Yesterday, I was too annoyed to discuss the game that would have gone down as the greatest in Eagles history, but quickly turned to another heart wrenching loss. Christ, we were one stop on defense away from getting to another Super Bowl, but instead we are left with another empty offseason of questioning what this team needs to do to take the next step. The more I think of it, I believe I have the answer.
The core of the team that has been to five NFC Championship Games, coaching staff included, is just not good enough. The lot of some people's lives is to just be a #2. Not a #1. Look at Charlie Weis. He is a phenomenal offensive coordinator, but he is not a head coach. He just doesn't have that it. Think about people you work with. Some people have the make up to be the leader of an organization and others, while fantastic as being a #2 in the company, just don't have what it takes to be the top guy. That's how I feel about Donovan and Andy. (By the way, I have totally borrowed this theory from Colin Cowherd.)
You cannot take anything away from D Mac and Andy. They are very good at what they do, but I just have the feeling that they max out at this level. They will always finish one step short of a title. No matter what happens, they do not have what it takes to come up big in the biggest of spots. All this being said, what can we do? There is no one out there guaranteed to be any better those two. Is there any available QB and coach you'd want to fire Reid and dump Donovan for to get you to this point every year? Absolutely not.
However, I will say this. I do strongly believe this team could win a title with Donovan. It would require Reid to be fired and to bring in a defensive minded head coach that would bring in an offensive coordinator that would focus on running the ball. Remember what happened with John Elway. He did not win the Super Bowl until the team revolved the running game of Terrell Davis. I could see the same thing happening here if a Mike Tomlin type coach was brought in and a big time running back drafted (I truly hope RB is one of our 1st round picks this year.)
In any event, Sunday's game was truly disappointing. I went from the highest of highs (the bomb TD to DeSean) to the lowest of lows (the final Cards TD and our failed final possession). Don't know how long it will take to get over this one, but in terms of comparing the NFC title game losses, this one is second to the loss to the Bucs. Nothing will ever top how bad I felt that day. Sunday's game was there for the taking, but the Birds fell painfully short.
It's easy to place blame on Reid/McNabb, but the real problem was that the defense just couldn't get it done when they had to. For the most part, it looked as though the Cards' offensive brain trust was one or two steps ahead of Jim Johnson's defensive play calling. Sure Quentin Demps was abused on the pitch, throw back, bomb to Fitzgerald, but at this point in his career Demps is no match for Fitzgerald and the Cards were looking for that match up and took advantage of it like any good play caller should.
Overall, that was the key to game. The Birds' defense looked helpless on too many crucial plays. Unfortunately, we now have another offseason to go through all the what ifs. Even more unfortunate is that this is a position we are all to familiar with.
5 comments:
1-4 in Title games. Favored in 3 of those games and probably the better team on paper. I think it was lost in the first half when we left many TD's on the board. I think of the ball underthrown to Lewis (although catchable). The ball in the dirt to Baskett and the overthrow to Curtis. The 3 unanswered TDs would have been enough if we put some points on the board the first 30 mins.
We're really in limbo with this squad. What can you do sitting here again in 2009. Most NFC teams would kill to be in this position and the alternative is to take risks with a new coach and/or QB. I guess we'll tweak the roster again and see if its enough. I agree another RB is needed, Buck looks to be gone.
I think 1 or both tackles will be jetisoned. Obviously LJ and Lito are cooked.
I believe the mass overconfidence of players, coaches, media and fans is what doomed the Eagles. Everyone was caught overlooking Arizona and thinking about the Super Bowl.
McNabb's one-hoppers are no secret along with the errant throws, but without his performance in the 2nd half Philly isn't even close. Sure his game wasn't perfect, but lets be honest, the defense dropped the ball. If they buckle down like they did against NYG then we're not sitting here bitching like we do every year.
BTW-McNabb is the QB for Philly; Kolb isn't the answer. Let's see if management can use some of their draft picks to bring in some some serious help for him. Enough with passing up and trading draft picks; now's the time to make some moves.
Tom F.
Is anyone else frustrated that Buck is ignored? For me, this is a key reason Andy has to either go, or surround himself with more capable people (take a page from Charlie--who at least recognizes his weaknesses and surrounds himself with people possessing complimentary strengths). Who are the football versions of Jimmy Williams and Davey Lopes???!!! I truly believe if Buck gets 8-15 touches per game, he's directly responsible for 7-14 points. But what do I know??...
I gotta say i agree on Buck. He's very explosive like his early days. Remember our first NFC Championship loss at St. Louis. Buck was ripping them apart in the first half with explosive quickness. He gets hurt and we get caught in the 2nd half of that one. Everytime he touches the ball he's dangerous and is an ideal #2 to Westbrook. He'll make another team very very happy in 2009.
I do feel this team lost b/c of coaching and not a deficiency in talent on Sunday. I cannot think of a defensive replacement or upgrade for '09 except for maybe the DE as Juqua wore down towards the end of the season. A tweak or two is needed on O, as the O Line is getting older by the minute. TE and FB need to be addressed as well.
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