interests when he sees that no one is safe? No.

3) First quarter. I’d say the Eagles sure looked like a team that came out rejuvenated and ready to play. What a bunch of listless frauds. Presented to you, without further comment, are the first quarter stats for each team. 

Falcons: 23 plays, 134 total yards, 14 points, 13:02 time of possession

Eagles: 4 plays, -3 yards, 0 points, 1:58 time of possession

4) Michael Vick’s post-game press conference. First, Michael Vick didn’t have a good day, he didn’t have a terrible day. He had a “blah” day, one that would’ve included a pick-six had Stephen Nicholas done his best D’Qwell Jackson impersonation and caught the ball thrown right into his hands. People say Vick has lost a step. Uh, he’s lost at least a step, and playing behind this patchwork offensive line has exacerbated the issue. Mentally, he’s cooked, too, as evidenced when he took the podium and announced he’d be okay if his job got taken away. On the list of things you want to hear from your quarterback, acceptance that he might get benched is last. What he said after the game can only be characterized one way. And for that, I’d like to call on the esteemed Homer J. Simpson: THAT’S LOSER TALK!!!! I don’t think Vick’s play is the reason for the Eagles’ current malaise, but with that mindset, I don’t want him starting at quarterback either. He certainly won’t be part of the solution with that kind of self-sorry sulking. Sounds like the Nick Foles era is nearly upon us, though it’s not like that move alone will solve what ails the Eagles.

5) Asante’s post-game comments. I’d say this qualifies as shots fired. In addition to blasting Andy Reid (and Howie Roseman) to a swarm of reporters and cameras in front of his locker in the most Asante-like manner, Samuel dropped this quote that cut to the core:

“We got really good coaching. We run the ball. Time of possession is real good.” 

Real good, indeed. Why, he’s only describing the offense I’ve lusted and pined for since… forever! One that controls the clock and dictates a game’s flow. One that is built around the team’s best player, LeSean McCoy. Asante, I think you’re a selfish asshole, hate your style of play (your game IS in steep decline, by the way), and am happy you’re no longer on the team — but thanks for speaking the truth here. Even though the Falcons have morphed into a passing offense built around Matt Ryan, Julio Jones, Roddy White, and Tony Gonzalez, Dirk Koetter still shows commitment to running the ball with Michael Turner and Jacquizz Rodgers. We’re not talking about a formidable run game either, not like we’ve seen with the Falcons in years’ past. Yet the coaches still believe in its viability as part of the offense. Can you imagine if the Eagles made a REAL commitment to the run? Perhaps this game wouldn’t have been over late in the second quarter, when Marty/Andy refused to give Shady the ball on 3rd and 2 and 4th and 2, calling for a pass followed by a punt instead.

Schadenfreude moment of the day: Watching my man Jacquizz Rodgers tool on the Eagles defense during that 43-yard run of his late in the third quarter… and then finding out that it elicited a response of audible laughter in the press box.

Conclusion

This team is stupid, dysfunctional, and self-sabotaging. I really don’t have much else to say, nor the energy and desire to expand upon what’s already being said by everyone else. On Sunday, the Eagles were thoroughly outclassed and looked like a group that had quit, that was fractured beyond repair and headed for inevitable disaster. I said it in my Lions game recap article, and I reiterated it on Twitter early against the Falcons: 

Say what you will about Andy Reid, but you cannot knock the man’s record when he has two weeks to prepare for an opponent. In the regular season, his teams are an immaculate 13-0 after the bye week (and 3-0 in the playoffs). I’d like to think this means the Eagles will be ready to go against the undefeated Falcons the weekend before Halloween. Then again, that game could end up being a damning indication Reid has lost his touch and is nearing the end of his tenure as head coach here in Philadelphia.

Well, looks like we’re there. If you can’t believe in Andy after the bye, what about him can you believe in anymore?

