What the hell happened to my beloved Philadelphia Eagles

[LynneSin]

I fell asleep sometime when they were behind 17-0 and now look what they did

34-24 - What an amazing team.

I love my Eagles.

[evlbstrd]

1. The real question is

what happened to my Chiefs?

[LynneSin]

2. Seriously - you guys looked great in the very beginning

I thought you guys had our number

[evlbstrd]

5. It looked that way.

The Eagles defense figured us out at the half. And we aren't covering the pass well.

[xmas74]

15. Half the team looked like they gave up midway.

I hope Vermiel reams some ass later on. They needed it. And Gunther looked like he was ready to kill someone. It was funny to watch.

[evlbstrd]

17. A little reminiscent of Monday night at Denver.

Something's wrong. And it ain't just that Willie Roaf is hurt.

[xmas74]

31. It's the team's attitude.

That has been the problem every season. They don't play like a team-they still play like individuals who want all the attention.

[cssmall]

3. D. McNabb is the man?

Fuck Terrell Owens, if D. McNabb ain't there, the Eagles ain't there. I love that quarterback. He is all that is right in sports for all that I know about him. He's a private individual, he plays hard and he has fun. I am not an Eagles fan, but I tell you this, he isn't being trumped up at all. He is just that good. (Gotta swipe Rush at every turn.)

[LynneSin]

4. I'll give credit to Owens - He's an ass but he's a professional

BTW, LJ Smith has been an amazement this season. I'm so glad he's on my fantasy football team!

[cssmall]

6. Owens is good, yeah. . . I really like LJ Smith too.

I also like Westbrook. Arkansas connection with Shawn Andrews! ;D My senior year of high school (he was a junior), I was injured and went to go watch him play. He was like a head taller than everyone else and as big as a tree. The poor kid up against him was just fucked all night.

[LynneSin]

7. I have both Smith & Westbrook on my fantasy football team

along with McNabb, Akers & the Eagles defense.

Of course I didn't playe Akers or the Def. I'm starting Carney and TB 's defense

[cssmall]

11. Akers. . . man, last week, I just smiled when he kicked the GW FG.

nt

[friesianrider]

21. McNabb is incredibly awesome, yes :)

But TO has his positive points, too. I know he's a dick in the public eye but in reality he's not as bad a person as he comes across.

Donovan is incredible. Imagine the pain he must be in and he never gave up - neither did the rest of the team. The Eagles worked together on this one and did an awesome job. I'm so proud!

[Lady Freedom]

8. GRR

:mad: :grr: :nuke: :banghead:

[evlbstrd]

10. Can we score here, onside kick and win anyway?

We'll see, But Green needs better protection

[nickgutierrez]

9. You're going to beat me this week in FF

Because I did something monumentally stupid. Actually, it's what I didn't do that was the monumentally stupid thing.

Can you guess?

Chris Chambers and Randy McMichael are in my lineup. The Dolphins have a bye week. :banghead:

[LynneSin]

12. and that's monumentally stupid how?

I mean, I'm thinking genius here

:D

:hug:

[nickgutierrez]

13. .

:rofl:

Although, to be fair, their would-have-been replacements didn't exactly break any records. So, if I lose to you by... let's say three points or less, I have only myself to blame. :)

[xmas74]

14. I watched that game.

I laughed my ass off. I live near KC and I hate the Chiefs.

Gives me something to laugh about tomorrow at work.

[hfojvt]

24. I was astounded when it was 24-6

It seemed like a Chiefs loss was too much to hope for. Of course, I went to work at that point anyway.

[xmas74]

30. Yet I got what I was hoping for.

[mvd]

16. That was great

Most sports personalities even here in Philly thought they were going to lose. I love when they are proven wrong.

That McNabb really is a warrior, isn't he? :hi:

[friesianrider]

20. You'd never know DMac was hurt would you?

What an awesome player...and an awesome team. We all worked together to win this one!

[JVS]

18. It must be the pact with Satan

I was impressed though

[friesianrider]

19. GO EAGLES!!!!

Lynne, I was wondering if you were watching! TO and McNabb are THE. SHIT.

[Awsi Dooger]

22. Two dumb Chief turnovers late in the first half led to TDs

That was the storyline. The Eagles had no energy until Chief miscues let them back into the game just before half.

It was 17-0 and KC had the ball at its 40 with maybe 4:30 remaining. Trent Green senselessly forced a quick throw to the left. The slot defender read Green's eyes and came off his man for the pick 6.

After KC scored to make it 24-6, KC was basically running out the clock when Larry Johnson fumbled the exchange from Green. The Eagles scored again to make it a reasonable 24-13 at half. You could see the bounce in the Eagles coming off the field and Vermeil was livid. I generally bet first halfs, not second halfs but the difference in body language convinced me Philly was the right bet.

Still, Andy Reid is a fool if he thinks they don't have to run the football. Today was a ludicrous ratio, something like 56 passes to 15 runs. They were even throwing the football with 3 minutes left from the Chief 20 with a 10 point lead and KC having no timeouts. It's called the Vince Lombardi Trophy, not the Don Coryell trophy. Genuises who think they can reinvent the game are also-rans, and earn it.

