Day After Thoughts on the Eagles
With about 15 hours to reflect on the Eagles victory over the Cowboys, here are some thoughts beyond my game review:
• Everyone calling sports radio to say how Andy Reid needs to rip into DeSean Jackson for doing the Nestea Plunge into the end zone on the 91-yard touchdown needs to relax. Yes, it was stupid, and Jackson needs to know better. But it’s part of who he is, and as long as he doesn’t get out of control with it, Reid knows he just has to live with the occasional dumb penalty.
• That said, bad penalties are hurting this team. Dimitri Patterson kept Dallas’ first TD drive alive with an interference penalty, and why Jorrick Calvin apparently still has a job today is beyond me. His penalty for shoving a Cowboy after a touchback could have given Dallas great field position to potentially tie or win the game had they stopped the Eagles after scoring to make it 30-27. This was after Calvin ran around in the end zone mistakenly thinking he was killing time – unfortunately, the clock doesn’t start until the kick returner comes out of the end zone. Cutting this previously unknown rookie is how Reid should send a message to the team to knock off the dumb penalties, not by getting on the star wide receiver.
• Stewart Bradley is out at least through the regular season with a dislocated elbow. This guy became an instant hero to Eagles fans wanting to sound like football aficionados when he was injured in the ‘09 preseason. The Eagles can’t really afford any losses on defense, and they also lost Brandon Graham for the year. But I’m not going to go nuts over losing Bradley again.
• I wasn’t really buying into the idea that Vick was getting unfair treatment by the referees, but the hit on him in the first half at the sideline with no penalty called was a blatant example of it. I actually thought they got a makeup call with the roughing the passer quarterback at the 2-minute warning, but the replay showed it was a legitimate call.
• I noted that Vick threw a pretty ugly interception just two plays after the second hit, and an incomplete pass followed by an Eagles punt after the first. Maybe the hits were getting to him. His other interception on the night went off Jeremy Maclin’s hands.
• I thought the initial hit on Vick actually pumped up the Eagles defense, who seemed to show more intensity – briefly. Yet, in the very next series their tackling was weak.
• Again the Eagles put Chad Hall in the “wildcat” at the goal line. Why?
• Did Al Michaels actually call Jason Avant “sure handed?”
• It was bad enough that Tashard Choice wanted Vick’s autograph after his team just got beat by the Eagles. Today he tweeted, “Listen y’all I know vick. That glove was for my nephew who is 3. Not for me.” Oh, much better!
• Michael Barkann tweeted, “With 88-yard TD v Redskins & 91-yarder tonight, DeSean 7th ever w 2 TDs of 88+ yards in a season, 1st since J. Taylor, 1989.”
• Finally, the best post-game tweet goes to Todd Herremans, Eagles offensive lineman who scored a touchdown, “Oh ya... And sorry fantasy owners... Maybe ya won't sleep on ur boy next season! Haha.”
• Everyone calling sports radio to say how Andy Reid needs to rip into DeSean Jackson for doing the Nestea Plunge into the end zone on the 91-yard touchdown needs to relax. Yes, it was stupid, and Jackson needs to know better. But it’s part of who he is, and as long as he doesn’t get out of control with it, Reid knows he just has to live with the occasional dumb penalty.
• That said, bad penalties are hurting this team. Dimitri Patterson kept Dallas’ first TD drive alive with an interference penalty, and why Jorrick Calvin apparently still has a job today is beyond me. His penalty for shoving a Cowboy after a touchback could have given Dallas great field position to potentially tie or win the game had they stopped the Eagles after scoring to make it 30-27. This was after Calvin ran around in the end zone mistakenly thinking he was killing time – unfortunately, the clock doesn’t start until the kick returner comes out of the end zone. Cutting this previously unknown rookie is how Reid should send a message to the team to knock off the dumb penalties, not by getting on the star wide receiver.
• Stewart Bradley is out at least through the regular season with a dislocated elbow. This guy became an instant hero to Eagles fans wanting to sound like football aficionados when he was injured in the ‘09 preseason. The Eagles can’t really afford any losses on defense, and they also lost Brandon Graham for the year. But I’m not going to go nuts over losing Bradley again.
• I wasn’t really buying into the idea that Vick was getting unfair treatment by the referees, but the hit on him in the first half at the sideline with no penalty called was a blatant example of it. I actually thought they got a makeup call with the roughing the passer quarterback at the 2-minute warning, but the replay showed it was a legitimate call.
• I noted that Vick threw a pretty ugly interception just two plays after the second hit, and an incomplete pass followed by an Eagles punt after the first. Maybe the hits were getting to him. His other interception on the night went off Jeremy Maclin’s hands.
• I thought the initial hit on Vick actually pumped up the Eagles defense, who seemed to show more intensity – briefly. Yet, in the very next series their tackling was weak.
• Again the Eagles put Chad Hall in the “wildcat” at the goal line. Why?
• Did Al Michaels actually call Jason Avant “sure handed?”
• It was bad enough that Tashard Choice wanted Vick’s autograph after his team just got beat by the Eagles. Today he tweeted, “Listen y’all I know vick. That glove was for my nephew who is 3. Not for me.” Oh, much better!
• Michael Barkann tweeted, “With 88-yard TD v Redskins & 91-yarder tonight, DeSean 7th ever w 2 TDs of 88+ yards in a season, 1st since J. Taylor, 1989.”
• Finally, the best post-game tweet goes to Todd Herremans, Eagles offensive lineman who scored a touchdown, “Oh ya... And sorry fantasy owners... Maybe ya won't sleep on ur boy next season! Haha.”
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