All the coaches and players do is talk. Talk, talk, talk. Spewing the same rehearsed and empty rhetoric. And they never back it up. The delusion is so ingrained at a foundational level that it might not be correctable without a full purge. You know the worst part? I actually think last year’s sad excuse for a team was better than this one.

After the bye week, the thinking was that this season could go one of two ways. The team could be galvanized and come together, or the players could lose faith entirely and begin a death spiral. Right now, the latter option seems to be prevailing. Yet for all the doom and gloom, I wouldn’t say this is rock bottom. Sure, it may have looked and felt like rock bottom, but it can’t be. Why not? This team, no matter how hopeless things seem right now, remains 3-4 and one win away from being back in the thick of the Wild Card race. Pretty remarkable to consider, since popular opinion is that the season is over. Now, if the Eagles go into New Orleans and lay another egg, against that historically horrendous defense (first ever to give up 400+ yards of offense in seven consecutive games), then it’ll probably be appropriate to declare the 2012 season — and the Andy Reid era — dead. 

The Beginning of the Rest of the Season

Yeah, I suppose this past week qualified as a tumultuous one for the Eagles, all set in motion by a humiliating late collapse and loss to the Lions. A seventh blown fourth quarter lead in 22 games was, apparently, critical mass for the ill-fated Juan Castillo experiment. Andy Reid decided to hold himself responsible for the mess by going into terminator mode and firing the good soldier he’d put in position to fail. To the surprise of no one, reaction to the Castillo firing was a cesspool of drama, hysterics and negativity. It was so Philadelphia. The doomsday media vultures circled, wondering with their pens — and mouths — about Reid’s honor and integrity, not to mention his job security. Bloviations aside, they had every right to hurl nasty rhetoric his way. The incident was cringeworthy and borderline disgraceful. I know Juan’s shit-canning had to happen, but I still felt icky about how it all went down. So you can imagine how relieved I was to sit back Sunday and veg out on football, especially knowing the Eagles couldn’t ruin my mood and make me hate the world by derping like bumbling nincompoops. Watching the rest of the league slug it out — and other teams manufacture ways to lose — was like going through Eagles detox. Bye week detox.

I was talking to roommate, guest post pioneer, and resident Steelers fan Ben Keegan, who conveyed that the victory over the Bengals was the first time all season he felt good about his team. That’s when it hit me. Truth of the matter is, I haven’t much enjoyed the Eagles this season. On the whole, the experiene has been fucking brutal. I watch sports to be entertained. The 2012 Eagles have essentially done the exact opposite. Even the wins have been excruciating and resulted in a relative emptiness that should not accompany triumph. Just once, I’ve wanted to come out of a game feeling satisfied with the way the team performed. Is that so much to ask? Yes, showing fight and resolve in coming back to beat the Browns, Ravens, and Giants was encouraging to see. But be honest with me, did you ever do anything more than exhale and count your lucky stars at the end of those wins? I didn’t. I just wrote something to the effect of, “Getting this win is great and all, but there won’t be many more if the Eagles keep playing this way.” Yet when I take a step back and assess the situation, I try to exercise some perspective. The Eagles could be 5-1, 1-5, or 0-6, but they are 3-3 and in the hunt with two-plus months remaining in the regular season. That’s the reality. Another reality: It’s about getting hot and playing your best football in December, not at the end of October.

So, what did I decide during the bye week? If this is it for Andy Reid, then I’m not going to spend the last 10 games rooting for his demise like so many other fed up fans. I want my team to win. Only one time in my life have I rooted against the Eagles, and that was last season. The collective effort of that “team” fell so bar below an acceptable threshold, I didn’t feel they deserved my support. Hell, I was so disgusted and turned off, I protested by not even bothering to watch the last four games. Here’s the difference between last season and this one: I don’t see a glaring lack of heart and dedication with these Eagles (though they can be exasperatingly dumb). Sure, it hasn’t always been pretty, but at least the players appear to care (for the most part). That’s why last season was so inexcusable and dispicable, why I felt fine abandoning the team and washing my hands of the entire debacle.