[hfojvt]

25. wasn't the game reinvented already

with the 'west coast offense'? The three yard pass is just as effective and safe as a run.
Part of the key today is that the Chiefs are not a 2nd half team. I am not sure why this is, but only that it has been true for the three seasons I have been following the Chiefs.

[Awsi Dooger]

26. That's the mythology; that short passing equates to a run

Run blocking requires physical superiority, massive men displacing other massive men. The passing game is more ticklish, frustrating and tricking the opposition instead of physical prowess. When you run the ball often it gives the entire offensive more confidence, especially the line, and wears down the defense. The long runs at the end of games by backs who have been frustrated for three quarters are hardly coincidence.

This is not simpleton passe theory. The stats consistently back it up. In the NFL, the team with the most rushing attempts wins nearly 85% of the time. That stat is essentially unchanged throughout the eras, surviving all changes in philosophy. And it's not a case of the team with the lead piling up meaningless rushing attempts in the 4th quarter. That is a fallacy. My job is in sports statistics and I have to chart games every weekend. The rushing attempts accumulate in relationship to the score in almost every case.

Run the ball often, pass the ball well. That is the blueprint for NFL success. You generally need to average 28-35 rushing attempts per game and 7.0 or higher yards per pass attempt. This is the vital point: the short passing game violates BOTH criteria, since it substitutes a short wimpy pass for a physical running play, and the short pass by definition lessens your average yards per attempt. You can't succeed longterm by depending on the short pass. The '80s 49ers who supposedly invented the west coast offense under Bill Walsh always had laudable number of rushing attempts, even when their backfield was Bill Ring and Wendell Tyler and Earl Cooper. Walsh repeatedly spoke against the 4 WR approach with a deemphasis on the running game while he was an analyst for NBC. His quote was basically this, "People are saying this is the future of the game of football. IT IS NOT. At least not successful football, the best football."

Admittedly, Philadelphia has been successful in 2004 and so far this year violating these principles. The Eagles averaged something like 24 rushing attempts last season. They are the only team I've seen in 15+ years of charting stats that can frequently overcome that 85% stat of a team running the ball most often winning the game. In fact, the Eagles drag that league wide number down all by themselves.

The FOX announcers today quoted Andy Reid as saying if it were up to him Philadelphia would NEVER run the football. Well, best of luck winning a title. I admittedly allowed a not-so-private chuckle last season when the Eagles essentially blew the Super Bowl via several INTs on first down in the Patriot red zone. The Eagles tried to win a Super Bowl with 17 rushing attempts and justifiably failed.

On edit: I forgot to mention one thing regarding Philly's success in 2004 and this year despite not running the ball. It is undoubtedly influenced by acquiring Terrell Owens. Much more than the sports media allows. Prior to 2004, Donovan McNabb was persistently subpar in yards per attempt. He was always in the 6.5 or 6.6 range. That's reject level in the playoffs. After acquiring TO, McNabb rocketed to 8.3 last season. That is outstanding. It's probably a combo of McNabb coming of age along with the superior WR personnel and getting Westbrook involved. This year McNabb is very high at 7.7 yards per attempt. It's just that the Eagles have no idea how much better their playoff chances would be with added balance. They drafted an offensive linemen like Andrews from Arkansas who can outmanuever and bully virtually any defensive lineman, yet I watch him every week wasted in pass protection only.

[hfojvt]

27. I can think of several counter examples

The 1986 Bears and the recent Baltimore Ravens spring to mind - teams that won titles based on their defenses. Except of course Trent Dilfer and the Ravens tore up the Giants secondary in the title game, and the Bears had Willie Gault, Walter Payton, and Ed McMahan. The Packers also won their recent title without a decent running attack, relying on the passing of Favre to Rison, the special teams offense with Desmond Howard, and their defense, with Gilbert Brown to stop the run and Reggie White to sack the QB, to carry them through. Statistically they probably made alot of run attempts, but it was meaningless - they would build a lead based on big plays on special teams, passing, or defense and then their offense would be basically three running plays and out for much of the 2nd half.
Controlling the line is key, on both sides of the ball, but running is not necessarily irreplaceable. As far as your stat "In the NFL, the team with the most rushing attempts wins nearly 85% of the time" is bound to be true - the team with more offensive success is likely to have more rushing attempts and the team that is behind is likely going to need more passing to try to catch up.

[Giant Robot]

23. Had a great weekend watching football

Both the Eagles and the U of M Wolverines won! Unfortunately, I do still live in Michigan, so I usually see the Eagles on highlight reels and Monday Night Football. McNabb really is the man. If he isn't there, the Eagles aren't there. Really. They can do it without T.O., but it's a lot harder. But go Eagles!

[bbernardini]

28. Don't worry, it's early in the season. Plenty of time to choke.

And this is coming from an Eagles fan. Something about Philadelphia teams...they always choke.

[LynneSin]

29. I think they did their choking for the season in game 1 with Atlanta

:D