I know the fan base is at wits’ end with the Andy Reid era and views the rest of 2012 as little more than a formality. I’ve been vocal in my displeasure with him, but as I think back on the totality of the 13-plus seasons under Andy, I appreciate that more often than not my football team has been relevant. I don’t take pleasure in Andy’s failures, and I want him to finally break through. Being bitter and hateful is so exhausting, maybe I’ll try the glass half-full approach. As far as I’m concerned, the Eagles are coming off the bye week with a clean slate. Let’s see if the offense can tighten up and play smart football, despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary. Let’s see what Todd (Smokin’) Bowles — supposedly the object of Andy’s desire during the original search for a defensive coordinator before he settled on Juan Castillo — can do with this defense (one suggestion: blitz Mychal Kendricks, he was superb at it in college). I have it on rock solid authority that letting Nnamdi Asomugha play freely and do his thing was a mandate communicated during the defense’s first post-bye week meeting (despite Bowles’ promise to mix man and zone coverage). Glad to hear it, since obviously Castillo’s attempts to hem him into a specific scheme were counter productive. While this will be Bowles’ first time calling plays, his playing and coaching pedigree has me feeling optimistic. I also have to believe the players themselves trust and respect Bowles’ defensive acumen more than Castillo’s, which is something that should be manifested on the field.

First test: The Falcons, also coming off a bye and, before that, three narrow wins against inferior opponents. As far as 6-0 teams go, this one does not strike fear in my heart. They’re good, but not THAT good. I just can’t bring myself to respect the Falcons, ever, and these dirty birds are due for a reality check, a beatdown that brings them back to earth. Besides, maybe there’s not a lot to believe in with Andy Reid anymore, but his immaculate post-bye week record speaks for itself. If LeSean McCoy doesn’t get 25 carries against the Falcons’ porous run defense (143.8 yards per game allowed, 28th in the league), Marty Mornhinweg should be stripped of his play-calling duties and/or fired on the spot. Then again, how many times have I said that before? Another reason to commit to the ground game and feed Shady, besides him being awesome? The Falcons’ strength on defense, forcing turnovers (10 interceptions and 7 fumble recoveries), is the Eagles’ Kryptonite on offense. Succumbing to his greatest vice and putting an inordinate amount of the burden on Michael Vick to win the game as a passer is exactly what the Falcons hope Mornhinweg does. So, Marty, please, build the game plan around Shady. Run the ball to Asante Samuel’s side, too. Thanks. (Edit: Take a note from the Steelers and have a drive where you run the ball seven straight times with a mixture of McCoy, Bryce Brown, and DeSean Jackson on an end-around. This actually is a perfect lead into the following quote.)

Quotable:

“They played a lot of two high shell in the secondary, a lot of two high safeties, to take away the passing game. When they do that, we have to be able to run the ball.” - Ben Roethlisberger, at his locker after the Steelers’ 24-17 win over the Bengals

Cool. Someone print out a thousand copies of this quote — from a two-time Super Bowl champion and proven WINNER — and affix it to every inch of Mornhinweg’s office. At least while he’s still calling the plays.

I know I said I’m not ready to give up on Andy, but I’m also programmed to always look toward the future. Some ideas to kick around….

1) Coaching candidates

Pro ranks: Winston Moss, Vic Fangio, Greg Roman (a Ventnor City native!), Mike McCoy, Rick Dennison, Ray Horton, Pete Carmichael, Jr.

College: Chip Kelly, Bill O’Brien (departure seems unlikely given his contract buyout stipulations), David Shaw

Dark horse: Dan Mullen. Here’s a guy whose candidacy has piqued my interest, and not only because of the job he’s doing as head coach of the currently undefeated Mississippi State Bulldogs. Mullen, in addition to having served on Urban Meyers’ staff at Utah (QB Coach) and Florida (QB Coach/Offensive Coordinator), was born in Drexel Hill — though his bio lists Manchester, NH, where he attended high school, as his hometown — and matriculated at Ursinus College, where he played tight end. He’s young (born in 1972), energetic, lauded as a brilliant offensive mind, and has revitalized the Mississippi State program. Now, I don’t know anything about how he might interact with grown men as opposed to college kids, but what I do know is that I like what I’ve read. Oh, and would you look at that, Mullen and Mississippi State have a chance Saturday night — as 22-point (!) underdogs — to shock the nation against top-ranked Alabama and rise to unlikely status of national title contender.

Side note: The Eagles boast three players who Mullen coached in Riley Cooper, Jamar Chaney, and Fletcher Cox.

Post-game edit, after Mullen’s Bulldogs got murdered by Alabama:

A better dark horse candidate is Kevin Sumlin of Texas A&M. I should have chosen him to begin with.

If as the season progresses it becomes apparent that the end of Andy is imminent, I’ll start to focus more on possible successors.

2) Changing the karma

A growing sentiment within the fan base has been to reinstate the old uniform color scheme. I’m thinking circa late 80’s/early 90’s (action shot). The 50th anniversary threads would suffice, but a darker green is preferable. I know, part of Jeffrey Lurie putting his stamp on the franchise was changing the logo and colors. I also surmise it’s likely possible he’d rather die than ever go back to the retro look. That’s why I’d suggest a potential solution that involves, among other things, keeping the updated wing insignia on either side of a kelly green helmet. Overall, I think a (modified) vintage look with a modern slant could help establish the next step in Eagles’ football and go a long way in mollifying an alienated and disillusioned fan base. That merchandise would fly off the shelves, too. I just get the sneaking suspicion that midnight green will forever be associated with the frustration and ultimately unfulfilled promise of the Andy Reid era. A fresh start, if it happens, should also extend to aesthetics.

Other thoughts

1) Oh, so Danny Watkins is refusing to speak to the media because he didn’t like what was written about him? QUICK EVERYONE JOKE ABOUT HOW THIS IS THE FIRST SUCCESSFUL BLOCK HE’S MADE ALL SEASON!

2) Not that I wasn’t expecting this, but Robert Griffin III is very, very for real. For the first time in 20 years, the Redskins no longer have to worry about the quarterback position. Provided that front office can overcome the hefty cap penalty and draft well despite not having first round picks the next two years (Alfred Morris is a nice start), the Redskins will ascend to legitimate contender status in short order. I know the popular opinion is to champion RG3 as a better, more cerebral (and right-handed) version of Michael Vick. But that comparison doesn’t take into account how gifted RG3 is as a traditional quarterback and how well he grasps the game. Like I wrote last year while RG3 was tearing up college football, he reminds me of Aaron Rodgers with the way he throws the ball. We’re talking about a player who combines Rodgers’ arm talent with Vick’s pure athleticism. There’s not a more exciting PLAYER in the league, and, unlike last year’s rookie sensation Cam Newton, who’s not a natural passer, RG3 should be able to sustain his current level of performance — injury notwithstanding — because he’s more than just an athlete playing quarterback. Robert Griffin III, not Cam Newton, is the new prototype to revolutionize the position.

3) Speaking of Cam Newton, I’ve been asked when I’m going to write a mea culpa to my mea cupla. We’re not quite there yet, even if the deficiencies he showed as a passer in college — see: sloppy mechanics and inability to quickly process coverages and navigate the intermediate area of the field — are now crippling him in the pros. Just as it’s becoming clear to me that I overreacted to Newton’s incredible rookie season, I’m not going to make the same mistake and jump at the chance to reassert my original opinion. There is no denying Newton’s raw talent, and it’s fair to point out he’s beset by a subpar supporting cast of talent and coaching staff. The thing is, last year presented a similar situation. Unfortunately for Cam, the element of surprise no longer exists, and the accumulation of game tape has enabled defensive coordinators to devise strategies to limit his effectiveness (see: take away deep ball and make him beat you underneath, minimize space in the pocket, pressure him instead of sitting back and respecting running ability). Newton hasn’t experienced this kind of on-field tribulation before — the acute media scrutiny is nothing new — and is still trying to figure out how to overcome it. In the meantime, he’s mired in a classic sophomore slump and regressing each week. Oh, and before I forget, cool sweater, dude, totally diverts the focus away from your performance. (Edit: Wait, Newton also called a female sportswriter “sweetheart”? Maybe he thought he was being playful and cute, I don’t know. Astonishingly poor form either way and a totally out-of-touch dick move. Why stop there, Cam? Complete the circle of fusty condescension and tell her to get back in the kitchen!)

4) My introduction to Randall Cobb came when he almost single-handedly defeated Auburn — by accounting for all four of Kentucky’s touchdowns (two rushing, one receiving, one passing) in a 37-34 loss — during the Tigers’ National Championship season in 2010. I was smitten. We’ve seen flashes of immense potential ever since he first stepped on the field as a pro, but his big game against the Rams on Sunday (and two before that against the Texans and Colts, making it a trend) is only the beginning of a breakout stretch for this Percy Harvin clone. If Cobb is part of your fantasy team, start him every week from here on out. I am.

5) Lots of Eagles fans, including yours truly, have touched upon the apathy supposedly pervading the fan base. Pro tip: If you continuously refer to your apathy towards a specific topic, you either aren’t apathetic or don’t know what it means.

6) “Anonymous sources” are gutless cowards and rumor-mongering maggots. Get fucked, assholes.

I’ll leave you with this enduring image, in honor of the upcoming matchup with Atlanta:

Week 6 Recap: Lions 26 Eagles 23 (OT)

I yearned for the Eagles to be focused, play smart, and put forth a dominating effort against the Lions, but they did not oblige. It was the kind of game that leaves you wondering why you even bother with this team. No, seriously, I had four friends text me asking that. Here was my answer to them, in GIF form. Are we sure it wasn’t 2011 yesterday? Because with the way the Eagles played, it felt like last season. In a game that doubled as a contest between two teams trying to outdisgrace one another, the Eagles took charge at the end. I wrote in last week’s game recap article that the Lions were like a hyperactive version of the Eagles when it came to mixing talent with self-sabotage, and for nearly 55 minutes that held true. Then the home team decided to show the Lions how it’s done.

The Good

1. Jeremy Maclin. He went for six receptions, 130 yards and a touchdown, which came on a 70-yard catch and run. Maclin, who’s been battling the effects of a painful hip injury for a month, finally looked back to form. He would have had another long catch and run to perhaps ice the game late in the fourth quarter had Ndamukong Suh not deflected Michael Vick’s pass.

2. Riley Cooper. Made a key block on the kickoff return after the Lions took a 3-0 lead that allowed Brandon Boykin to go for, gasp, 30 yards! On that ensuing drive, Cooper made a nice 8-yard reception on 3rd and 6. Of course, two plays later, at the Detroit 29, Dallas Reynolds snapped the ball before Michael Vick was ready and the Lions recovered the fumble. Sigh. Whatever, I hope Riley, now that he’s healthy, is more involved in the offense because he’s the only real big target in that wide receiver corps.

3. Defense during the first three quarters. The Eagles didn’t record any sacks, but Matthew Stafford was 6 of 21 for just 91 yards and an interception. If that’s what the quarterback’s stat line looks like, I could care less about getting sacks. Then again, some scribes in the press box declared the Lions’ problems on offense weren’t so much about what the Eagles did, but rather what the Lions didn’t do and that Stafford missed a bunch of opportunities. Either way, during their first nine drives, the Lions managed a mere six points and looked out of sorts a majority of the time.

4. Nnamdi Asomugha. After a rough few weeks and increasing criticism directed his way, Asomugha played his best game of the season. He was matched up on Calvin Johnson almost exclusively the first three quarters, with Nate Allen helping over the top instead of Kurt Coleman (finally), and held Megatron to one catch for 28 yards. He also had an interception on a deep pass into the end zone. Then in the fourth quarter, for reasons known only to Juan Castillo, Nnamdi was relieved of his responsibility to cover Johnson. Why did Castillo want to give Johnson and Stafford different looks in the fourth quarter when they couldn’t get anything done against the previous coverages? I just… I don’t know. Nnamdi didn’t, either. Great sign. 

Naturally, this morning, Andy Reid refuted Asomugha’s assertion and said the Eagles didn’t change up their defensive scheme in the fourth quarter. Ok, then. Please, by all means, continue to treat us like idiots.

Edit: 5. DeMeco Ryans. Well, at least the middle linebacker position has been solved. Ryans continues to look like the player he was for the Texans pre-Achilles injury. Recorded a season-high in tackles (13) and tackles for loss (three).

The Bad

1. Turnovers. Another game, another negative turnover differential for the Eagles, who now lead the NFC at -9 (they also lead the NFC with 17 turnovers, which is five more than the runner-up Cowboys). The good news: Vick didn’t lose a fumble. The bad news: He threw two awful interceptions. Pick your poison, I guess.

2. Offensive line. Bad, bad, bad. Collectively, Demetress Bell, Evan Mathis, Dallas Reynolds, Danny Watkins, and Todd Herremans couldn’t move the Lions’ front four off the line of scrimmage, and the run game was rendered useless — detrimental, in fact. In pass protection, the unit’s performance was barely any better. I really have no idea how Michael Vick hasn’t suffered a concussion or season-ending injury yet with the kind of beating he takes each game. It’s definitely one of the marvels of the season to this point. The official scorer recorded just 11 hits on Vick inside the pocket, but there had to be more. To everyone calling for Nick Foles: He’d get murdered playing behind this line. Remember that Vick had nine scrambles in this game — for 59 yards — to elude pressure and pick up positive yards. Nick Foles wouldn’t be able to save himself that way. Now, in fairness, Foles wouldn’t hold onto the ball as long, but he would still be a sitting duck back there — a sacrificial lamb with little chance of achieving success.

3. Brent Celek at the goal line. You know things are bad when Brent Celek is responsible for taking two touchdowns off the board. The first instance came in the third quarter, when Michael Vick stared down a blitz and fired a perfect pass with a defender flying at his head. Unfortunately, Celek wasn’t able to hold up his end of the bargain. The ball hit him in the worst spot — the hands — and he simply dropped it. Yeah, there was a defender draped on his back, but Celek himself will tell you that’s a catch he needs to make. The Eagles settled for, you guessed it, a field goal. Then on the very next drive, with the Eagles in the red zone and looking to go up 17-6, Celek redeemed himself with a touchdown catch. Except he didn’t. In a call that we’ll label as highly questionable, the referee determined that Celek pushed off his man and whistled him for offensive pass interference. It was ticky-tack, at best, and the replay was anything but convincing. Still, it happened, and the call went against Celek. The Eagles were forced to settle for another field goal. So, if you’re counting at home, that’s two plays directly involving Celek that cost the Eagles eight points.

4. Special teams. All week, media members made jokes about the Lions’ putrid special teams, and how if there was one team out there worse than the Eagles in that phase, it was Detroit. Oops. Looks like Bobby April’s group doesn’t want to give up the fight for that ignominious mantle. It all started with Mat McBriar’s first punt, which traveled 47 yards but recorded a hangtime of… did the ball even stay in the air three seconds? Stefan Logan fielded the punt at his own 18, but without a defender near him and nothing but green grass ahead, was able to break a long 48-yard return all the way down to the Eagles’ 34. That led to the first of Jason Hanson’s four field goals on the day. Oh, and so much for putting DeSean Jackson back to return punts, as he had one attempt for -3 yards. The Eagles return units as a whole did nothing, so par for the course there.

5. Run defense. For the second week in a row, the Eagles run defense was exposed. This time the front seven let the league’s oldest offensive line push them around and gave up 108 yards on 22 carries to the formidable running back tandem of Mikel Leshoure and Joique Bell.

6. Discipline. There are plenty of examples from which to choose, but Fletcher Cox’s ejection headlines this section. The precocious rookie made the biggest mistake of his young career by punching a Lions player during the PAT attempt that made the score 16-13. Can’t do that, dude. With Cox out of the game, the Lions marched down the field with ease on their last two drives. But there’s more. Earlier, in the second quarter, and despite a ref standing right there, DeSean Jackson somehow wasn’t flagged nor ejected when he jabbed a defender right under the chin strap.

The Ugly

1. The pass rush. What was an uneasy cause for concern has now become a full-blown panic. The Eagles can no longer get to the opposing quarterback. Like, not even close. The pass rush was supposed to be one of the team’s foremost strengths coming into season, and in the preseason appeared it would live up to that billing. The first two games, everything was in order. Against the Cardinals, however, it started to change. What we’ve seen over the past four games is an erosion of stupefying proportions. I don’t even know what to say. Jason Babin and Trent Cole have been almost non-existent, and the only defensive lineman consistently getting even a little bit of pressure on the quarterback is Brandon Graham. 

2. Preparation. This is confined mainly to the offense, which has come out of the gate the last four games looking anything but ready to play. Here’s a summary of the Eagles’ first scripted 15 plays from each of those games (not including penalties):

@ Cardinals: 66 yards, lost fumble, no points

vs. Giants: 51 yards, no points

@ Steelers: 90 yards (Vick’s lost fumble at the goal line came on 16th play), no points

vs. Lions: 29 yards, lost fumble, no points

If there’s one thing you can count on with the Eagles, it’s for the team to be mired in a general malaise for the initial 15-20 minutes of game time.

3. Fourth quarter defense. Maybe last week’s failure to stop the Steelers at the end of the game wasn’t just a blip, but rather a sign that the defense is reverting to 2011 form. Spotted a 10-point lead twice in the final quarter, the defense went into Swiss cheese mode. After the Eagles stalled again in the red zone and kicked a third field goal to make the score 16-6, the defense immediately gave up a seven-play, 79-yard touchdown drive. A Vick interception and Detroit punt followed. Then came the 70-yard scoring strike to Maclin. Up 23-13 with 5:18 left, it looked like the Eagles would hold on for their fourth win of the season, and the entire team seemed to take a deep breath and relax. Except no one told the Lions the game was over. I’d go through what happened during the final five minutes of regulation, but something tells me you don’t want to relieve it. Instead, I present you with the following:

Lions offense over the first 46.5 minutes of the game: 163 total yards, 6 points

Lions offense over the final 17.5 minutes of the game: 286 yards, 20 points

Matthew Stafford during the first three quarters: 6-21, 91 yards, 0 TD, 1 INT

Matthew Stafford during the fourth quarter and overtime: 16-25, 220 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT

Calvin Johnson during the first three quarters: 1 catch, 28 yards

Calvin Johnson during the fourth quarter and overtime: 5 catches, 107 yards

Eagles’ total yards on offense in the fourth quarter and overtime, not including Maclin’s 70-yard touchdown: 5. That’s not a misprint. Five total fucking yards.

4. Juan Castillo’s play-calling meltdown. Juan, if it ain’t broke, please don’t try to fix it. Schematically or otherwise. I’m really not trying to be disrespectful here, and I’m going to put this politely, but Castillo’s ability to design blitzes and understanding of when to deploy them leaves a lot to be desired. There’s no creativity with this defense, it’s like watching a vanilla preseason gameplan. At least that’s how it seems. Has an Eagles blitz gotten to the quarterback even one time this season? That’s a serious question. And when your own players are questioning why you changed the defensive philosophy in the final quarter after stifling the opposing offense the first three, well, odds are you screwed up big time. The Eagles front four hadn’t sacked Stafford up to that point, but the defense as a whole was still playing well. It was not until Castillo decided to dial up some extra pressure and switched to zone coverage* that the Lions were able to get Calvin Johnson the ball and started humming offensively. Coincidence? Unlikely.

*(Edit: and dime package, with the burnt crispy Brandon Hughes, to make up for Nate Allen’s absence after he suffered a hamstring injury)

5. The run game. The Eagles’ offensive line got owned at the point of attack all afternoon. There was nary an opening for LeSean McCoy to run through, and he finished with 14 carries for 22 yards. Early on, the Lions were putting one and sometimes even two extra defenders in the box, thoroughly unconcerned with the Eagles’ ability to beat them with the big play. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: Teams no longer fear the Eagles. It’s been that way for the defense since the passing of Jim Johnson, but now that statement is proving true for the offense.

6. Sack (-7 yards), sack (-14 yards), incompletion, punt. This doesn’t need more elaboration, but the Eagles’ abortion of an overtime possession encapsulates the totality of failure that was the entire afternoon.

7. The crowd. All game, the fans in attendance were relatively lifeless. You barely heard anything on TV, yet the feeling of angst was palpable. It was almost as if the Eagles faithful could sense the inevitable and were bracing themselves for disappointment. I can’t blame them. Hell, the stadium was more than half empty for overtime. Is apathy starting to settle in? Anger is one thing because at least that shows people still care. Indifference, on the other hand, is the kiss of death.

Conclusion

Do I even have to invoke the “same shit, different season” refrain? Sunday’s performance was a carbon copy of 2011, and one that fuels my pessimism going forward. Just a total collapse by both the offense and defense. For everyone who maintains hope that whatever current season will be different, the Eagles shit out these kinds of performances to snap you back to reality. It’s exasperating, it’s distressing, and it’s depressing. Oh, and the best part? We, and the Eagles, get to stew on this loss for two weeks! I sarcastically tweeted early in Sunday’s game that the Eagles resembled a team looking past the Lions and ahead to a tough matchup against the bye week. If not for the Lions’ own ineptitude that included committing a litany of penalties, the score would’ve been at least 17-0 in the second quarter. The Eagles finally got it together a bit and looked like they might wake up and throttle the Lions, but they could never quite get fully untracked.

It’s been a common theme all season, the inability to put together a complete effort, and over the last two games the Eagles’ luck has subsided. Whereas the optimists wanted to overlook the process in favor of the results when the Eagles were 3-1, the deficiencies in that process are now coming back to haunt this team. The way the Eagles escaped with their three victories was not sustainable, and a regression to the mean has begun. You can’t turn the ball over, leave points on the field, and consistently shoot yourself in the foot if you expect to win. The Eagles say they understand that but appear powerless to rectify the issue. Sloppiness, carelessness, and self-sabotage have become part and parcel of this team’s identity. The Eagles will not finish the season with a winning record, much less make the playoffs, if the trend continues.

Say what you will about Andy Reid, but you cannot knock the man’s record when he has two weeks to prepare for an opponent. In the regular season, his teams are an immaculate 13-0 after the bye week (and 3-0 in the playoffs). I’d like to think this means the Eagles will be ready to go against the undefeated Falcons the weekend before Halloween. Then again, that game could end up being a damning indication Reid has lost his touch and is nearing the end of his tenure as head coach here in Philadelphia. After more than 13 years, it all comes down to this. Andy Reid now has 10 games left to save his job.